Patents by Inventor Konosuke Sano

Konosuke Sano 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: 6083728
    Abstract: A method of producing glutamic acid by culturing a biologically pure wild type Bacillus methanolicus which exhibits sustained growth at 50.degree. C. using methanol as a carbon and energy source and requiring vitamin B.sub.12 and biotin is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Frederick J. Schendel, Richard Dillingham, Richard S. Hanson, Konosuke Sano, Kazuhiko Matsui
  • Patent number: 6040160
    Abstract: A bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia, which is transformed by introducing, into its cells, a DNA coding for a dihydrodipicolinate synthase originating from a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia having mutation to desensitize feedback inhibition by L-lysine and a DNA coding for an aspartokinase III originating from a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia having mutation to desensitize feedback inhibition by L-lysine; preferably a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia in which a dihydrodipicolinate reductase gene and a diaminopimelate dehydrogenase gene originating from Brevibacterium lactofermentum (or a succinyldiaminopimelate transaminase gene and a succinyldiaminopimelate deacylase gene) are further enhanced, is cultivated in an appropriate medium, L-lysine is produced and accumulated in a culture thereof, and L-lysine is collected from the culture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2000
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kojima, Yuri Ogawa, Kazue Kawamura, Konosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 5989875
    Abstract: A bacterium belonging to the genus Serratia, which is transformed by introducing into its cells, a DNA coding for a dihydrodipicolinate synthase originating from a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia or Serratia having mutation to desensitize feedback inhibition by L-lysine and a DNA coding for an aspartokinase originating from a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia or Serratia having mutation to desensitize feedback inhibition by L-lysine is cultivated in an appropriate medium, L-lysine is produced and accumulated in a culture thereof, and L-lysine is collected from the culture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 23, 1999
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kojima, Yuri Ogawa, Kazue Kawamura, Konosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 5661012
    Abstract: A DNA containing a gene which codes for aspartokinase III originating in Escherichia bacteria and which has in the coding region a mutation which releases the feedback inhibition by lysine on the aspartokinase III, a recombinant DNA wherein the DNA is linked to a vector DNA capable of autonomous replication in Escherichia bacteria, a microorganism belonging to the genus Escherichia which has been transformed by the introduction of the above mentioned recombinant DNA into the cells thereof, and a method for the production of L-threonine which comprises culturing the microorganism in a fermentation medium, producing and accumulating L-threonine in the culture medium, and collecting the L-threonine from said-culture medium. Escherichia bacteria-derived AK III genes are obtained which sufficiently release the feedback inhibition due to lysine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 26, 1997
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Konosuke Sano, Hiroyuki Kojima, Yuri Ogawa
  • Patent number: 5034318
    Abstract: A method for producing L-tryptophan comprising culturing coryneform glutamic acid-producing bacteria transformed with an expression vector capable of replicating and expressing an operably linked anthranilic acid phosphoribosyl transferase gene isolated from a brevibacterium glutamic acid-producing bacterium, growing the transformants in culture medium allowing for the production of L-tryptophan and recovering the L-tryptophan accumulated in the culture medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Miwa, Shigeru Nakamori, Konosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 5017481
    Abstract: A brevibacterium containing a recombinant DNA molecule constructed by operatively connecting a gene coding for shikimate kinase isolated from Brevibacterium lactofermentum to a plasmid vector capable of replicating in the Brevibacterium is disclosed along with methods of preparing this bacterium and of using it in the production of aromatic amino acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Matsui, Kiyoshi Miwa, Konosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 4980285
    Abstract: A method for producing an L-amino acid, which comprises inserting a gene which codes for an enzyme which is utilized on the route of biosynthesis of an L-amino acid product into one of at least two plasmid vectors which have compatible replicating origins different from each other, inserting a second gene which codes for an enzyme different from the first enzyme on the route of biosynthesis of the L-amino acid into a second of the plasmid vectors; introducing the thus obtained recombinant plasmids into a strain of Coryneform bacteria; and culturing the thus transformed strain which is capable of producing the L-amino acid, said two enzymes being highly rate determining enzymes for the biosynthesis of L-amino acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 1989
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Konosuke Sano, Chieko Osumi, Kazuhiko Matsui, Kiyoshi Miwa
  • Patent number: 4968609
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing an aromatic amino acid which comprises culturing a Coryneform bacterium carrying a recombinant DNA constructed by connecting (1) a gene capable of being expressed in a Coryneform bacterial cell and coding for 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulonic acid-7-phosphate synthetase with (2) a plasmid vector capable of propagating in a Coryneform bacterial cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Hisao Ito, Katsuaki Sato, Kazuhiko Matsui, Konosuke Sano, Shigeru Nakamori, Takashi Tanaka, Hitoshi Enei
  • Patent number: 4946781
    Abstract: A recombinant DNA molecule comprising a plasmid vector having operationally inserted therein a gene coding for homoserine kinase is disclosed along with bacteria containing this recombinant DNA molecule and methods of using these bacteria to produce amino acids in large quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeru Nakamori, Hiroshi Takagi, Masaaki Ishida, Takaaki Sato, Kiyoshi Miwa, Konosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 4885245
