Abstract: The invention provides isolated polypeptide and nucleic acid sequences derived from Staphylococcus epidermidis that are useful in diagnosis and therapy of pathological conditions; antibodies against the polypeptides; and methods for the production of the polypeptides. The invention also provides methods for the detection, prevention and treatment of pathological conditions resulting from bacterial infection.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated polypeptide and nucleic acid sequences derived from Staphylococcus epidermidis that are useful in diagnosis and therapy of pathological conditions; antibodies against the polypeptides; and methods for the production of the polypeptides. The invention also provides methods for the detection, prevention and treatment of pathological conditions resulting from bacterial infection.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated polypeptide and nucleic acid sequences derived from Staphylococcus epidermidis that are useful in diagnosis and therapy of pathological conditions; antibodies against the polypeptides; and methods for the production of the polypeptides. The invention also provides methods for the detection, prevention and treatment of pathological conditions resulting from bacterial infection.

Abstract: Strain of lactic acid bacterium, (1) whose 16S ribosomal RNA is characteristic of the genus Streptococcus, (2) whose total protein profile, obtained after migration of the total proteins on an SDS-PAGE electrophoresis gel, is characteristic of that of the strain of lactic acid bacterium CNCM I-1920 but distinct from those of the recognized species belonging to the genus Streptococcus, namely S. acidominimus, S. agalactiae, S. alactolyticus, S. anginosus, S. bovis, S. canis, S. caprinus, S. constellatus, S. cricetus, S. cristatus, S. difficile, S. downei, S. dysgalactiae ssp. dysgalactiae, S. dysgalactiae ssp. equisimilis, S. equi, S. equi ssp. equi, S. equi ssp. zooepidemicus, S. equinus, S. ferus, S. gallolyticus, S. gordonii, S. hyointestinalis, S. hyovaginalis, S. iniae, S. intermedius, S. intestinalis, S. macacae, S. mitis, S. mutans, S. oralis, S. parasanguinis, S. parauberis, S. phocae, S. pleomorphus, S. pneumoniae, S. porcinus, S. pyogenes, S. ratti, S. salivarius, S. sanguinis, S. shiloi, S.

Abstract: A microorganism belonging to the genus Staphylococcus or the genus Streptomyces which is capable of degrading a polylactic acid resin. A method of degrading a polylactic acid resin including a step of culturing a microorganism capable of degrading a polylactic acid resin in a medium containing a polylactic acid resin. In particular, the microorganisms Staphylococcus hominis FERM BP-6108 and Staphylococcus epidermidis FERM BP-6109.

Abstract: A medium for detecting staphylococci is described. The medium contains components selective for growing staphylococci, and a glucopyranoside indicator substance in sufficient quantity to distinguish colonies containing Bacillus and other microorganisms from colonies containing staphylococci. Methods of detecting staphylococci utilizing such medium are also described.

Abstract: A nerve cell differentiation promoter which comprises a physiologically active substance NK175203 or a pharmacologically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient is provided. It is expected that the nerve cell differentiation promoter of the present invention is applicable to a medicine for dementia, a nerve cell protective medicine or a medicine for peripheral neuropathy caused by anticancer agents.

Abstract: The invention provides a cosmetic or dermatological method for detecting and/or selectively quantifying individual microorganisms, and/or whole groups of microorganisms, which are present on human or animal skin, comprising the steps ofremoving a sample of the microflora of the human or animal skin,treating the sample with a deinhibiting medium, adding the treated sample to a culture medium which exhibits favorable growth conditions for a defined group of microorganisms but unfavorable growth conditions for other microorganisms, to produce a selective culture, and incubating the selective culture over a sufficiently long period of time, to allow only the group of microorganisms for which the culture medium exhibits favorable growth conditions the opportunity to multiply, in association with metabolic products, in particular CO.sub.

Abstract: An incubation limit marker for revealing the growth of contaminants present in a sample includes at least one strain or category of classically contaminant bacteria in dehydrated form which, once regenerated, will be present at a maximum concentration of 10.sup.3 CFU/ml. The incubation limit marker also includes a medium used for the dehydration of the contaminant bacterium or bacteria which includes a substrate capable of being degraded by the bacterium or bacteria. The incubation limit marker further includes an indicator of the growth of the bacterium or bacteria, for example, constituted by a colored indicator of changes in pH. A process for the "in vitro" detection of the susceptibility of pathogenic bacteria to various antibiotics present in MIC (i.e., Minimal Inhibitory Concentration) in culture or antibiogram media is carried out directly from the sample of the infected medium, in the presence of the above marker, used as a signal which limits the reading time of the antibiogram.

Abstract: The present invention provides specific binding solid phase assay methods and kits for the detection of the presence or absence of a microorganism by directly staining the microorganism and specifically capturing the stained microorganism on a solid support. The methods find particular utility in the detection of Candida. The methods may simultaneously detect the presence or absence of multiple microorganisms.

Abstract: Hybridization assay probes specific for Staphylococcus aureus and no other Staphylococcus species.

