The biomass naphtha prepared from vegetable oil waste and residual oil is supplied from Finland’s Neste. Mitsui Chemicals studies since many years a bio-based process for the production of isopropanol from biomass, using recombinant E. coli as a catalyst. Isopropanol is then further processed to bio-PP. The process is currently run at 1500 L scale […]
Blick nach Asien 12/2021
18-11 Green Earth Institute uses Corynebacterium resting cells to prepare green chemicals from formaldehyde
In an artificial metabolic system, the formaldehyde is added via aldolase, to appropriate cosubstrates forming 2,4-dihydroxybutyric acid (DHB), homoserine (hSer), and 1,3-propanediol (PDO). As an aldolase, hpal from Escherichia coli was used. It accepts also other aldehydes. The study is considered a proof of principle that high-cell density cultures of resting cells of C. glutamicum […]
18-11 Japan reports progress on transgenic pollen-free cedars
The Forest Research Institute’s Forest Biotechnology Research Center (Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture) reports progress on the development of a pollen-less cedar by genome editing of “seminal trees” which grow fast and straight. In the transgenic plant, a single nucleotide has been deleted by CRISPR/Cas9 in the gene responsible for the outer wall of the pollen, […]
9-11 NeuroSky and Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma will develop wearable electroencephalographs
The medical device will be used for the prevention and diagnosis of neuropsychiatric diseases such as sleep disorders, depression, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and dementia at an early stage. At the same time, a version for healthcare use by the general public will be developed which is based on the successful product „Nekomimi“ (a manga […]
Blick nach Asien 11/2021
5-11 NEDO launches R&D program for hydrogen aircrafts
The project aims to increase the ratio of participation in international joint development of airframes and engines (currently about 20-30%) by maximizing the strengths of Japan’s elemental technologies, such as hydrogen and materials. The project will also contribute to the decarbonization of the aviation sector. Implementation period: FY2021 – FY2030 Budget: 21.08 billion yen (scale […]
1-11 Genome-edited tiger puffer fish accepted as food in Japan
Regional Fish Co., Kyoto, has received acceptance from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare for sales of genome-edited tiger puffer fish. In the genome-edited fish strain, a leptin receptor reducing appetite was removed, leading to growth at double speed and improved feed utilization efficiency. The high-growth […]
26-10 Japan’s „Green Innovation Fund“ launches construction of „zero-emission“ ships and a supply chain for hydrogen and ammonia fuels
NEDO, the project house of METI, will launch a 32 billion JP¥ (242 million €) program on „next generation ships“, which includes the development of engines fueled by hydrogen and ammonia. In the future, „zero-emission ships“ will emit virtually no greenhouse gases in their operation. According to NEDO, international shipping accounts for about 2.1% of […]
15-10 NEDO adds projects on use of CO2 as raw material
The project house NEDO of the Japanese Ministry of Economy and Trade METI is funding further topics on the use of CO2 as a raw material with a total of about €100 million over 5 years: 1. Synthesis of lower olefins (IHI) and methanol from CO2 (JFE Steel, RITE), 2. Methane from CO2 via large-scale […]