    Abstract: A process for producing L-tryptophan in which a suitable substrate such as a carbohydrate, indole or anthranilic acid is contacted with Coryneform bacteria, where the Coryneform bacteria bear recombinant DNA constructed by connecting a gene coding for tryptophan synthetase with a plasmid vector capable of proliferating in Coryneform bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 5, 1989
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Masaaki Ishida, Kiyoshi Miwa, Shigeru Nakamori, Konosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 4861722
    Abstract: A genetic sequence coding for the production of a protein having the activity of diaminopimelic acid decarboxylase and having two Pst I cleavage sites in its DNA chain and a molecular weight of 2.9.+-.0.05 Md, is incorporated into a vehicle capable of replication in Coryneform bacteria and used to produce L-lysine by fermentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 29, 1989
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Konosuke Sano, Koichi Ito, Kiyoshi Miwa, Shigeru Nakamori
  • Patent number: 4822738
    Abstract: A composite vector capable of the transduction of a Coryneform bacterium, which comprises a first DNA segment containing at least the genetic information for replication from a plasmid capable of propagating in a Coryneform bacterium and a second DNA segment containing at least a DNA region of a phage capable of propagating in the Coryneform bacterium, wherein the DNA region is incorporated into a particle of the aforementioned phage when the aforementioned bacterium is infected with the phage, is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 18, 1989
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Miwa, Konosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 4778762
    Abstract: A substantially pure plasmid which is characterized by a molecular weight of 3.0.+-.0.1 megadalton and the restriction endonuclease-cleavage map shown in the Figure. This plasmid is capable of propagating in Corynebacteria and due to its size is useful as a vector for the cloning of exogenous genes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 1982
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Company Incorporated
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Miwa, Mahito Terabe, Takayasu Tsuchida, Masaaki Ishida, Shigeru Nakamori, Konosuke Sano, Haruo Momose
  • Patent number: 4757009
    Abstract: A recombinant DNA molecule comprising a plasmid vector having operationally inserted therein a gene coding for phosphoenol pyruvate carboxylase is disclosed along with bacteria containing this recombinant DNA molecule and methods of using these bacteria to produce amino acids in large quantities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: July 12, 1988
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Konosuke Sano, Koichi Ito, Kiyoshi Miwa, Shigeru Nakamori
  • Patent number: 4601983
    Abstract: A genetic sequence coding for the production of a protein having the activity of homoserine dehydrogenase and having two Pst I cleavage sites in its DNA chain and a molecular weight of 2.24 Md, is incorporated into a vehicle capable of replication in Coryneform bacteria and used to produce L-threonine and L-isoleucine by fermentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1983
    Date of Patent: July 22, 1986
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Shigeru Nakamori, Masaaki Ishida, Hiroshi Takagi, Kiyoshi Miwa, Koichi Ito, Konosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 4514502
    Abstract: A composite plasmid which comprises (A) a drive-unit region derived from a plasmid a capable of propagating in a Coryneform glutamic acid-producing bacterium, and (B) a gene fragment derived from a plasmid b capable of propagating in Escherichia coli or Bacillus subtilis and having at least a region expressing drug resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 1982
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1985
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Miwa, Mahito Terabe, Koichi Ito, Masaaki Ishida, Kazuhiko Matsui, Shigeru Makamori, Konosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 4407952
    Abstract: L-phenylalanine is produced by fermentation by culturing in a culture medium an L-phenylalanine producing microorganism constructed by incorporating a hybrid plasmid in a recipient strain of the genus Escherichia and recovering the L-phenylalanine which accumulates in the culture medium, said hybrid plasmid containing a deoxyribonucleic acid fragment possessing genetic information related to L-phenylalanine production and obtained from a phenylalanine analogue resistant mutant of the genus Escherichia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 4, 1983
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Company Incorporated
    Inventors: Takayasu Tsuchida, Konosuke Sano
  • Patent number: 4347318
    Abstract: L-threonine is produced by incorporating into a recipient microorganism of the genus Escherichia which does not require L-threonine for growth, a plasmid, in which a deoxyribonucleic acid fragment which possesses genetic information relating to L-threonine synthesis obtained from a mutant resistant to .alpha.-amino-.beta.-hydroxy valeric acid of the genus Escherichia, has been inserted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1982
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Company, Incorporated
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Miwa, Takayasu Tsuchida, Osamu Kurahashi, Shigeru Nakamori, Konosuke Sano, Haruo Momose
  • Patent number: 4072687
    Abstract: 2-Amino-(2)-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid is prepared by dehydrochlorinating S-(.beta.-carboxy-.beta.-chloroethyl) isothiourea by adding it to an aqueous medium maintained at a pH ranging from 5.5 to 7.5 with an alkali.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1978
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kazushi Togo, Fumihide Tamura, Naohiko Yasuda, Takehiko Ichikawa, Konosuke Sano, Keizo Matsuda, Koji Mitsugi
  • Patent number: 4016037
    Abstract: L-amino acids are produced by fermenting a hydantoin compound with Flavobacterium aminogenes or its enzymes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1977
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Koji Mitsugi, Konosuke Sano, Kenzo Yokozeki, Kazuhiko Yamada, Ichiro Noda, Teruhiko Kagawa, Chikahiko Eguchi, Naohiko Yasuda, Fumihide Tamura, Kazushi Togo