Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and useful method for producing an RNA-containing probe for detecting a target nucleotide, a simple and useful method, device, and system for processing nucleotide sequence information, and a simple and useful method for detecting a target nucleotide. The present invention provides a method for processing nucleotide sequence information, the method comprising the step of generating partial nucleotide sequences which has 7 to 14 nucleotides and a Tm value of 25 to 40° C. and in which a target nucleotide or a nucleotide adjacent to the target nucleotide is located at a position between 3 and 5 nucleotides from the 3? or 5? end. The method according to the present invention is useful for simply and efficiently producing an RNA-containing probe for detecting a target nucleic acid, without the basis of researchers' experiences or guess, and are extremely useful not only in the field of genetic engineering, but also in the field of medical research.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cell which can express a non-natural oligomeric protein, which has, introduced therein, a gene encoding an exogenous polypeptide corresponding to at least one endogenous polypeptide constituting a natural oligomeric protein, and in which the expression of the endogenous polypeptide is inhibited.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a T lymphocyte having an activity to induce a T lymphocyte recognizing an antigen and a technique to use the T lymphocyte.

Abstract: Provided are a mismatch-specific cleavage reaction using a novel heat-resistant mismatch nuclease, a method for removing errors in a nucleic acid amplification reaction using the mismatch nuclease, a method for inhibiting the amplification of a nucleic acid having a specific base sequence during a nucleic acid amplification reaction, and a method for detecting a nucleic acid having a single-base polymorphic mutation using this inhibition method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for production of a cell population containing a pluripotent stem cell, said method comprising a step of treating a somatic cell which has been contacted with nuclear reprogramming factors under nutrient-starved condition, and/or a step of treating the somatic cell with an agent capable of arresting cell cycle. The present invention allows induction and growth of pluripotent stem cells at high frequency, and it also allows production of pluripotent stem cells with high efficiency. The nuclear reprogramming factors to be used may be any selected from the group consisting of OCT4, SOX2, c-MYC, KLF4, NANOG and LIN28.

Abstract: Disclosed is a simple and highly efficient method for introducing a gene into a target cell using a retrovirus vector. The method comprises the steps of (a) placing a liquor containing a retrovirus vector having a foreign gene carried thereon into a bag for cell culture on which a retrovirus-binding substance has been immobilized, and incubating the liquor at a temperature lower than 25° C. for 8-48 hours, thereby producing a culture bag having the retrovirus vector bound thereto, (b) adding a target cell to the culture bag that has been produced in step (a) and incubating the culture bag for 8 hours or less, and (c) flipping the culture bag upside down and incubating the culture bag. The gene introduction method is useful particularly in medicine, cell technology, gene technology, and embryologic technology.

Abstract: A method for accurately and easily detecting a synthetic siRNA, for example, a siRNA in which the 3? end is DNA, and a kit used for the method are provided. The present invention relates to a method for detecting a siRNA in which the 3? end is DNA, comprising: (a) adding polydeoxyadenosine to the 3? DNA end of at least one strand of the siRNA to be detected to produce a polydeoxyadenosine-added RNA; (b) annealing a polydeoxythymidine primer having a tag sequence at its 5? side to the polydeoxyadenosine-added RNA and synthesizing DNA from the primer by a reverse transcription; and (c) detecting the DNA synthesized in (b).

Abstract: The present invention provides an expression cassette comprising (1) an expression regulatory region having a sequence corresponding to a transcriptional activator-binding region and (2) a nucleic acid encoding a transcriptional activator which is capable of binding to the expression regulatory region, wherein the nucleic acid is operably linked to the expression regulatory region; a method for expressing a target product in a mammalian cell, a method for producing a cell expressing a target product, and a method for producing a target product in a mammalian cell using the expression cassette; and a kit comprising the expression cassette.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for enhancing the function of a T cell, which is characterized by inhibiting the expression of programmed death-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) and/or programmed death-1 ligand 2 (PD-L2) in the T cell. Also disclosed is a function-enhanced T cell which is produced by the function enhancement method. Further disclosed is a therapeutic agent comprising the function-enhanced T cell. The T cell can enhance an immune response to cancer, and is useful in an immunotherapy effective for cancer and the treatment or prevention of infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases.

