2-12 Kyoto’s RITE: 500fold increase of catechol production by synthetic biology
The Research Institute for Innovative Technologies for the Earth (RITE) in Kansai Science City near Kyoto claims to have achieved a breakthrough in the microbial production of catechol, financially supported by METI’s project house NEDO within the “smart cell” program. In RITE’s and NEDO’s press releases, details to the process are missing except that a modified strain of Corynebacterium glutamicum is used as production strain and multiple basic technologies were used to improve production gradually. The metabolic sketch in the graph may provide some conceptional ideas to specialists in metabolic engineering.
RITE news release, December 2, 2020
NEDO news release, December 2, 2020
2-12 Kyoto’s RITE: 500fold increase of catechol production by synthetic biology
The Research Institute for Innovative Technologies for the Earth (RITE) in Kansai Science City near Kyoto claims to have achieved a breakthrough in the microbial production of catechol, financially supported by METI’s project house NEDO within the “smart cell”...
7-12 NIKON and Tsukuba University analyze physiological state of microorganisms through autofluorescence signatures
Nikon has developed a confocal laser scanning microscope system which allows to analyze the physiological state of cells at high speed in a quantitative manner. The CRIF method (for Confocal Reflection microscopy-assisted single-cell Innate Fluorescence) acquires...
17-2 Shimadzu developed technology to analyze cell metabolites at high speed and with high accuracy
In collaboration with Kobe University and with support of NEDO, the project house of METI, Shimadzu has developed a "Biotransformer Extraction Total System" that can analyze 186 types of water-soluble cell metabolites at once, and a "Metabolome High-throughput...
17-2 Kobe University installs „smart cell” pilot lab
In this pilot lab, supported by funds from NEDO; smart cells can be developed in less than one-fifth of the conventional time by combining proprietary long-chain DNA synthesis technology, high-throughput recombination technology, and high-speed, high-precision cell...
18-2 Hokkaido Mitsui Chemicals produces taxan intermediate by plant-cell culture in 800 l bag reactor
Using undifferentiated plant cells from the Yew tree (Genera taxus), Hokkaido Mitsui Chemicals has developed an 800 L single-use bag reactor for their cultivation. In order to prevent the slowly propagating cells from settling down, a special tube was installed...
25-2 Asahi Kasei Pharma achieves high-yield production of diagnostic enzyme cholesterol esterase using “smart cell” concepts
The enzyme, used for diagnostic assays of cholesterol in blood, is produced by Burkholderia stabilis from which it is secreted. By combining a novel constitutive promoter and functional modification of the host using genomic and expression control information, the...
Two Japanese groups challenge China’s licorice (glycyrrhizin) monopoly
Licorice root containing glycyrrhizin is the most prescribed crude drug in Chinese medicine, included in about 70% of Chinese herbs. It is also used in Kanpo, Japan’s equivalent of TCM. Glycyrrhizin extracted from licorice is 150 to 300 times sweeter than sugar, used...
Japanese Noster Co. commercializes functional fatty acid which suppresses postprandial glucose levels
The product, 10-hydroxy-cis-12-octadecenoic acid (HYA®), had originally been detected as a metabolite of dietary lipids and fatty acids by intestinal bacteria by the group of Jun OGAWA at Kyoto University. Further research at Nitto Pharmaceutical Co. had shown that...
Kawasaki Heavy Industries launches first liquid hydrogen carrier tanker
The Japanese CO2 Free Hydrogen Supply Chain Promotion Organization HySTRA (Members: Iwatani Corporation, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Shell Japan Corporation, Power Supply Development Corportion) has launched the first liquefied hydrogen carrier ship. It will...
Osaka University team finds clue in microbiota for rheumatoid arthritis
Based on extracted DNA samples and shotgun sequencing collected from stool of 82 untreated rheumatoid arthritis patients and 42 healthy subjects, the team of OKADA Toshihiro at Osaka University School of Medicine has found that some species of Prevotella are...
Japanese startups develop “lifestyle guidance AI system” using intestinal environment information
Metagen Co. and MOLCURE Co., two Japanese startups, will established an AI-based system that predicts optimal weight loss using information about an individual's intestinal environment. The AI system will provide guidance and support for improving lifestyle...
NEDO adopts 7 new themes for regional biomass energy use
In a demonstration project, Tottori Prefecture aims to build a biomass energy utilization energy which does not rely any longer on feed-in tariffs and subsidies. In this project, biomass steam boilers will be installed that use building waste chips as fuel, and waste...