Abstract: A solid-liquid boundary detection device 20 is a device for detecting a boundary 141 between a solid and a liquid in a test tube 14, and includes a surface illumination 21, an imaging unit 22, and a boundary detection processor 31. The surface illumination 21 illuminates the test tube 14 from outside. The imaging unit 22 is arranged on an opposite side of the test tube 14 from the surface illumination 21, and captures an image including the boundary 141. The boundary detection processor 31 detects the boundary 141 from the image captured by the imaging unit 22.

Abstract: Provided is a method capable of shortening the time required for analysis and capable of analyzing various substances produced by microorganisms. A method for analyzing a metabolite of a microorganism according to the present invention includes: a step of supplying a mobile phase including carbon dioxide in a liquid state, a subcritical state, or a supercritical state to a container in which a microorganism cultured in a medium is contained together with the medium, to move a component of a metabolite of the microorganism present in the microorganism and the medium to the mobile phase; a step of introducing a mobile phase to which a component of the metabolite has moved into a column; and a step of performing mass spectrometry on a component of the metabolite contained in the mobile phase that has passed through the column.

Abstract: A sampling apparatus 1 samples a culture medium in a bioreactor 11. A pump 21 circulates the culture medium in the bioreactor 11 via a flow path 41 by leading out the culture medium from the bioreactor 11 into the flow path 41 and introducing the culture medium from the flow path 41 into the bioreactor 11. A valve 22 is provided in the middle of the flow path 41, and switches a flow path such that the culture medium circulated in the flow path 41 flows out to a branch flow path 42 to be sampled.

Abstract: An analysis method includes: performing liquid chromatography using a mobile phase including an adsorption prevention agent for preventing adsorption of a sample including a compound having a phosphate group to metal; and performing mass spectrometry on an eluate of the liquid chromatography. The adsorption prevention agent includes an oxalic acid or a salt of the oxalic acid.

Abstract: An analysis method includes: performing liquid chromatography using a mobile phase including an adsorption prevention agent for preventing adsorption of a sample including a compound having a phosphate group to metal; and performing mass spectrometry on an eluate of the liquid chromatography. The adsorption prevention agent includes an oxalic acid or a salt of the oxalic acid.

Abstract: A method of cultivating algal cells of an algae belonging to a class selected from Chlorophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Haptophyceae includes: irradiating the algal cells with an artificial light having a ratio of (i) photon flux density in a wavelength range of 520-630 nm to (ii) photosynthetic photon flux density, that is 65% or more; and measuring a cell size of the algal cells. Irradiation and non-irradiation of the algal cells with the artificial light are switched, or the photon flux density in the wavelength range of 520-630 nm is changed, according to the measured cell size.

Abstract: A method of cultivating algal cells of an algae belonging to a class selected from Chlorophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Haptophyceae includes: irradiating the algal cells with an artificial light having a ratio of (i) photon flux density in a wavelength range of 520-630 nm to (ii) photosynthetic photon flux density, that is 65% or more; and measuring a condition of the algal cells and/or a condition of an algal cell culture provided by cultivating the algal cells. Irradiation and non-irradiation of the algal cells with the artificial light are switched, or the photon flux density in the wavelength range of 520-630 nm is changed, according to the measured condition of the algal cells and/or the measured condition of the algal cell culture.

Abstract: A sampling apparatus 1 samples a culture medium in a bioreactor 11. A pump 21 circulates the culture medium in the bioreactor 11 via a flow path 41 by leading out the culture medium from the bioreactor 11 into the flow path 41 and introducing the culture medium from the flow path 41 into the bioreactor 11. A valve 22 is provided in the middle of the flow path 41, and switches a flow path such that the culture medium circulated in the flow path 41 flows out to a branch flow path 42 to be sampled.

Abstract: An analysis method includes: performing liquid chromatography using a mobile phase including an adsorption prevention agent for preventing adsorption of a sample including a compound having a phosphate group to metal; and performing mass spectrometry on an eluate of the liquid chromatography. The adsorption prevention agent includes an oxalic acid or a salt of the oxalic acid.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to provide a recombinant host cell which is capable of efficiently and easily producing a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA), in particular, tetrahydropapaveroline, 3-hydroxycoclaurine, 3-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine and/or reticuline, and a method for efficiently and easily producing these BIAs using the host cell. The present invention pertains to a recombinant host cell for producing a benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA), in particular, tetrahydropapaveroline (THP), 3-hydroxycoclaurine, 3-hydroxy-N-methylcoclaurine and/or reticuline, in which a wild-type aromatic aldehyde synthase (AAS) or a mutant thereof and a wild-type aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AAAD) or a mutant thereof are expressed.