Abstract: Provided are a chimeric antigen receptor comprising an extracellular domain capable of binding to an antigen, a transmembrane domain and at least one intracellular domain, the chimeric antigen receptor being characterized in that an intracellular domain of a glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR) is contained as the intracellular domain; a nucleic acid encoding the chimeric antigen receptor; a cell expressing the chimeric antigen receptor; and a method for producing the cell.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing cDNA characterized by preparing a reaction solution that does not allow an endodeoxyribonuclease to show its activity, without thermal deactivation of the endodeoxyribonuclease or removal of the endodeoxyribonuclease, and carrying out a reverse transcription reaction, wherein the reaction solution contains a treated sample and a reverse transcriptase, the treated sample being formed by treating a sample comprising RNA and DNA with the endodeoxyribonuclease to degrade DNA in the sample. The method and the kit for synthesizing cDNA of the present invention are widely useful in genetic engineering fields.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an AAV vector having a higher titer compared with those of conventional ones can be produced using a cell into which a nucleic acid capable of expressing miRNA is introduced artificially. An AAV vector produced using the cell and a composition containing the viral vector as an active ingredient are very useful as gene transfer means in the studies or clinical practice of gene therapies.

Abstract: Disclosed are: a cell capable of expressing an exogenous GITRL or an exogenous GITRL derivative; a method for producing the cell; a therapeutic or prophylactic agent comprising the cell as an active ingredient; use of the cell in the manufacture of a therapeutic or prophylactic agent; a method comprising a step of administering the cell to a subject; a viral vector carrying a gene encoding a GITRL or a GITRL derivative; a therapeutic or prophylactic agent comprising the viral vector as an active ingredient; use of the viral vector in the manufacture of a therapeutic or prophylactic agent; and a method comprising a step of administering the viral vector to a subject.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a virus vector, which comprises a step wherein cells that are capable of producing a virus vector are cultured in a culture medium that contains, as active components, a retinoic acid and a histone deacetylase inhibiting substance; and a culture medium for the production of a virus vector, which is characterized by containing, as active components, a retinoic acid and a histone deacetylase inhibiting substance.

Abstract: A process for producing a cell mass containing natural killer cells, characterized by involving a step of carrying out the expansion culture of a cell mass containing natural killer cells and/or cells capable of being differentiated into natural killer cells in the presence of a biological response modifier and cells that has been so treated as to lose a proliferation capability, and others.

Abstract: The N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III activity is enhanced in a cell carrying retrovirus-origin gag-pol gene and env gene. By constructing a retrovirus vector with the use of the above cell, a retrovirus vector having a modified sugar chain structure can be obtained. The retrovirus vector constructed by this method shows a high infection efficiency particularly in the presence of a functional substance.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cell which can express a non-natural oligomeric protein, which has, introduced therein, a gene encoding an exogenous polypeptide corresponding to at least one endogenous polypeptide constituting a natural oligomeric protein, and in which the expression of the endogenous polypeptide is inhibited.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a cytotoxic lymphocyte characterized in that the method comprises the step of carrying out at least one of induction, maintenance and expansion of a cytotoxic lymphocyte in the presence of fibronectin, a fragment thereof or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A polypeptide comprising a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 5 of Sequence Listing or a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence having deletion, addition, insertion or substitution of one to several amino acid residues in the sequence, the polypeptide being capable of constituting an HLA-A24-restricted, MAGE-A4143-151-specific T cell receptor together with a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 of Sequence Listing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preparing a cytotoxic lymphocyte characterized in that the method comprises the step of carrying out at least one step selected from induction, maintenance and expansion of a cytotoxic lymphocyte using a medium containing serum and plasma at a total concentration of 0% by volume or more and less than 5% by volume, in the presence of fibronectin, a fragment thereof or a mixture thereof.