Patents by Inventor Katsutoshi Ara

Katsutoshi Ara 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).

  • Patent number: 9029519
    Abstract: The present invention provides a modified promoter, an expression vector and a transformant each containing the promoter, and a method for producing a gene product of interest using the transformant. The invention provides a modified promoter, including a nucleotide sequence of a promoter derived from bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus in which at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the following has been modified: a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1; a nucleotide sequence equivalent to the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, except that one or a plurality of bases therein are substituted, deleted, added or inserted; and a nucleotide sequence having a sequence identity of 70% or more with respect to the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Akihito Kawahara, Hiroshi Kodama, Katsutoshi Ara
  • Patent number: 8852943
    Abstract: A method of modifying a target region in a host DNA using a donor DNA: wherein the donor DNA having regions homologous to a 5?-side region outside of the target region in the host DNA, a 3?-side region outside of the target region in the host DNA and a first homologous recombination region inside of the target region in the host DNA, respectively, in this order, and further having a first selectable marker gene, an expression-inducing promoter and a second selectable marker gene expressed under the control of the expression-inducing promoter between the region homologous to the 3?-side region and the region homologous to the first homologous recombination region; which method has the steps of: a first step of performing homologous recombination between the donor DNA and the host DNA at the regions of the 5?-side region and the first homologous recombination region, to conduct selection of a host integrated with the donor DNA based on expression of the first selectable marker gene; and a second step of perform
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Ara, Takuya Morimoto, Naotake Ogasawara
  • Patent number: 8790726
    Abstract: Deodorant agents, which contain ginkgo or Phellodendron Bark or its extract as an active ingredient and which are high in safety and can radically inhibit the emission of human body malodors typified by sweat odor, especially, axillary odor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Syunichi Akiba, Katsutoshi Ara, Hiroshi Kusuoku, Toyoki Hagura
  • Publication number: 20130295676
    Abstract: A method of modifying a target region in a host DNA using a donor DNA: wherein the donor DNA having regions homologous to a 5?-side region outside of the target region in the host DNA, a 3?-side region outside of the target region in the host DNA and a first homologous recombination region inside of the target region in the host DNA, respectively, in this order, and further having a first selectable marker gene, an expression-inducing promoter and a second selectable marker gene expressed under the control of the expression-inducing promoter between the region homologous to the 3?-side region and the region homologous to the first homologous recombination region; which method has the steps of: a first step of performing homologous recombination between the donor DNA and the host DNA at the regions of the 5?-side region and the first homologous recombination region, to conduct selection of a host integrated with the donor DNA based on expression of the first selectable marker gene; and a second step of perform
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Katsutoshi ARA, Takuya MORIMOTO, Naotake OGASAWARA
  • Patent number: 8460893
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a microorganism which enhances productivity of cellulase and is useful for industrial production of cellulase, and to provide a method for producing cellulase by use of the microorganism. The present invention provides a recombinant microorganism produced by transferring a gene encoding cellulase to a parental microorganism which has been genetically modified so as to overexpress a Bacillus subtilis secY gene or a gene corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Endo, Shenghao Liu, Katsutoshi Ara
  • Patent number: 8389264
    Abstract: A recombinant microorganism having improved productivity for a protein or a polypeptide, and a method for producing a protein or a polypeptide using the recombinant microorganism, are provided. A recombinant microorganism obtained by transfecting a gene for encoding a desired protein or polypeptide into a microorganism strain which is obtained by genetically constructing to overexpress secY gene of Bacillus subtilis or a gene corresponding to the secY gene, and deleting or inactivating one or more genes selected from sporulation-associated genes and genes corresponding to the sporulation-associated genes from the genome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Shenghao Liu, Keiji Endo, Katsutoshi Ara
  • Patent number: 8293516
    Abstract: A recombinant microorganism is provided that has increased productivity of a protein or polypeptide of interest. A method for producing a protein of interest using the microorganism is also provided. The microorganism is prepared by inserting, in its genome, a transcription initiation regulatory region or both a transcription initiation regulatory region and a ribosome-binding site, upstream of a Bacillus subtilis prsA gene and by deleting or inactivating one or more of the abrB gene, dltA gene, dltB gene, dltC gene, dltD gene, dltE gene, or a gene (genes) corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Endo, Katsutoshi Ara
  • Patent number: 8236524
    Abstract: To provide a microorganism with enhanced secretory production of a protein or polypeptide and a method of producing the protein or polypeptide using the microorganism. A modified microorganism that has been genetically modified to delete 60 to 80 carboxyl-terminal amino acids of SecA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Ara, Hiroshi Kakeshita, Kouji Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20120183998
    Abstract: The present invention provides a modified promoter, an expression vector and a transformant each containing the promoter, and a method for producing a gene product of interest using the transformant. The invention provides a modified promoter, including a nucleotide sequence of a promoter derived from bacterium belonging to the genus Bacillus in which at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the following has been modified: a nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1; a nucleotide sequence equivalent to the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, except that one or a plurality of bases therein are substituted, deleted, added or inserted; and a nucleotide sequence having a sequence identity of 70% or more with respect to the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Akihito Kawahara, Hiroshi Kodama, Katsutoshi Ara
  • Publication number: 20110275158
