Patents by Inventor Tomokazu Shirai

Tomokazu Shirai 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: 20230068606
    Abstract: It has been found that wild-type ferulic acid decarboxylase derived from Saccharomyces has high catalytic activity for the production of unsaturated hydrocarbon compounds. Further, it has been found that in the ferulic acid decarboxylase, substitute of the amino acid at position 398 with glutamine, methionine, asparagine, phenylalanine, histidine, or threonine more improves the catalytic activity, making it possible to provide a method capable of producing an unsaturated hydrocarbon compound such as butadiene with high productivity, and an enzyme used in the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Applicants: RIKEN, ZEON CORPORATION, THE Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomokazu SHIRAI, Yutaro MORI, Kazuhiro TAKAHASHI, Yayoi AKAHORI
  • Publication number: 20220335092
    Abstract: Provided is a literature information service method using a single computer or a plurality of computers connected to each other via a network. The literature information service method includes: transmitting a first character string to a plurality of first servers connected respectively to a plurality of databases each including information of enzymes, and receiving a plurality of pieces of data obtained by searching the plurality of databases with the first character string; extracting a plurality of second character strings indicating information of enzymes from the plurality of pieces of data; generating a search expression using at least one of the plurality of extracted second character strings; and searching a literature database using the search expression to acquire search result data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Yohei YAMADA, Hiroko KAWASAKI, Akira HOSOYAMA, Seiha MIYAZAWA, Tomokazu SHIRAI
  • Patent number: 11142778
    Abstract: With the aim of providing a method allowing production of an unsaturated hydrocarbon compound such as butadiene with high productivity and an enzyme used in the method, the present inventors introduced mutations involving amino acid replacement into various positions of a ferulic acid decarboxylase, and prepared multiple modified forms of the enzyme. Then, the present inventors evaluated those modified forms in terms of the catalytic activity for the production of butadiene, and found as a result that the catalytic activity was improved in the case where, for example, the amino acid at position 395 was glutamine, histidine, asparagine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, lysine, serine, arginine, tyrosine, or phenylalanine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: RIKEN
    Inventors: Tomokazu Shirai, Yutaro Mori
  • Publication number: 20210130854
    Abstract: With the aim of providing a method allowing production of an unsaturated hydrocarbon compound such as butadiene with high productivity and an enzyme used in the method, the present inventors introduced mutations involving amino acid replacement into various positions of a ferulic acid decarboxylase, and prepared multiple modified forms of the enzyme. Then, the present inventors evaluated those modified forms in terms of the catalytic activity for the production of butadiene, and found as a result that the catalytic activity was improved in the case where, for example, the amino acid at position 395 was glutamine, histidine, asparagine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, lysine, serine, arginine, tyrosine, or phenylalanine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Publication date: May 6, 2021
    Applicant: RIKEN
    Inventors: Tomokazu SHIRAI, Yutaro MORI
  • Patent number: 10988751
    Abstract: A method enables olefin compound production with a high productivity, and an enzyme is used in the method. Mutations involving amino acid substitution are introduced into various sites of diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase (MVD) to prepare multiple MVD variants. Then, these variants are evaluated in terms of catalytic activity for producing an olefin compound such as isoprene, and have found as a result that the catalytic activity is improved when serine at position 153 and threonine at position 209 are each substituted with a different amino acid. In addition, the catalytic activity of the variants is further improved when glycine at position 152 is further substituted with a different amino acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignees: RIKEN, ZEON CORPORATION, THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoko Orishimo, Tomokazu Shirai, Kazuhiro Takahashi, Misao Hiza, Yusuke Tanabe
  • Patent number: 10961548
    Abstract: Mutations involving amino acid substitution were introduced into various sites of diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase (MVD), thus preparing a large number of MVD variants. Then, the variants were each evaluated in terms of a catalytic activity for production of olefin compounds such as isoprene. As a result, it was found that substitution of glycine at position with a different amino acid resulted in improvement in the catalytic activity. In addition, it was found that the MVD in which arginine at position and threonine at position in addition to the position were further substituted with different amino acids, respectively, also had the high catalytic activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignees: RIKEN, ZEON CORPORATION, THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoko Orishimo, Tomokazu Shirai, Kazuhiro Takahashi, Misao Hiza, Yusuke Tanabe
