New patent on NHase from Mitsubishi Rayon

Mitsubishi Rayon have published a new US patent (20140120588) protecting a specific set of primary sequences of NHase.

Can genes be patented?

This article reports on the American Supreme Court ruling about the ability to patent DNA sequences from a genome. It can't be done now. That is sensible. Being able to patent genes on discovery can only stiffle innovation and fund legal process not research.

A Japanese patent for an "improved nitrile hydratase"

See this or this to see a Japanese patent awarded to Dia-Nitrix Co Ltd, F. Watanabe, T. Ambo and A. Hara, and published on 6th December 2012.

(It is in Japanese)