Hiroaki Okuhara

Title: Hiroaki Okuhara and Glycosyltransferase Innovation.

Introduction

Hiroaki Okuhara is an inventor associated with Suntory Limited in Osaka, Japan. His patent work concerns glycosyltransferase enzymes and their potential use in changing flower color.

Latest Patents

The supplied information lists one patent for Okuhara: “Glycosyltransferase gene.” The invention describes an enzyme that transfers sugar, preferably glucose, to the hydroxyl group at position 2′ of chalcones, along with genes encoding that enzyme.

The patent also describes cloning glycosyltransferase genes from flower-petal cDNA libraries, including those from carnation. The genes were expressed and tested, and the resulting activity supported their role in transferring glucose to chalcones. The invention further proposes using the glycosyltransferase to alter the color of plant flowers. The supplied data attributes 1 patent to Okuhara.

Career Highlights

Okuhara’s documented patent contribution connects enzyme and gene research with a potential horticultural application. The work focuses on identifying glycosyltransferase genes and investigating how their activity may affect flower pigmentation.

Collaborations

The supplied information names Noriko Nakamura and Yuko Fukui as Okuhara’s coworkers. It does not specify their individual roles or the details of their collaboration.

Conclusion

Hiroaki Okuhara’s listed patent explores glycosyltransferase genes and their potential to support flower-color modification, linking molecular research with plant innovation.