Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a nucleic acid amplification method for amplifying a desired nucleic acid while suppressing amplification of byproducts in a PCR reaction, a reagent kit used for nucleic acid amplification, a method of detecting single nucleotide polymorphism to detect single nucleotide polymorphism by utilizing that amplification of byproducts is suppressed in a PCR reaction, and a reagent kit used for detecting single nucleotide polymorphism. The method of amplifying nucleic acids by PCR is characterized by admixing in a reaction solution, a homologous recombinant protein which contains at least one of a RecA protein derived from Thermus thermophilus, and a modified RecA protein obtained by modification of the RecA protein and having a function similar to that of the RecA protein, and carrying out PCR.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide represented by SEQ ID NO:1 or SEQ ID NO:2. The DNA according to the present invention is highly expressed in prostatic adenocarcinoma and ovarian carcinoma, and is a cancer-associated gene, so that it is possible to inhibit cancer by blocking the binding of the present protein to its ligand. Accordingly, the present antibody is used not only in the detection of the present protein, but also as an agent for the treatment or prevention of cancers such as prostatic adenocarcinoma and ovarian carcinoma.

Abstract: A novel gene apparently encoding a transmembrane glycoprotein has been successfully isolated by constructing a cDNA library of 4 kb or above in size from mRNA expressed in human adult brain and analyzing the structures of the cDNAs contained within said library by the shotgun method. The novel gene shows brain-specific expression and the protein encoded by said gene has a typical PDZ binding motif.

Abstract: A gene encoding a novel protein that binds to a Rho family protein being one group of small GTP binding proteins and is capable of exhibiting a GEF activity, namely, a polynucleotide shown by the nucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 1, or SEQ ID NO: 3, or the complementary strand, the equivalents of the polynucleotide, a protein encoded by the polynucleotide, a vector containing the polynucleotide, a transformant containing the vector, an antibody against the protein encoded by the polynucleotide, a method of identifying a compound that inhibits the function of the protein encoded by the polynucleotide and/or the expression of the polynucleotide, a method of determining a disease, a pharmaceutical composition, and a reagent kit are provided.

Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide novel DNA, a gene containing the DNA, novel polypeptide encoded by the DNA, a recombinant protein containing the polypeptide, or an antibody against the polypeptide, which is useful for development and screening of prophylactic, therapeutic and diagnostic drug for angiogenesis and conservation of functions in various organs, angiogenesis at the time of tumor and regeneration of various organs, proliferation, differentiation and preservation of function of the cells in various organs, aging, and dysfunction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of constructing a circular DNA library having an increased content of a desired first dsDNA by removing a second dsDNA using RecA protein to introduce a target single strand nucleic acid by homologous recombination at the 3? terminal portion of the second dsDNA, whereby the target DNA has a 3? terminal portion that differs from the 3? terminal portion of the second dsDNA to prevent circularization, thereby creating a triple stranded DNA portion at the 3? terminal end of the second dsDNA, adding Exonuclease I to digest the displaced first strand of the second dsDNA, ligating the DNA fragments to circularize the desired first dsDNA, removing the linear second dsDNA, thereby constructing the circularized DNA library having an increased content of the desired first dsDNA.

Abstract: The present invention, the objects of which are to find out a gene encoding a protein having functions equivalent to those of G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and the protein, and to provide a method for identifying a compound that regulates functions and/or expression of the protein, and to provide a useful mean for preventing and/or treating diseases related to the gene and the protein, provides a DNA comprising base sequence described in SEQ ID NO: 1 or complementary strand thereof, complementary strand of the DNA, a protein encoded by the DNA, a vector containing the DNA, a transformant containing the vector, an antibody against the protein, a method for identifying a compound that regulates functions and/or expression of the protein using aforementioned members, an agent for improving and a method for improving depression state, a pharmaceutical composition, and a reagent kit.

