Patents by Inventor Hisashi Semba

Hisashi Semba 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: 20090239273
    Abstract: This invention relates to a novel high-activity modified S-hydroxynitrile lyase (SHNL). More particularly, this invention relates to novel high-activity modified SHNL that is obtained by substituting amino acids at given sites (14, 44, 66, 94, 103, 118, 122, 125, 127, 129, 147, 148, 152, 212, and 216) or inserting amino acid at a given site (between amino acids 128 and 129) of the amino acid sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2) of wild-type SHNL.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Inventors: Hisashi Semba, Eita Ichige
  • Patent number: 7531330
    Abstract: This invention relates to S-hydroxynitrile lyase having excellent tolerance to heat, organic solvents, and the like, which is obtained by modifying at least one amino acid in the helix D3, helix A, and ?-sheet 2 domains in the amino acid sequence of wild-type S-hydroxynitrile lyase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eita Ichige, Hisashi Semba, Toshiaki Shijuku, Shigeaki Harayama
  • Publication number: 20080124784
    Abstract: This invention relates to S-hydroxynitrile lyase having excellent tolerance to heat, organic solvents, and the like, which is obtained by modifying at least one amino acid in the helix D3?, helix A, and ?-sheet 2 domains in the amino acid sequence of wild-type S-hydroxynitrile lyase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2005
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Eita Ichige, Hisashi Semba, Toshiaki Shijuku, Shigeaki Harayama
  • Patent number: 7214523
    Abstract: A method for efficient production of an S-hydroxynitrile lyase by gene recombination using Escherichia coli is provided. A gene is formed by altering a codon in an S-hydroxyniitrylase gene originating in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) without changing the amino acid sequence thereof till the frequency of codon usage wholly with an amino acid in Escherichia coli reaches a level of not less than 5%. According to the method for the production of an S-hydroxynitrile lyase by the use of the gene, the S-hydroxynitrile lyase can be produced in a large amount with an unusually high yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Semba, Eita Ichige, Masaharu Mukouyama
  • Patent number: 7078225
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an enzyme reaction method which comprises performing an enzyme reaction, using an immobilized enzyme having a water content of 10% by weight or more as an enzyme and using an organic solvent substantially immiscible with water as a reaction solvent, under such conditions that a liquid phase forms a homogeneous system without phase separation although it is saturated with water or an aqueous buffer; a method for performing an enzyme reaction using an aldehyde compound as a substrate, which comprises removing a carboxylic acid compound contained in an aldehyde compound by subjecting the aldehyde compound to an alkaline treatment before starting the enzyme reaction; a method for performing an enzyme reaction using an aldehyde compound as a substrate, which comprises reducing a carboxylic acid compound content in the aldehyde compound to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Semba, Yukio Dobashi
  • Publication number: 20050089977
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an enzyme reaction method which comprises performing an enzyme reaction, using an immobilized enzyme having a water content of 10% by weight or more as an enzyme and using an organic solvent substantially immiscible with water as a reaction solvent, under such conditions that a liquid phase forms a homogeneous system without phase separation although it is saturated with water or an aqueous buffer; a method for performing an enzyme reaction using an aldehyde compound as a substrate, which comprises removing a carboxylic acid compound contained in an aldehyde compound by subjecting the aldehyde compound to an alkaline treatment before starting the enzyme reaction; a method for performing an enzyme reaction using an aldehyde compound as a substrate, which comprises reducing a carboxylic acid compound content in the aldehyde compound to 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Hisashi Semba, Yukio Dobashi
  • Patent number: 6864389
    Abstract: The present invention relates to: a method for producing ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid, which comprises hydrolyzing cyanohydrin in the presence of a hydrocarbon solvent; a method for producing optically active ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid, which comprises: producing optically active cyanohydrin by performing a reaction between a carbonyl compound and hydrogen cyanide, using a solvent comprising at least one organic solvent selected from a group consisting of an alcoholic solvent, an ester solvent, an ethereal solvent and a carboxylic solvent; removing said organic solvent from said reaction solvent; and hydrolyzing the remaining reaction mixture without isolating optically active cyanohydrin; a method for producing optically active ?-hydroxycarboxylic acid, which comprises hydrolyzing optically active cyanohydrin, using at most 10 equivalents of mineral acid relative to said optically active cyanohydrin under the condition that maximum temperature when reacting is 90° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norimasa Okuda, Hisashi Semba, Yukio Dobashi
  • Publication number: 20050032191
    Abstract: A method for efficient production of an S-hydroxynitrile lyase by gene recombination using Escherichia coli is provided. A gene is formed by altering a codon in an S-hydroxyniitrylase gene originating in cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) without changing the amino acid sequence thereof till the frequency of codon usage wholly with an amino acid in Escherichia coli reaches a level of not less than 5%. According to the method for the production of an S-hydroxynitrile lyase by the use of the gene, the S-hydroxynitrile lyase can be produced in a large amount with an unusually high yield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: Hisashi Semba, Eita Ichige, Masaharu Mukouyama
  • Publication number: 20050032159
    Abstract: A method for high-density culture of a microorganism is proposed. This method is characterized by adjusting the cultivation temperature to a level lower than the optimum temperature for growth thereby causing the specific growth rate of the microorganism to reach a level of not more than 20% of the specific growth rate at the optimum temperature for growth. By this method of culture, it is made possible to culture the microorganism at a very high density. Further, this method of culture enables a useful substance, particularly an active type recombinant protein, to be produced in a large amount at a very low cost with high efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2003
    Publication date: February 10, 2005
    Inventors: Eita Ichige, Hisashi Semba, Tadayuki Imanaka
  • Patent number: 6709847
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for synthesizing optically active cyanohydrin. An immobilized enzyme is used in the invention, in which (S)-hydroxynitrile lyase is immobilized in a carrier comprising a porous inorganic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Semba, Yukio Dobashi
  • Publication number: 20030171614
    Abstract: The present invention relates to:
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norimasa Okuda, Hisashi Semba, Yukio Dobashi
  • Publication number: 20020064840
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for synthesizing optically active cyanohydrin. An immobilized enzyme is used in the invention, in which (S)-hydroxynitrile lyase is immobilized in a carrier comprising a porous inorganic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Publication date: May 30, 2002
    Applicant: NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hisashi Semba, Yukio Dobashi
  • Patent number: 6387659
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing S-hydroxynitrile lyase, comprising the steps of culturing in a medium yeast cells transformed with recombinant DNA comprising an expression vector into which a S-hydroxynitrile lyase (EC 4.1.2.37) coding gene derived from cassava (Manihot esculenta) has been incorporated, and collecting S-hydroxynitrile lyase from the yeast cells. According to the present invention, a large amount of S-hydroxynitrile lyase can be efficiently produced by genetic engineering techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hisashi Semba
  • Publication number: 20020006646
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an enzyme reaction method which comprises performing an enzyme reaction, using an immobilized enzyme having a water content of 10% by weight or more as an enzyme and using an organic solvent substantially immiscible with water as a reaction solvent, under such conditions that a liquid phase forms a homogeneous system without phase separation although it is saturated with water or an aqueous buffer; a method for performing an enzyme reaction using an aldehyde compound as a substrate, which comprises removing a carboxylic acid compound contained in an aldehyde compound by subjecting the aldehyde compound to an alkaline treatment before starting the enzyme reaction; a method for performing an enzyme reaction using an aldehyde compound as a substrate, which comprises reducing a carboxylic acid compound content in the aldehyde compound to 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2001
    Publication date: January 17, 2002
    Applicant: Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisashi Semba, Yukio Dobashi