    Abstract: A method of modifying a target region in a host DNA using a donor DNA: wherein the donor DNA having regions homologous to a 5?-side region outside of the target region in the host DNA, a 3?-side region outside of the target region in the host DNA and a first homologous recombination region inside of the target region in the host DNA, respectively, in this order, and further having a first selectable marker gene, an expression-inducing promoter and a second selectable marker gene expressed under the control of the expression-inducing promoter between the region homologous to the 3?-side region and the region homologous to the first homologous recombination region; which method has the steps of: a first step of performing homologous recombination between the donor DNA and the host DNA at the regions of the 5?-side region and the first homologous recombination region, to conduct selection of a host integrated with the donor DNA based on expression of the first selectable marker gene; and a second step of perform
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Katsutoshi ARA, Takuya MORIMOTO, Naotake OGASAWARA
  • Patent number: 7981659
    Abstract: Novel Bacillus subtilis mutant strains having good productivity of various enzymes are provided through extensive analysis of strains that are derived from Bacillus subtilis via gene disruption. The Bacillus subtilis mutant strains according to the present invention have genomic structures prepared by deletion of regions listed in the columns for deficient regions. Each of these Bacillus subtilis mutant strains exerts significantly improved secretory productivity of a protein when a gene encoding such a secretory target protein is introduced so that it can be expressed, compared with a case in which the same gene is introduced into a wild-type strain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignees: Kao Corporation, Nara Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Ryosuke Kadoya, Keiji Endo, Masatoshi Tohata, Katsutoshi Ara, Naotake Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20110151567
    Abstract: A recombinant microorganism having improved productivity for a protein or a polypeptide, and a method for producing a protein or a polypeptide using the recombinant microorganism, are provided. A recombinant microorganism obtained by transfecting a gene for encoding a desired protein or polypeptide into a microorganism strain which is obtained by genetically constructing to overexpress secY gene of Bacillus subtilis or a gene corresponding to the secY gene, and deleting or inactivating one or more genes selected from sporulation-associated genes and genes corresponding to the sporulation-associated genes from the genome.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: KAO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shenghao Liu, Keiji Endo, Katsutoshi Ara
  • Publication number: 20110014709
    Abstract: A method of modifying a target region in a host DNA using a donor DNA: wherein the donor DNA having regions homologous to a 5?-side region outside of the target region in the host DNA, a 3?-side region outside of the target region in the host DNA and a first homologous recombination region inside of the target region in the host DNA, respectively, in this order, and further having a first selectable marker gene, an expression-inducing promoter and a second selectable marker gene expressed under the control of the expression-inducing promoter between the region homologous to the 3?-side region and the region homologous to the first homologous recombination region; which method has the steps of: a first step of performing homologous recombination between the donor DNA and the host DNA at the regions of the 5?-side region and the first homologous recombination region, to conduct selection of a host integrated with the donor DNA based on expression of the first selectable marker gene; and a second step of p
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Ara, Takuya Morimoto, Naotake Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20100297703
    Abstract: This invention relates to inhibition of microbial lysis via regulation of activity of a lytic enzyme for degrading the cell wall. The lytic enzyme inhibitor and the lysis inhibitor are each composed mainly of the Bacillus subtilis-derived YoeB gene or the YoeB protein encoded by a gene homologous to the YoeB gene. An example of the YoeB protein is a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Ara, Junichi Sekiguchi, Hiroki Yamamoto, Hiroyuki Harada
  • Publication number: 20100255534
    Abstract: Provision of a recombinant microorganism which has increased productivity of a protein or polypeptide of interest and a method for producing a protein or polypeptide of interest using the recombinant microorganism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: KAO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Keiji Endo, Katsutoshi Ara
  • Publication number: 20100093032
    Abstract: To provide a microorganism with enhanced secretory production of a protein or polypeptide and a method of producing the protein or polypeptide using the microorganism. A modified microorganism that has been genetically modified to delete 60 to 80 carboxyl-terminal amino acids of SecA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Ara, Hiroshi Kakeshita, Kouji Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20090317346
    Abstract: This invention relates to deodorant agents, which contain ginkgo or Phellodendron Bark or its extract as an active ingredient. According to the present invention, deodorant agents which are high in safety and can radically inhibit the emission of human body malodors typified by sweat odor, especially, axillary odor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Applicant: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Syunichi Akiba, Katsutoshi Ara, Hiroshi Kusuoku, Toyoki Hagura
  • Publication number: 20090221055
    Abstract: Novel Bacillus subtilis mutant strains having good productivity of various enzymes are provided through extensive analysis of strains that are derived from Bacillus subtilis via gene disruption. The Bacillus subtilis mutant strains according to the present invention have genomic structures prepared by deletion of regions listed in the columns for deficient regions. Each of these Bacillus subtilis mutant strains exerts significantly improved secretory productivity of a protein when a gene encoding such a secretory target protein is introduced so that it can be expressed, compared with a case in which the same gene is introduced into a wild-type strain.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Ryosuke Kadoya, Keiji Endo, Masatoshi Tohata, Katsutoshi Ara, Naotake Ogasawara
  • Publication number: 20090029417
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a microorganism which enhances productivity of cellulase and is useful for industrial production of cellulase, and to provide a method for producing cellulase by use of the microorganism. The present invention provides a recombinant microorganism produced by transferring a gene encoding cellulase to a parental microorganism which has been genetically modified so as to overexpress a Bacillus subtilis secY gene or a gene corresponding thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Endo, Shenghao Liu, Katsutoshi Ara
  • Publication number: 20080050807
    Abstract: The present invention provides a DNA fragment encoding alkaline liquefying ?-amylase, recombinant DNA containing the DNA fragment, a transformed microorganism harboring the recombinant DNA, as well as a method for producing alkaline liquefying ?-amylase using the transformant. The method of the present invention enables mass production of alkaline liquefying ?-amylase useful as a detergent component. The present invention is directed to a liquefying alkaline alph?-amylase, and a DNA encoding for the same and functional fragments thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Yuji Hatada, Katsuya Ozaki, Katsutoshi Ara, Shuji Kawai, Susumu Ito