Patents by Inventor Kenzo Yokozeki

Kenzo Yokozeki 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: 7531340
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: AJINOMOTO Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi Hara, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima
  • Publication number: 20090111150
    Abstract: A method for producing ?-hydroxy amino acid and its optically-active isomer is provided. The ?-hydroxy amino acid is produced by reacting a predetermined D-?-amino acid and 5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolic acid in the presence of an enzyme derived from a microorganism belonging to the genera Paracoccus, Aminobacter, or Ensifer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nozaki, Shinji Kuroda, Kunihiko Watanabe, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Publication number: 20090112019
    Abstract: A method for producing ?-hydroxy amino acid and its optically-active isomer is provided. The ?-hydroxy amino acid is produced by reacting a predetermined D-?-amino acid and 5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolic acid in the presence of an enzyme derived from a microorganism belonging to the genera Paracoccus, Aminobacter, or Ensifer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2008
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nozaki, Shinji Kuroda, Kunihiko Watanabe, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Patent number: 7507559
    Abstract: A method for producing ?-hydroxy amino acid and its optically-active isomer is provided. The ?-hydroxy amino acid is produced by reacting a predetermined D-?-amino acid and 5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolic acid in the presence of an enzyme derived from a microorganism belonging to the genera Paracoccus, Aminobacter, or Ensifer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nozaki, Shinji Kuroda, Kunihiko Watanabe, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Publication number: 20080274530
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi HARA, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima
  • Publication number: 20080171357
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that allows the production of peptides having three or more amino acid residues easily, inexpensively and at high yield without going through a complex synthesis method. A novel enzyme that efficiently produces a peptide from bacteria belonging to the genus Empedobacter or the genus Sphingobacterium is provided. The enzyme acts on a carboxy component and an amine component to form peptides having three or more amino acid residues by acting on a carboxy component and an amine component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Applicant: AJINOMOTO CO., INC.
    Inventors: Kenzo YOKOZEKI, Sonoko SUZUKI, Seiichi HARA, Isao ABE
  • Publication number: 20080166761
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi HARA, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima
  • Patent number: 7361458
    Abstract: A method for producing an ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester (also named ?-L-(?-o-substituted aspartyl)-L-phenylalanine), which is an intermediate of an ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-methyl ester (also named ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester; product name: aspartame), easily, at high yield and inexpensively without going through a complex synthesis method is provided. Further, an easy, inexpensive and high-yield production method for an ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-methyl ester is provided. ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-methyl ester is produced from a L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester and L-phenylalanine using an enzyme or enzyme-containing substance that has an ability to catalyze a reaction in which L-phenylalanine performs no nucleophilic attack on a ?-ester site of L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester but performs a nucleophilic attack on an ?-ester site thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kenzo Yokozeki, Ayako Ohno, Seiichi Hara, Isao Abe
  • Patent number: 7361490
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing optically active amino acids from 5-substituted hydantoin by isolating a hydantoinase gene and an N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase gene involved in an ability to convert 5-substituted hydantoin or N-carbamylamino acid into optically active amino acids from a microorganism of the genus Microbacterium having the above ability and by improving gene amplification and transcriptional and translational activities thereby preparing a recombinant wherein the amount of the desired enzymes produced is increased. The hydantoinase gene is, for example, a DNA encoding for a protein having a hydantoinase activity, which has the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 in the Sequence. The N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase gene is, for example, a DNA encoding for a protein having an N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase activity, which has the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:3 in the Sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: AJinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takenaka, Shunichi Suzuki, Norimasa Onishi, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Patent number: 7338780
    Abstract: A method is disclosed that allows the production of peptides having three or more amino acid residues easily, inexpensively and at high yield without going through a complex synthesis method. A novel enzyme that efficiently produces a peptide from bacteria belonging to the genus Empedobacter or the genus Sphingobacterium is provided. The enzyme acts on a carboxy component and an amine component to form peptides having three or more amino acid residues by acting on a carboxy component and an amine component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kenzo Yokozeki, Sonoko Suzuki, Seiichi Hara, Isao Abe
