Patents by Inventor Hirofumi Nishihara

Hirofumi Nishihara has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20090081761
    Abstract: The invention provides: (1) a modified hydrogenase obtained by removing electron-transfer sites from a hydrogenase constituted of: active subunits including active sites having a hydrogen oxidization-reduction activity; and electron-transfer subunits having the electron-transfer sites through which electrons are transferred between the active sites and the outside of the hydrogenase; (2) a modified hydrogenase obtained from a hydrogenase, wherein when the hydrogenase is isolated from bacteria that produces the hydrogenase, a process for exposing the hydrogenase to an oxygen atmosphere is executed; (3) an enzymatic electrode made of at least one of the foregoing modified hydrogenases; and (4) a hydrogenase modification method including: a step of isolating from hydrogenase-producing bacteria; and a step of removing the electron-transfer sites of the electron-transfer subunits from the hydrogenase by exposing the hydrogenase to an oxygen atmosphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Hidetaka Nishikoori, Hirofumi Nishihara, Ki-Seok Yoon