RIKEN Baton Zone Program Bio-monomer Production Laboratory
Team Leader Yoshihide Yachi
Deputy Team Leader Tomokazu Shirai (Ph.D.)
Research Summary


We are studying the following in order to produce bio-butadiene by microorganisms and realize bio-polybutadiene.
- ①Improve the activity of butadiene-producing microorganisms.
The enzyme of the key reaction is highly activated by the enzyme engineering method, and at the same time, the intracellular metabolism is optimized by using the synthetic biology technology to improve the productivity. - ②Purification of biobutadiene produced in the gas phase of the fermenter
By-products of fermentation may include polymerization inhibitors. Based on the polymerization technology, we will develop a concentration/purification process and develop a process that can produce commercially viable butadiene.
[Integrated Collaborative Research with Zeon Corporation and The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd.]
Main Research Fields
- Engineering
Related Research Fields
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Biofunction/Bioprocess
Keywords
- enzyme engineering
- synthetic biology
- fermentation
- microorganism
- butadiene
Lab Members
Principal investigator
- Yoshihide Yachi
- Team Leader
Core members
- Tomokazu Shirai
- Deputy Team Leader
- Yutaro Mori
- Postdoctoral Researcher
- Yayoi Akahori
- Visiting Scientist
- Takashi Sasanuma
- Visiting Scientist
- Yukio Takagishi
- Visiting Scientist
- Yuki Takahashi
- Visiting Scientist
- Misao Hiza
- Visiting Scientist
- Leo Tsunoi
- Visiting Scientist
- Yoko Nakahara
- Research Part-time Worker II
Contact Information
1-6 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku,
Yokohama, Kanagawa,
240-0035, Japan
Tel:+81-(0)45-633-8007
Email: yoshihide.yachi [at] riken.jp