  • Publication number: 20080050773
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi HARA, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima
  • Patent number: 7320794
    Abstract: A novel protein which has an activity to transport hydantoin compounds is described, as well as a recombinant expressing this transporter protein. From Microbacterium liquefaciens strain AJ3912, a novel gene was discovered to encode a protein which is able to transport hydantoin compounds. A recombinant with an excellent ability to uptake hydantoin compounds is obtained by introducing and expressing the novel gene, called mhp, using gene recombination techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Shunichi Suzuki, Kenzo Yokozeki, Peter Henderson
  • Patent number: 7316916
    Abstract: DNA for encoding a protein having D-hydantoinase activity which has a base sequence represented by Sequence ID No. 1 in the Sequence Listing. DNA for encoding a protein having D-carbamylase activity which has a base sequence represented by Sequence ID No. 3 in the Sequence Listing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takenaka, Ikuo Kira, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Patent number: 7314738
    Abstract: DNA for encoding a protein having D-hydantoinase activity which has a base sequence represented by Sequence ID No. 1 in the Sequence Listing. DNA for encoding a protein having D-carbamylase activity which has a base sequence represented by Sequence ID No. 3 in the Sequence Listing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2008
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takenaka, Ikuo Kira, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Publication number: 20070292916
    Abstract: The present invention aims at providing an excellent peptide-synthesizing protein and a method for efficiently producing a peptide. The peptide is synthesized by reacting an amine component and a carboxy component in the presence of at least one of proteins shown in the following (I) and (II). (I) The mutant protein having an amino acid sequence comprising one or more mutations from any of the mutations 1 to 68, and the mutations 239 to 290 and 324 to 377 in an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2007
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicant: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Isao ABE, Rie Takeshita, Seiichi Hara, Sonoko Suzuki, Kenzo Yokozeki, Masakazu Sugiyama, Shunichi Suzuki, Kunihiko Watanabe, Nobuhisa Shimba, Takefumi Nakamura, Uno Tagami, Yuya Kodama, Hiromi Onoye, Reiko Yuuji, Eiichiro Suzuki, Tatsuki Kashiwagi, Ningchun Xu, Yuko Kai
  • Patent number: 7288388
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing dipeptide using inexpensively acquirable starting materials by an industrially advantageous and simple pathway. Dipeptide is produced from L-amino acid ester and L-amino acid using a culture of microbes having the ability to produce a dipeptide from an L-amino acid ester and an L-amino acid, using microbial cells isolated from the culture, or a treated microbial cell product of the microbe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Naoto Tonouchi, Sonoko Suzuki, Kenzo Yokozeki, Hiroyuki Nozaki, Masakazu Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7288389
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi Hara, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima
  • Publication number: 20070190602
    Abstract: The present invention aims at providing an excellent peptide-synthesizing protein and a method for efficiently producing a peptide. The peptide is synthesized by reacting an amine component and a carboxy component in the presence of at least one of proteins shown in the following (I) and (II). (I) The mutant protein having an amino acid sequence comprising one or more mutations from any of the mutations 1 to 68, and the mutations 239 to 290 and 324 to 377 in an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2005
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: AJINOMOTO CO., INC
    Inventors: Isao Abe, Rie Takeshita, Seiichi Hara, Sonoko Suzuki, Kenzo Yokozeki, Masakazu Sugiyama, Shunichi Suzuki, Kunihiko Watanabe, Nobuhisa Shimba, Takefumi Nakamura, Uno Tagami, Yuya Kodama, Hiromi Onoye, Reiko Yuuji, Eiichiro Suzuki, Tatsuki Kashiwagi, Ningchun Xu, Yuko Kai
  • Patent number: 7223589
    Abstract: The present invention provides a microorganism for producing a 2?-deoxyribonucleoside. In particular, the microorganism of the present invention is transformed with a gene encoding a ribonucleotide reductase and in which 2?-deoxyribonucleoside degradation activity is decreased or eliminated by disrupting a gene encoding a purine nucleoside phosphorylase on chromosomal DNA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi Hara, Naoto Tonouchi, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Publication number: 20070048838
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing dipeptide using inexpensively acquirable starting materials by an industrially advantageous and simple pathway. Dipeptide is produced from L-amino acid ester and L-amino acid using a culture of microbes having the ability to produce a dipeptide from an L-amino acid ester and an L-amino acid, using microbial cells isolated from the culture, or a treated microbial cell product of the microbe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: AJINOMOTO CO., INC
    Inventors: Naoto Tonouchi, Sonoko Suzuki, Kenzo Yokozeki, Hiroyuki Nozaki, Masakazu Sugiyama