Abstract: A novel DNA comprising a protein-encoding region is directly cloned from cDNA library originating from human adult whole brain and human fetal whole brain, the base sequence thereof is determined, and the functions thereof are identified. A DNA comprising a base sequence encoding the following polypeptide (a) or (b): (a) a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence which is identical or substantially identical with the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No.1, (b) a polypeptide consisting of an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No.1 in which part of amino acids are deleted, substituted or added, and having substantially the same biological activity as the function of the polypeptide (a), recombinant polypeptide encoded by the above DNAs, and protein comprising the polypeptide.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a nucleic acid amplification method for amplifying a desired nucleic acid while suppressing amplification of byproducts in a PCR reaction, a reagent kit used for nucleic acid amplification, a method of detecting single nucleotide polymorphism to detect single nucleotide polymorphism by utilizing that amplification of byproducts is suppressed in a PCR reaction, and a reagent kit used for detecting single nucleotide polymorphism. The method of amplifying nucleic acids by PCR is characterized by admixing in a reaction solution, a homologous recombinant protein which contains at least one of a RecA protein derived from Thermus thermophilus, and a modified RecA protein obtained by modification of the RecA protein and having a function similar to that of the RecA protein, and carrying out PCR.

Abstract: An objective of this invention is to provide a method which can specifically enrich a desired DNA with a long insert size from a DNA library and can provide a clone of the DNA directly. This invention provides a method of constructing a DNA library having increased proportion of a first double-stranded DNA therein by removing, from an original library containing the first double-stranded DNA to be increased in proportion, a second double-stranded DNA different from the first double-stranded DNA.

Abstract: A novel gene apparently encoding a transmembrane glycoprotein has been successfully isolated by constructing a cDNA library of 4 kb or above in size from mRNA expressed in human adult brain and analyzing the structures of cDNAs contained within said library by the shotgun method. The novel gene shows brain-specific expression and the protein encoded by said gene has a typical PDZ protein binding motif.

Abstract: An objective of this invention is to provide a method for detecting DNA polymorphism that has high sensitivity and efficiency and does not need long DNA searching region. A homologous recombination protein RecA makes partial triple strand DNA from target double DNA and oligonucleotide probe complementary to the DNA. The triple strand DNA maintains stable triple strand DNA after RecA protein is removed. The present inventors found that the thermostability of triple strand DNA changes greatly when there is a mismatch between target DNA and oligonucleotide probe because of the existence of polymorphism in the target DNA. Utilizing this change of thermostability, efficient detection of polymorphism in labeled DNA is possible by examining whether oligonucleotide probe is released and the triple strand DNA is solved after heat treatment of triple strand DNA formed using homologous recombination protein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of constructing a circular DNA library having an increased content of a desired nucleic acid by removing a specific DNA from the circular DNA library by using a RecA protein. More specifically, the present invention provides a method of constructing a DNA library having an increased content of the first dsDNA by removing a second dsDNA different from the first dsDNA from a DNA library containing the first dsDNA to be increased in content and the second dsDNA.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel protein isolated from the leukocyte of IgA nephropathy patients, and DNA encoding the protein. It also relates to an oligonucleotide based on the nucleotide sequence complementary with the DNA, an antibody which specifically reacts with the protein and, furthermore, diagnostic and therapeutic drugs of IgA nephropathy comprising it.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for increasing glutamate content of plants and/or seeds by deleting or reducing GGT activity, and also plants and/or seeds having deleted or reduced GGT activity, particularly having a glutamate content higher than that of corresponding wild type plants cultivated under the same conditions.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel metalloprotease having an aggrecanase activity which causes joint diseases, a gene coding for this metalloprotease, a promoter of the above metalloprotease, a method for screening a drug with the use of the above metalloprotease and a pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting degradation of proteoglycans, which comprises as the active ingredient a substance capable of inhibiting the aggrecanase activity of the above metalloprotease.

Abstract: Novel DNAs containing the regions which encodes proteins have been directly cloned from cDNA libraries derived from the human adult whole brain and the human embryonic whole brain, the nucleotide sequences thereof have been determined, and their functions have been identified.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel metalloprotease having an aggrecanase activity which causes joint diseases, a gene coding for this metalloprotease, a promoter of the above metalloprotease, a method for screening a drug with the use of the above metalloprotease and a pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting degradation of proteoglycans, which comprises as the active ingredient a substance capable of inhibiting the aggrecanase activity of the above metalloprotease.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of constructing a DNA library having increased proportion of a desired nucleic acid(s) therein by removing a nucleic acid(s) other than the desired nucleic acid(s) from a parent library.