  • Patent number: 10781460
    Abstract: A method which enables olefin compound production with a high productivity and an enzyme used in the method, a mutation involving amino acid substitution has been introduced into various sites of diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase (MVD), thus preparing a large number of MVD variants. Next, the result of evaluating the variants for the catalytic activity related to the production of olefin compounds such as isoprene has revealed that MVD whose threonine at position 209 is substituted with a different amino acid has the catalytic activity, and that MVD whose arginine at position 74 is further substituted with a different amino acid in addition to position 209 has the catalytic activity at higher levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignees: RIKEN, ZEON CORPORATION, THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoko Orishimo, Tomokazu Shirai, Kazuhiro Takahashi, Misao Hiza, Yusuke Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20190345476
    Abstract: A method enables olefin compound production with a high productivity, and an enzyme is used in the method. Mutations involving amino acid substitution are introduced into various sites of diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase (MVD) to prepare multiple MVD variants. Then, these variants are evaluated in terms of catalytic activity for producing an olefin compound such as isoprene, and have found as a result that the catalytic activity is improved when serine at position 153 and threonine at position 209 are each substituted with a different amino acid. In addition, the catalytic activity of the variants is further improved when glycine at position 152 is further substituted with a different amino acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2018
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Applicants: RIKEN, ZEON CORPORATION, The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoko ORISHIMO, Tomokazu SHIRAI, Kazuhiro TAKAHASHI, Misao HIZA, Yusuke TANABE
  • Publication number: 20190264237
    Abstract: Mutations involving amino acid substitution were introduced into various sites of diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase (MVD), thus preparing a large number of MVD variants. Then, the variants were each evaluated in terms of a catalytic activity for production of olefin compounds such as isoprene. As a result, it was found that substitution of glycine at position with a different amino acid resulted in improvement in the catalytic activity. In addition, it was found that the MVD in which arginine at position and threonine at position in addition to the position were further substituted with different amino acids, respectively, also had the high catalytic activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2017
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicants: RIKEN, ZEON CORPORATION, THE YOKOHAMA RUBBER CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoko ORISHIMO, Tomokazu SHIRAI, Kazuhiro TAKAHASHI, Misao HIZA, Yusuke TANABE
  • Publication number: 20180245104
    Abstract: A method which enables olefin compound production with a high productivity and an enzyme used in the method, a mutation involving amino acid substitution has been introduced into various sites of diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase (MVD), thus preparing a large number of MVD variants. Next, the result of evaluating the variants for the catalytic activity related to the production of olefin compounds such as isoprene has revealed that MVD whose threonine at position 209 is substituted with a different amino acid has the catalytic activity, and that MVD whose arginine at position 74 is further substituted with a different amino acid in addition to position 209 has the catalytic activity at higher levels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicants: RIKEN, ZEON CORPORATION, The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoko ORISHIMO, Tomokazu SHIRAI, Kazuhiro TAKAHASHI, Misao HIZA, Yusuke TANABE
  • Publication number: 20180237813
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing an aromatic compound such as salicylic acid and a derivative thereof with high productivity using a microorganism. The present invention provides: a method for producing a microorganism having a sugar metabolic pathway modified, including suppressing the expression of a gene encoding a phosphotransferase system enzyme of the microorganism, suppressing the expression of a gene encoding pyruvate kinase of the microorganism, and introducing, into the microorganism, one or more genes encoding an enzyme that enables the microorganism to synthesize an aromatic compound from chorismic acid or isochorismic acid; a modified microorganism obtained by the method; and a method for producing an aromatic compound and a derivative thereof, including culturing the microorganism, and recovering an aromatic compound or the like from the culture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2016
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: RIKEN
    Inventors: Shuhei Noda, Tomokazu SHIRAI
  • Patent number: 9822387
