Abstract: It is intended to provide a novel NAD+-independent myo-inositol 2-dehydrogenase which converts myo-inositol into scyllo-inosose in the absence of NAD+; a novel enzyme scyllo-inositol dehydrogenase which stereospecifically reduces scyllo-inosose into scyllo-inositol in the presence of NADH or NADPH; and a novel microorganism which belongs to the genus Acetobacter or Burkholderia and can convert myo-inositol into scyllo-inositol. By using these enzymes or the microorganism, scyllo-inositol is produced. Furthermore, scyllo-inositol is purified by adding boric acid and a metal salt to a liquid mixture containing scyllo-inositol and a neutral saccharide other than scyllo-inositol to form a scyllo-inositol/boric acid complex, separating the complex from the liquid mixture, dissolving the thus separated complex in an acid to give an acidic solution or an acidic suspension and then purifying scyllo-inositol from the acidic solution or the acidic suspension.

Abstract: A plant with modified flower morphology is produced by suppressing a function of a transcription factor involved in determining the polarity of plants. More particularly, a plant with modified flower morphology is produced by the steps of obtaining a transformed cell by introducing a chimeric DNA in which a DNA encoding a transcription factor involved in determining the polarity and a functional peptide converting a transcription factor into a transcription repressor are fused; and regenerating a transformed plant from the transformed cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a phosphonium borate compound represented by Formula (I) (hereinafter, the compound (I)). The invention has objects of providing (A) a novel process whereby the compound is produced safely on an industrial scale, by simple reaction operations and in a high yield; (B) a novel compound that is easily handled; and (C) novel use as catalyst. Formula (I): (R1)(R2)(R3)PH.BAr4??(I) wherein R1, R2, R3 and Ar are as defined in the specification. The process (A) includes reacting a phosphine with a) HCl or b) H2SO4 to produce a) a hydrochloride or b) a sulfate; and reacting the salt with a tetraarylborate compound. The compound (B) has for example a secondary or tertiary alkyl group as R1 and is easily handled in air without special attention.

Abstract: N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine can be produced by cultivating a fungus capable of producing N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, such as Trichoderma hamatum AB10282 strain (FERM BP-10623) or Trichoderma harzianum AB10283 strain (FERM BP-10624), in a culture medium supplemented with a carbon source other than chitin and chitin oligosaccharide and a nitrogen source to produce and accumulate N-acetyl-D-glucosamine in the culture medium and then collecting N-acetyl-D-glucosamine from the culture medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a phosphonium borate compound represented by Formula (I) (hereinafter, the compound (I)). The invention has objects of providing (A) a novel process whereby the compound is produced safely on an industrial scale, by simple reaction operations and in a high yield; (B) a novel compound that is easily handled; and (C) novel use as catalyst. Formula (I): (R1)(R2)(R3)PH.BAr4??(I) wherein R1, R2, R3 and Ar are as defined in the specification. The process (A) includes reacting a phosphine with a) HCl or b) H2SO4 to produce a) a hydrochloride or b) a sulfate; and reacting the salt with a tetraarylborate compound. The compound (B) has for example a secondary or tertiary alkyl group as R1 and is easily handled in air without special attention.

Abstract: To provide a method for industrially efficiently producing an exhaust gas purifying catalyst containing a perovskite-type composite oxide which is stable and has a less reduced specific surface area and is also effectively prevented from decreasing in its catalytic performance even in endurance in high temperature oxidative reducing atmospheres, a pre-crystallization composition containing elementary components constituting a perovskite-type composite oxide containing a noble metal is prepared, is mixed with a powder of theta-alumina and/or alpha-alumina to prepare a mixture, and the mixture is heat treated. Thus, the resulting perovskite-type composite oxide supported by the powder of theta-alumina and/or alpha-alumina can keep its thermostability at a sufficient level thereby to effectively prevent the catalytic performance from decreasing. This method can industrially efficiently produce the exhaust gas purifying catalyst.

