Abstract: The invention relates to the use of xanthan oligomers, preferably with a degree of polymerisation of between 1 and 30, in methods for the stimulation of the natural defences of plants, e.g. monocotyledones and, in particular, cereals or, more specifically, wheat and dicotyledones of, for example, vines, tobacco, potatoes and tomatoes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to genes which code for glycosyl hydrolases having an HCA score with the iota-carrageenase of Alteromonas fortis which is greater than or equal to 65% over the domain extending between amino acids 164 and 311 of the protein sequence SEQ ID No. 2 of said iota-carrageenase, and to genes which code for glycosyl hydrolases having an HCA score with the kappa-carrageenase of Alteromonas carrageenovora which is greater than or equal to 75% over the domain extending between amino acids 117 and 262 of the protein sequence SEQ ID No. 6 of said kappa-carrageenase.

Abstract: A purified sulfohydrolase having a purity level based on total amount of protein of at least about 40 wt %. Isolated nucleic acid sequence and amino acid sequences. A process for purifying at least one sulfohydrolase, including subjecting an extract from seaweed to fractionation to obtain fractions; and subjecting at least one of the fractions to phenyl sepharose chromatography to obtain sepharose fractions containing at least one sulfohydrolase. An enzymatically modified compound which has been modified by an isolated sulfohydrolase having a purity level based on total amount of protein of at least about 40 wt %. A process of enzymatically modifying a sulfated compound, including combining at least one sulfohydrolase, having a purity level based on total amount of protein of at least about 40 wt %, with a sulfated compound form a reaction mixture; and incubating the reaction mixture to remove sulfate groups from the sulfated compound to form an enzymatically modified compound.

Abstract: A purified sulfohydrolase having a purity level based on total amount of protein of at least about 40 wt %. Isolated nucleic acid sequence and amino acid sequences. A process for purifying at least one sulfohydrolase, including subjecting an extract from seaweed to fractionation to obtain fractions; and subjecting at least one of the fractions to phenyl sepharose chromatography to obtain sepharose fractions containing at least one sulfohydrolase. An enzymatically modified compound which has been modified by an isolated sulfohydrolase having a purity level based on total amount of protein of at least about 40 wt %. A process of enzymatically modifying a sulfated compound, including combining at least one sulfohydrolase, having a purity level based on total amount of protein of at least about 40 wt %, with a sulfated compound form a reaction mixture; and incubating the reaction mixture to remove sulfate groups from the sulfated compound to form an enzymatically modified compound.

Abstract: The invention relates to the novel Cytophaga drobachiensis strain deposited in the DSMZ Collection (Deutsche Sammlung von Mikroorganismen und Zellkulturen GmbH (German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures)) on May 8, 1998 under the number DSM 12170, the agaA gene coding for a &bgr;-agarase and having SEQ ID No. 1, the agaB gene coding for a &bgr;-agarase and having SEQ ID No. 3, said genes coding for a &bgr;-agarase of Cytophaga drobachiensis DSM 12170, and the specific nucleic acid sequence of the agaA gene coding for a specific peptide fragment AgaA′ which has conserved &bgr;-agarase activity, and having SEQ ID No. 5, as well as the protein AgaA of C. drobachiensis DSM 12170 having SEQ ID No. 2, the protein AgaB of C. drobachiensis DSM 12170 having SEQ ID No. 4 and said peptide fragment AgaA′ of C. drobachiensis DSM 12170 having SEQ ID No. 6.

Abstract: The present invention relates to genes which code for glycosyl hydrolases having an HCA score with the iota-carrageenase of Alteromonas fortis which is greater than or equal to 65% over the domain extending between amino acids 164 and 311 of the protein sequence SEQ ID No. 2 of said iota-carrageenase, and to genes which code for glycosyl hydrolases having an HCA score with the kappa-carrageenase of Alteromonas carrageenovora which is greater than or equal to 75% over the domain extending between amino acids 117 and 262 of the protein sequence SEQ ID No. 6 of said kappa-carrageenase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to genes which code for glycosyl hydrolases having an HCA score with the iota-carrageenase of Alteromonas fortis which is greater than or equal to 65% over the domain extending between amino acids 164 and 311 of the protein sequence SEQ ID No. 2 of said iota-carrageenase, and to genes which code for glycosyl hydrolases having an HCA score with the kappa-carrageenase of Alteromonas carrageenovora which is greater than or equal to 75% over the domain extending between amino acids 117 and 262 of the protein sequence SEQ ID No. 6 of said kappa-carrageenase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to genes which code for glycosyl hydrolases having an HCA score with the iota-carrageenase of Alteromonas fortis which is greater than or equal to 65% over the domain extending between amino acids 164 and 311 of the protein sequence SEQ ID No. 2 of said iota-carrageenase, and to genes which code for glycosyl hydrolases having an HCA score with the kappa-carrageenase of Alteromonas carrageenovora which is greater than or equal to 75% over the domain extending between amino acids 117 and 262 of the protein sequence SEQ ID No. 6 of said kappa-carrageenase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to genes which code for glycosyl hydrolases having an HCA score with the iota-carrageenase of Alteromonas fortis which is greater than or equal to 65% over the domain extending between amino acids 164 and 311 of the protein sequence SEQ ID No. 2 of said iota-carrageenase, and to genes which code for glycosyl hydrolases having an HCA score with the kappa-carrageenase of Alteromonas carrageenovora which is greater than or equal to 75% over the domain extending between amino acids 117 and 262 of the protein sequence SEQ ID No. 6 of said kappa-carrageenase.

Abstract: The invention relates to sulphated polysaccharides obtained from fucuses extracted from pheophyceae. The molecular weight of these polysaccharides is greater than 5 and less than 40 Kda; their sulphur content is greater than that of the original fucus and they contain less than 0.15% of contaminant proteins. Applications as anticoagulant and anticomplementary agents.