    Abstract: An acetyl-CoA-producing microorganism, which is capable of efficiently synthesizing acetyl-CoA using carbon dioxide, and a substance production method using the same are provided. An acetyl-CoA-producing microorganism including an acetyl-CoA production cycle obtained by imparting at least one type of enzymatic activity selected from the group consisting of malate thiokinase, malyl-CoA lyase, glyoxylate carboligase, 2-hydroxy-3-oxopropionate reductase, and hydroxypyruvate reductase, to a microorganism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUI CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Ryota Fujii, Tomokazu Shirai, Tadashi Araki, Koh Amano, Yoshiko Matsumoto, Toshihiro Tateno, Nozomi Takebayashi, Takashi Morishige, Hitoshi Takahashi, Mitsufumi Wada, Hiroshi Shimizu, Chikara Furusawa, Takashi Hirasawa, Tomonori Hidesaki, Ayako Endo, Dominik Lukas Jürgen-Lohmann, Anjali Madhavan, Su Sun Chong
  • Patent number: 9267156
    Abstract: An isopropyl alcohol-producing Escherichia coli includes an isopropyl alcohol production system, wherein an activity of transcriptional repressor GntR is inactivated, and the isopropyl alcohol-producing Escherichia coli preferably further includes a group of auxiliary enzymes having an enzyme activity expression pattern with which isopropyl alcohol production capacity achieved by the inactivation of the GntR activity is maintained or enhanced. A method of producing isopropyl alcohol includes producing isopropyl alcohol from a plant-derived raw material using the isopropyl alcohol-producing Escherichia coli. A method of producing acetone includes contacting the isopropyl alcohol obtained by the isopropyl alcohol production method with a complex oxide that includes zinc oxide and at least one oxide containing a Group 4 element, and that is prepared by coprecipitation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUI CHEMICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Koh Amano, Tomokazu Shirai, Hitoshi Takahashi, Junichiro Hirano, Yoshiko Matsumoto, Nozomi Takebayashi, Mitsufumi Wada, Hiroshi Shimizu, Chikara Furusawa, Takashi Hirasawa
  • Patent number: 8932845
    Abstract: An isopropyl alcohol-producing Escherichia coli equipped with an isopropyl alcohol production system, having at least one enhanced enzyme activity selected from the group consisting of an enhanced malate dehydrogenase activity, an enhanced NAD(P)+ transhydrogenase (AB-specific) activity, and an enhanced thiolase activity, and an isopropyl alcohol producing method including producing isopropyl alcohol from a plant-derived raw material using the isopropyl alcohol-producing Escherichia coli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiko Matsumoto, Junichiro Hirano, Takashi Morishige, Tomokazu Shirai, Hitoshi Takahashi, Koh Amano, Nozomi Takebayashi, Mitsufumi Wada, Hiroshi Shimizu, Chikara Furusawa, Takashi Hirasawa
  • Publication number: 20140363847
    Abstract: An acetyl-CoA-producing microorganism, which is capable of efficiently synthesizing acetyl-CoA using carbon dioxide, and a substance production method using the same are provided. An acetyl-CoA-producing microorganism including an acetyl-CoA production cycle obtained by imparting at least one type of enzymatic activity selected from the group consisting of malate thiokinase, malyl-CoA lyase, glyoxylate carboligase, 2-hydroxy-3-oxopropionate reductase, and hydroxypyruvate reductase, to a microorganism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Ryota Fujii, Tomokazu Shirai, Tadashi Araki, Koh Amano, Yoshiko Matsumoto, Toshihiro Tateno, Nozomi Takebayashi, Takashi Morishige, Hitoshi Takahashi, Mitsufumi Wada, Hiroshi Shimizu, Chikara Furusawa, Takashi Hirasawa, Tomonori Hidesaki, Ayako Endo, Dominik Lukas Jürgen-Lohmann, Anjali Madhavan
  • Publication number: 20130211170
    Abstract: An isopropyl alcohol-producing Escherichia coli includes an isopropyl alcohol production system, wherein an activity of transcriptional repressor GntR is inactivated, and the isopropyl alcohol-producing Escherichia coli preferably further includes a group of auxiliary enzymes having an enzyme activity expression pattern with which isopropyl alcohol production capacity achieved by the inactivation of the GntR activity is maintained or enhanced. A method of producing isopropyl alcohol includes producing isopropyl alcohol from a plant-derived raw material using the isopropyl alcohol-producing Escherichia coli. A method of producing acetone includes contacting the isopropyl alcohol obtained by the isopropyl alcohol production method with a complex oxide that includes zinc oxide and at least one oxide containing a Group 4 element, and that is prepared by coprecipitation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Inventors: Koh Amano, Tomokazu Shirai, Hitoshi Takahashi, Junichiro Hirano, Yoshiko Matsumoto, Nozomi Takebayashi, Mitsufumi Wada, Hiroshi Shimizu, Chikara Furusawa, Takashi Hirasawa
  • Publication number: 20130005008
    Abstract: An isopropyl alcohol-producing Escherichia coli equipped with an isopropyl alcohol production system, having at least one enhanced enzyme activity selected from the group consisting of an enhanced malate dehydrogenase activity, an enhanced NAD(P)+ transhydrogenase (AB-specific) activity, and an enhanced thiolase activity, and an isopropyl alcohol producing method including producing isopropyl alcohol from a plant-derived raw material using the isopropyl alcohol-producing Escherichia coli.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Yoshiko Matsumoto, Junichiro Hirano, Takashi Morishige, Tomokazu Shirai, Hitoshi Takahashi, Koh Amano, Nozomi Takebayashi, Mitsufumi Wada, Hiroshi Shimizu, Chikara Furusawa, Takashi Hirasawa