Abstract: To provide a perovskite-type composite oxide which has stable quality in which a solid solution of Pd is formed at a high rate, a method for producing the perovskite-type composite oxide, and a catalyst composition containing the perovskite-type composite oxide, the perovskite-type composite oxide is produced by formulating materials in accordance with each atomic ratio of a perovskite-type composite oxide represented by the following general formula (1): AxB(1-y)PdyO3+???(1) wherein A represents at least one element selected from rare earth elements and alkaline earth metals; B represents at least one element selected from transition elements (excluding rare earth elements, and Pd), Al and Si; x represents an atomic ratio satisfying the following condition: 1<x; y represents an atomic ratio satisfying the following condition: 0<y?0.5; and ? represents an oxygen excess.

Abstract: In order to provide a method of synthesizing a compound in which activity of a catalyst is maintained even when the catalyst is recovered after the completion of the coupling reaction using a palladium-containing perovskite-type composite oxide as the catalyst and used repeatedly and the reaction can be carried out in a high yield, a palladium-containing perovskite-type composite oxide is used as a synthesis reaction catalyst and a reaction solvent containing an alkoxy alcohol is used as a reaction solvent in Suzuki Cross-Couplings given by the following general formula (15).

Abstract: To provide a novel herbicide-resistance gene and a plant imparted a resistance to herbicides by using this gene, a plant having a resistance to herbicides is constructed by transforming a plant cell by a DNA encoding the following protein (A) or (B) and then regenerating the thus transformed plant cell in a plant. (A) A protein having the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:2. (B) A protein having an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 including substitution, deletion, insertion or addition of one or plural amino acids and having a herbicide-resistant activity.

Abstract: A silane containing a bulky hydrocarbon group or groups R therein and having the formula (III) R3-(x+y)(R1)x(R2)ySi(OR3) can be produced by reacting a silane of the formula (I) (R1)x(R2)ySiCl3-(x+y)(OR3) with a Grignard reagent of the formula (II) RMgX Further, a tri-organo-chlorosilane of the formula (XIIa) (R1)(R2)(R3)SiCl can be produced by reacting a tri-organo-silane of the formula (XIa) (R1)(R2)(R3)SiZ1 with hydrochloric acid. Furthermore, a tri-organo-monoalkoxysilane of the formula (XXIII) R3-(x+y)(R1)x(R2)ySi(OR3) can be produced when a silane of the formula (XXI) (R1)x(R2)ySiCl4-(x+y) is reacted with a Grignard reagent of the formula (XXII) RMgX with addition of and reaction with an alcohol or an epoxy compound during the reaction.

Abstract: In order to provide a method of synthesizing a compound in which activity of a catalyst is maintained even when the catalyst is recovered after the completion of the coupling reaction using a palladium-containing perovskite-type composite oxide as the catalyst and used repeatedly and the reaction can be carried out in a high yield, a palladium-containing perovskite-type composite oxide is used as a synthesis reaction catalyst and a reaction solvent containing an alkoxy alcohol is used as a reaction solvent in Suzuki Cross-Couplings given by the following general formula (15).

Abstract: Methods of producing a safe and hygienic method for industrially and efficiently producing a perovskite-type composite oxide are provided that can maintain the catalytic activity of a noble metal at a high level. Methods include preparing a precursor of the perovskite-type composite oxide by mixing organometal salts of elementary components of the perovskite-type composite oxide and heat treating the precursor. The precursor may be prepared by mixing all elementary components constituting the perovskite-type composite oxide, or by mixing one or more organometal salts of part of the elementary components with the other elementary components prepared as alkoxides, a coprecipitate of salts, or a citrate complex of the respective elements.

Abstract: To provide a perovskite-type composite oxide which has stable quality in which a solid solution of Pd is formed at a high rate, a method for producing the perovskite-type composite oxide, and a catalyst composition containing the perovskite-type composite oxide, the perovskite-type composite oxide is produced by formulating materials in accordance with each atomic ratio of a perovskite-type composite oxide represented by the following general formula (1): AxB(1-y)PdyO3+???(1) wherein A represents at least one element selected from rare earth elements and alkaline earth metals; B represents at least one element selected from transition elements (excluding rare earth elements, and Pd), Al and Si; x represents an atomic ratio satisfying the following condition: 1<x; y represents an atomic ratio satisfying the following condition: 0<y?0.5; and ? represents an oxygen excess.

