Abstract: This invention provides a method for improving bread-making properties of bread dough using rice flour as the main material. The invention relates to a dough improving agent for rice flour breads, wherein said agent comprises glutathione and a method for making rice flour breads using the same.

Abstract: A method for producing lacto-N-biose I and galacto-N-biose inexpensively and conveniently is provided. The method for producing lacto-N-biose I or galacto-N-biose, characterized in that the method comprises causing: (i) a combination of a carbohydrate raw material with an enzyme that catalyzes phosphorolysis of the carbohydrate raw material to give ?-glucose-1-phosphate; and (ii) a combination of an enzyme that converts ?-glucose-1-phosphate to UDP-glucose and an enzyme that converts UDP-galactose to galactose-1-phosphate with their cofactors, and/or a combination of an enzyme (UDP-Gly synthase) that converts ?-glucose-1-phosphate and UDP-galactose to UDP-glucose and ?-galactose-1-phosphate, respectively, with its cofactor(s) to act in the presence of N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylgalactosamine, phosphoric acid, lacto-N-biose phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.211), and UDP-glucose-4-epimerase (EC 5.1.3.2).

Abstract: Disclosed are: a method for producing a chrysanthemum plant having delphinidin-containing petals using a transcriptional regulatory region for a chrysanthemum-derived flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) gene; and a chrysanthemum plant, a progeny or a vegetative proliferation product of the plant, or a part or a tissue of the plant, the progeny or the vegetative proliferation product, and particularly a petal or a cut flower of the plant. In the method for producing a chrysanthemum plant having delphinidin-containing petals, a flavonoid 3?,5?-hydroxylase (F3?5?H) is caused to be expressed in a chrysanthemum plant using a transcriptional regulatory region for a chrysanthemum-derived flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) gene.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a polynucleotide encoding a gene capable of regulating tillering and leaf morphology in a plant and a method of regulating the phenotype of a plant by using this polynucleotide. The above-described polynucleotide can regulate the number of leaves or roots per individual or leaf morphology (including the length, width and thickness of leaves). In an embodiment, the plant usable in the regulation of tillering and leaf morphology is a monocotyledon. In a preferred embodiment, the monocotyledon is a gramineae plant. In a still preferred embodiment, the gramineae plant is rice.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a wheat which accumulates a starch with a novel property by controlling the expression of the enzymes described in claims. The present invention provides a wheat, which does not express any of the following proteins (1)-(6): (1) Wheat Starch Synthase II-A1 Protein encoded by Wheat Starch Synthase II-A1 gene of SEQ ID NO:1, (2) Wheat Starch Synthase II-B1 Protein encoded by Wheat Starch Synthase II-B1 gene of SEQ ID NO:3, (3) Wheat Starch Synthase II-D1 Protein encoded by Wheat Starch Synthase II-D1 gene of SEQ ID NO:5, (4) Granule Bound Starch Synthase A1 Protein encoded by Granule Bound Starch Synthase A1 gene of SEQ ID NO:7, (5) Granule Bound Starch Synthase B1 Protein encoded by Granule Bound Starch Synthase B1 gene of SEQ ID NO:9, and (6) Granule Bound Starch Synthase D1 Protein encoded by Granule Bound Starch Synthase D1 gene of SEQ ID NO:11.

Abstract: A circular DNA is provided comprising endogenous DNA common to both genetically modified wheat and non-genetically modified wheat along with one or more pieces of DNA each having a sequence present specifically in a strain of genetically modified wheat. Also provided is a method for determining a mix rate of genetically modified wheat in a test sample.

Abstract: A gene encoding a methylated catechin synthase that can effectively synthesize methylated catechins having high antiallergic activity. The gene encoding a methylated catechin synthase contains at least one nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 1, 3 and 5.

Abstract: An organic material production system includes: a pretreatment device (12) that pulverizes a biomass material (11); a hydrothermal decomposition apparatus (14) that hydrothermally decomposes a pulverized biomass (13) by causing it to countercurrently contact with hot compressed water (15), elutes lignin components and hemicellulose components into the hot compressed water (15), and separates the lignin components and the hemicellulose components from a biomass solid residue; a first enzymatic hydrolysis device (19-1) that treats cellulose in a biomass solid residue (17), discharged from the hydrothermal decomposition apparatus, with an enzyme (18) to enzymatically hydrolyze it to a sugar solution containing hexose; a fermenter (21) that produces ethanol by fermentation using a sugar solution (20) obtained by the first enzymatic hydrolysis device (19-1); and a refiner 25 that refines an alcohol fermentation liquid (22), so as to separate it into ethanol (23) and a residue (24).

Abstract: A method for producing lacto-N-biose I and galacto-N-biose inexpensively and conveniently is provided. The method for producing lacto-N-biose I or galacto-N-biose, characterized in that the method comprises causing: (i) a combination of a carbohydrate raw material with an enzyme that catalyzes phosphorolysis of the carbohydrate raw material to give a-glucose-1-phosphate; and (ii) a combination of an enzyme that converts ?-glucose-1-phosphate to UDP-glucose and an enzyme that converts UDP-galactose to galactose-1-phosphate with their cofactors, and/or a combination of an enzyme (UDP-Gly synthase) that converts ?-glucose-1-phosphate and UDP-galactose to UDP-glucose and ?-galactose-1-phosphate, respectively, with its cofactor(s) to act in the presence of N-acetylglucosamine or N-acetylgalactosamine, phosphoric acid, lacto-N-biose phosphorylase (EC 2.4.1.211), and UDP-glucose-4-epimerase (EC 5.1.3.2).

Abstract: A lipopexia inhibitor which inhibits fat accumulation, comprising an effective amount of any methylated catechin having the following chemical formula (1) obtained by extraction of green tea or Pouchung tea, in which each of R1, R2, R3 and R4 independently is a hydrogen atom or methyl; and each of X1 and X2 independently is a hydrogen atom or hydroxyl.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide means for measuring electric characteristics of dried objects having different shapes and characters, and means which, by measuring an impedance and an electrostatic capacity, non-destructively and high accurately measures a moisture content of the dried objects of different shapes and characters, using an appropriate regression manner. In detail, this invention is to provide a method of non-destructively measuring a moisture content of dried objects, comprising the steps of: introducing dried objects having different characters and shapes into a predetermined container; inserting four electrode terminals into the container; measuring electrical characteristics between two electrodes based on the dried objects and inputting measurement results into a high impedance voltmeter; and non-destructively measuring the moisture content of the dried objects.