Abstract: A method for prophylactic treatments of the colonization of a Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strain having the ability to bind to fibronectin in a mammal. The method comprises administering a prophylactic therapeutically active amount of a protein having fibronectin binding properties to a mammal in need of such treatment. The generation of infections, such as mastitis, caused by a Staphylococcus aureus bacterial strain are thereby prevented. The administration may be via vaccination to induce immunization.

Abstract: Nucleic acid probes capable of specifically hybridizing to rRNA of E. coli and Shigella species and not to rRNA of non-E. coli/Shigella are described along with methods utilizing such probes for the specific detection of E. coli and/or Shigella in food and other samples.

Abstract: An enzyme which acts on a reducing terminal of a monosaccharide or oligosaccharide without requiring NAD or NADP and which catalyzes the reaction ##STR1## wherein R is a saccharide chain residue or hydrogen, A is a hydrogen acceptor other than NAD or NADP, AH or AHn is a reduced form acceptor and n is 1 or 2. This maltose dehydrogenase is produced by culturing a microorganism belonging to genus Staphylococcus, specifically, sp. B-0875 FERM BP-385, and isolating the thus-produced maltose dehydrogenase from the culture medium. An assay method for the determination of saccharide or the activity of a saccharide liberating enzyme, comprises reacting this enzyme with a substrate in the presence of a hydrogen acceptor, and measuring the amount of a detectable change.

Abstract: Method for the production of chorionic gonadotropin (CG) with properties similar to those of human CG (HCG) from a microorganism or mutant thereof isolated by natural or hybridization procedure from the body or body extract carrier of a malignant tumor carrier and having the capacity to synthesize the polypeptide hormone known as human chorionic gonadotropin in its total form or in its sub-units (.alpha. & .beta.) which comprises:(a) culturing the microorganism or mutant thereof in a culture media;(b) incubating the culture of the microorganism or mutant thereof, whereby the microorganism or mutant thereof in vivo produces a crude material containing chorionic gonadotropin and/or its sub-units (.alpha. & .beta.);(c) separating the crude material containing chorionic gonadotropin and/or its sub-units (.alpha. & .beta.) from the culture media and the microorganism or mutant thereof.

Abstract: A protein effective in stimulating cell growth activity. The protein has a molecular weight of from 5,000 to about 160,000, is composed predominantly of neutral and acidic amino acids, contains a significant amount of glutamic acid and aspartic acid, and is substantially free of nucleoside phosphotransferase. The protein is useful as wound treatment agent and as promoting agent in the synthesis of DNA. A method of producing the protein and compositions containing the same are also disclosed.

Abstract: Glycosylation or transglycosylation of a specified guanine derivative, namely 9-substituted or non-substituted guanine of formula [I] with a 3-deoxyribose donor such as 3'-deoxyadenosine in the presence of a nucleoside phosphorylase source such as of microorganism origin is disclosed. The nucleoside phosphorylase source is specified.

Abstract: The invention relates to an antibiotic polypeptide compound, or addition salt thereof, having a molecular weight no greater than 10000 and possessing bactericidal and bacteriolytic activities in respect of Gram-positive bacteria, the said compound comprising within the molecular structure thereof amino acid derivative units of formulae --NR--R.sub.1 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.2 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.3 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.4 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.5 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.6 --CO--, --NH--R.sub.7 --CO-- and ##STR1## wherein NH.sub.2 --R.sub.1 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.2 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.3 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.4 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.5 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.6 --COOH and NH.sub.2 --R.sub.7 --COOH respectively represent isoleucine, phenylalanine, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine and glycine and ##STR2## represents proline. The invention further provides a process for the preparation of antibiotic polypeptides by the aerobic culturing of a strain of S. epidermidis.

Abstract: The invention relates to an antibiotic polypeptide compound, or addition salt thereof, having a molecular weight no greater than 10000 and possessing bactericidal and bacteriolytic activities in respect of Gram-positive bacteria, the said compound comprising within the molecular structure thereof amino acid derivative units of formulae ##STR1## wherein NH.sub.2 --R.sub.1 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.2 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.3 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.4 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.5 --COOH, NH.sub.2 --R.sub.6 --COOH and NH.sub.2 --R.sub.7 --COOH respectively represent isoleucine, phenylalanine, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine and glycine and ##STR2## represents proline The invention further provides a process for the preparation of antibiotic polypeptides by the aerobic culturing of a strain of S. epidermidis.The invention also provides compositions comprising antibiotic substances and methods of treatment therewith.

Abstract: An assay which is capable of determining the endogenous glycerol and endogenous triglycerides content of a sample without the necessity of performing a separate glycerol assay. The assay of the instant invention can be performed in a single cuvette and is made possible by the use of a novel reagent kit.The reagent kit is of the type comprising lipase; glycerol kinase; adenosine triphosphate; and at least one reagent capable of being used to assay glycerol-1-phosphate or adenosine diphosphate. This reagent kit is characterized in that the lipase employed therein is from Staphylococcus epidermidis NRRL B-12072. In the absence of an auxiliary agent, this lipase does not cleave triglycerides to glycerol. Accordingly, the reagent kit further comprises, as the auxiliary agent, a surfactant which is capable of activating the lipase. Because these surfactants do not absorb at either 340 or 520 nm, one can determine a sample's endogenous glycerol content and endogenous triglycerides content in a single cuvette.