Abstract: A production process by which tertiary phosphine with an attached sterically bulky hydrocarbon group is produced in a high yield and with high purity on an industrial scale through simple and safe operations by allowing a dialkylphosphinous halide to react with a Grignard reagent in the presence of a copper compound in an amount corresponding to 0.1 to 5% by mol based on the dialkylphosphinous halide to produce tertiary phosphine represented by the following formula (3): wherein R1 and R2 are each a tertiary hydrocarbon group of 4 to 13 carbon atoms, and R3 is an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an aryl group or the like.

Abstract: To provide a catalyst for synthesis reaction which can achieve good yield in the Sonogashira reaction and also can be recovered after the reaction, and a method for synthesizing a compound in which the catalyst for synthesis reaction is used, a perovskite-type composite oxide containing palladium is used as the catalyst for synthesis reaction in the Sonogashira reaction represented by the following reaction scheme (1): R1—X+HC?CR2?R1C?CR2 ??(1)

Abstract: The invention relates to a phosphonium borate compound represented by Formula (I) (hereinafter, the compound (I)). The invention has objects of providing (A) a novel process whereby the compound is produced safely on an industrial scale, by simple reaction operations and in a high yield; (B) a novel compound that is easily handled; and (C) novel use as catalyst. Formula (I): (R1)(R2)(R3)PH.BAr4??(I) wherein R1, R2, R3 and Ar are as defined in the specification. The process (A) includes reacting a phosphine with a) HCl or b) H2SO4 to produce a) a hydrochloride or b) a sulfate; and reacting the salt with a tetraarylborate compound. The compound (B) has for example a secondary or tertiary alkyl group as R1 and is easily handled in air without special attention.

Abstract: Provided are novel processes for the efficient production of L-epi-2-inosose and epi-inositol which are useful either as various medicines or intermediates for the syntheses of various medicines. In the processes, inexpensive myo-inositol is used as a starting compound which is reacted with a gram-negative bacterium capable of converting myo-inositol into L-epi-2-inosose, and thereby producing L-epi-2-inosose by conversion of myo-inositol into L-epi-2-inosose. A biologically pure culture of Pseudomonas sp. AB 10215 strain is also provided which has a characteristic nature of being capable of converting myo-inositol into L-epi-2-inosose.

Abstract: Provided are novel processes for the efficient production of L-epi-2-inosose and epi-inositol which are useful either as various medicines or intermediates for the syntheses of various medicines. In the processes, there is used inexpensive myo-inositol as a starting compound. That is, there is now developed a new process which comprises reacting myo-inositol with a gram-negative bacterium capable of converting myo-inositol into L-epi-2-inosose, and thereby producing L-epi-2-inosose by conversion of myo-inositol into L-epi-2-inosose. Further, a novel process is provided, which comprises reacting the so produced L-epi-2-inosose with a reducing agent made of an alkali metal boron hydride or any other alkali metal hydride in an aqueous reaction medium, to produce epi-inositol and myo-inositol, and then isolating epi-inositol from the resulting reaction product composed of the epi-inositol and myo-inositol.

Abstract: In accordance with this invention, there is provided a DNA sequence which can encode an enzyme protein functioning as the rice dihydrodipicolinate synthase (DHDPS). One example of the DNA sequence according to this invention is the DNA having the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID No. 1 of Sequence Listing. Additionally, this invention provides the DNA having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No. 5, as well as the DNA having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID No. 7 of Sequence Listing, as the DNA which is capable of encoding the protein having the DHDPS activity. When cultivation is made of the plant cells in which there has been introduced a recombinant vector having carried therein a DNA fragment containing the DNA of this invention as inserted at downstream of the promoter of said recombinant vector, it is feasible to regenerate from said plant cells a transgenic plant having a high lysine content.

Abstract: A DNA sequence is provided, which encodes an enzyme that is the &agr;-subunit of the first isozyme of rice anthranilate synthase (ASA). Transformed plants having a high tryptophan content can be regenerated by culturing the plant cells having introduced therein such a recombinant vector which contains, at a position downstream of a promoter, an inserted DNA fragment carrying the above DNA sequence. In addition, methods of selecting transformed plant cells are disclosed, wherein plant cells transformed with the discloses DNA are resistant to inhibitory concentrations of tryptophan or tryptophan analogues.