Abstract: A stirring device 11 includes a stirring mechanism 7 and a control unit 15. The stirring mechanism 7 includes a motor 74 and a pedestal portion 77. In the stirring device 11, the motor 74 repeats forward rotation and reverse rotation alternately under the control of the control unit 15. Then, the pedestal portion 77 repeats turning in one direction and turning in the other direction alternately. As a result, the test tube S repeats the movement in one direction and the movement in the other direction alternately, and the vortex rotating in one direction and the vortex rotating in the other direction are alternately generated in the mixed solution in the test tube S. Then, the mixed solution in the test tube S is stirred to be rotated, and is stirred to be moved in the vertical direction. Therefore, the mixed solution in the test tube S can be efficiently stirred. As a result, the time required for stirring the mixed solution in the test tube S can be shortened.

Abstract: When a stirring device 11 performs processing of stirring a mixed solution in a test tube S, a holding mechanism 13 and a movement mechanism 14 are operated so that the test tube S is moved to a position of B2. Then, in the test tube S, the cells attached to the inner surface of the test tube S and the liquid are separated. Further, the cells attached to the inner surface of the test tube S are detected by a color sensor 152. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the work for determining the end of the stirring processing by the user. As a result, the workability of the user when using the stirring device 11 can be improved.

Abstract: A cap attaching/detaching device 20 is a device for attaching or detaching a cap 141 in which a screw portion is formed to or from a test tube 14 by rotating the cap 141. A cap grip portion 21 grips the cap 141. A rotation mechanism 22 attaches or detaches the cap 141 to or from the test tube 14 by rotating the cap 141 by rotating the cap grip portion 21. The rotation mechanism 22 has an axial portion 221, and a nut portion 222. The axial portion 221 has an outer peripheral surface on which a screw thread 223 is formed. The nut portion 222 has an inner peripheral surface on which a screw groove 224 to be screwed into the screw thread 223 of the axial portion 221 is formed, and rotatably holds the axial portion 221 in a fixed state. A pitch of the screw thread 223 is the same as a pitch of the screw portion formed in the cap 141.

Abstract: A solid-liquid boundary detection device 20 is a device for detecting a boundary 141 between a solid and a liquid in a test tube 14, and includes a surface illumination 21, an imaging unit 22, and a boundary detection processor 31. The surface illumination 21 illuminates the test tube 14 from outside. The imaging unit 22 is arranged on an opposite side of the test tube 14 from the surface illumination 21, and captures an image including the boundary 141. The boundary detection processor 31 detects the boundary 141 from the image captured by the imaging unit 22.

Abstract: A method of cultivating algal cells of an algae belonging to a class selected from Chlorophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Bacillariophyceae and Haptophyceae includes: irradiating the algal cells with an artificial light having a ratio of (i) photon flux density in a wavelength range of 520-630 nm to (ii) photosynthetic photon flux density, that is 65% or more; and measuring a condition of the algal cells and/or a condition of an algal cell culture provided by cultivating the algal cells. Irradiation and non-irradiation of the algal cells with the artificial light are switched, or the photon flux density in the wavelength range of 520-630 nm is changed, according to the measured condition of the algal cells and/or the measured condition of the algal cell culture.

Abstract: There is provided a method for generating an oil/fat component, in which salt-tolerant algae are cultured in a culture medium of which the salt concentration has been increased in a stepwise manner.

Abstract: There is provided a method for generating an oil/fat component by means of culturing algae, in which marine algae belonging to chlamydomonas are cultured in a culture medium containing sea salt.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polynucleotide for cell surface expression. The polynucleotide of the invention comprises a promoter, a secretion signal sequence, a sequence encoding an intended protein, and a sequence encoding a cell surface-localized protein or a cell membrane-binding domain thereof, wherein the promoter is a promoter of a gene encoding the cell surface-localized protein. Provided is a polynucleotide for cell surface expression allowing the production of yeast displaying an enzyme on the cell surface with a high activity.

Abstract: An expression vector is disclosed which contains a promoter DNA; a DNA encoding a peptide having a defined amino acid sequence and having secretion signal activity; and a DNA encoding an intended protein or a cloning site for insertion of the DNA encoding an intended protein. An expression vector is also disclosed which contains a promoter DNA; a DNA encoding any peptide having a defined amino acid sequence and having secretion signal activity; a DNA encoding an intended protein or a cloning site for insertion of the DNA encoding an intended protein; and a DNA encoding an anchor domain. The peptide having secretion signal activity allows for secretory production and cell surface display of a protein with high activity, in yeast.

Abstract: Disclosed is a polynucleotide for cell surface expression. The polynucleotide of the invention comprises a promoter, a secretion signal sequence, a sequence encoding an intended protein, and a sequence encoding a cell surface-localized protein or a cell membrane-binding domain thereof, wherein the promoter is a promoter of a gene encoding the cell surface-localized protein. Provided is a polynucleotide for cell surface expression allowing the production of yeast displaying an enzyme on the cell surface with a high activity.