Abstract: There is provided a substance which was isolated from the germinated seed of a grass family plant and which contains proteins and insoluble dietary fibers. There are also provided a pharmaceutical composition comprising as an active ingredient said substance which was isolated from the germinated seed of a grass family plant and which contains proteins and insoluble dietary fibers, and a food composition comprising said substance which was isolated from the germinated seed of a grass family plant and which contains proteins and insoluble dietary fibers, as well as uses of said substance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a DNA comprising the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1, or a DNA for enhancing promoter activity which comprises a nucleotide sequence having deletions, substitutions, additions or insertions of one or more nucleotides in the nucleotide sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:1; to a mutant promoter comprising one or more fragments of the DNA; to a recombinant expression vector comprising the mutant promoter together with a heterologous gene; to a transformant prepared by transforming a host cell with the vector; to a process for preparing an expression product, comprising culturing the transformant in a medium, and recovering the expression product of a heterologous gene from the obtained culture; and to a method for enhancing a promoter activity, characterized in that one or more fragments of the above-defined DNA are located at at least one position preceding, following or within a selective promoter in a forward or reverse direction.

Abstract: A glucan elicitor receptor having an amino acid sequence as substantially shown in SEQ ID NO:1; DNA molecules containing nucleotide sequences coding for a glucan elicitor receptor having an amino acid sequence as substantially shown in SEQ ID NO:1, or fragments thereof; DNA molecules containing nucleotide sequences coding for a glucan elicitor receptor, which are incorporated in plasmid pER23-1, or fragments thereof; vectors containing the DNA molecules or fragments thereof; plant cells transformed with the DNA molecules or fragments thereof; a method for creating a plant having resistance to pathogenic fungi comprising incorporating the DNA sequence coding for a glucan elicitor receptor, or fragment thereof into a chromosome of a plant and expressing the gene in the plant; a plant having resistance to pathogenic fungi, the plant having the DNA molecule containing a nucleotide sequence coding for a glucan elicitor receptor, or its fragment transferred thereinto and expressing the gene; and methods for using t

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a gene of a protein having an enzyme activity which makes it possible to regulate or control the content of saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids in plant cells, and an enzyme protein as the expression product. There is disclosed a protein with a KASII enzyme activity which has a specific amino acid sequence, typically the amino acid sequence of a &bgr;-ketoacyl-ACP synthetase II (KASII) enzyme protein derived from cyanobacterium (Anacystis nidulans) or substantially the same amino acid sequence as the one described above. There is also disclosed a KASII enzyme protein gene coding for the amino acid sequence of the above described protein. Furthermore, there are disclosed a recombinant vector which comprises said gene, and a cell into which said gene has been introduced.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a 4-quinolone derivative, comprising allowing an o-aminoacetophenone derivative to react with a formic acid in an aprotic solvent in the presence of a suitable base, and adding a protic solvent to the reaction mixture. This is a simple process for producing 4-quinolone derivatives, applicable to large-scale commercial production.

Abstract: DNA strands having the ability to biotechnologically produce glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (ATase) useful for converting the property of the PG of membrane lipids into that of more chilling resistance, specifically a chimeric gene of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase (ATase) cDNA derived from squash in which the about one-third central region (the site cleaved by Kpn I and Hind III) has been replaced with the corresponding region of spinach ATase cDNA, a cDNA derived from squash in which the about one-sixth central region (the site cleaved by Hind III and Sac I) has been replaced with the corresponding region of spinach ATase cDNA, or a chimeric gene of ATase cDNA derived from spinach in which the about one-third 3'-terminal region (the site cleaved by Kpn I and Eco RI) has been replaced with the corresponding region of squash ATase cDNA are disclosed.These chimeric genes can express a chimeric ATase which has a higher substrate selectivity to unsaturated fatty acids.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following DNA strands relating to the synthesis of keto group-containing xanthophylls such as astaxanthin and the like, and the techniques relating to the production of xanthophylls by genetic engineering:A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for converting a methylene group at the 4-position of a .beta.-ionone ring into a keto group.A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for converting a methylene group at the 4-position of a 3-hydroxy-.beta.-ionone ring into a keto group.A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for adding a hydroxyl group to the 3-carbon of a 4-keto-.beta.-ionone ring.It is possible to produce a variety of xanthophylls such as canthaxanthin, astaxanthin and the like by introducing the DNA strands into an appropriate microorganism such as Escherichia coli and the like.

Abstract: The present invention relates to novel quinoline derivatives and quinazoline derivatives represented by the following formula (I): ##STR1## [wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are each independently H or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl, or R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 together form C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 -alkylene, X is O, S or CH.sub.2, W is CH or N, and Q is a substituted aryl group or substituted heteroaryl group] and their pharmaceutically acceptable salts, having platelet-derived growth factor receptor autophosphorylation inhibitory activity, to pharmaceutical compositions containing these compounds, and to methods for the treatment of diseases associated with abnormal cell growth such as tumors.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide an activated Rho protein target protein derived from a human and a gene coding for the same. The present invention provides a protein derived from a human and a derivative thereof which has the following characteristics: (1) having activated Rho protein binding activity, (2) having profilin binding activity, (3) the gene coding for the protein being located at q31.2 of chromosome 5, and (4) having a molecular weight of about 150 kDa as measured by SDS-PAGE. Respiratory tract hypersensitivity, bronchial asthma, acute myelocytic leukemia (AML) and myelodysplasia syndrome (MDS) can be diagnosed using the nucleotide sequence coding for this protein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the treatment of thrombocytopenia wherein an effective amount of a compound represented by the formula (A) is administered to a patient: wherein R.sub.2 represents H or OH, X is an integer of 0-26 or R represents --(CH.sub.2).sub.7 CH.dbd.CH(CH.sub.2).sub.7 CH.sub.3, and R.sub.1 is a substituent defined by the following (a) to (d):(a) --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.y CH.sub.3,(b) --CH(OH)(CH.sub.2).sub.y CH.sub.3,(c) --CH(OH)(CH.sub.2).sub.y CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2, or(d) --CH.dbd.(CH)(CH.sub.2).sub.y CH.sub.3wherein Y is an integer of 5-17.

Abstract: DLC film formed on at least one surface of a plastic film, and this DLC film has a composition comprising 75 to 55 mol% of carbon and 25 to 45 mol% of hydrogen. And this DLC film is formed by a plasma deposition process while the plastic film is loaded with a tensile force in a biaxial direction.

Abstract: Genes encoding proteins having an activity of desaturating lipid-bound fatty acids at the .DELTA.9 position; vectors which contain the genes or polynucleotides containing part of thereof; plant cells transformed with the genes or polynucleotides containing part of thereof; a method for creating plants by regenerating the plant cells to reproduce mature plants; and plants transformed with the genes or polynucleotides containing part of thereof.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a target protein for the activated Rho protein. The present invention is a protein having the activated Rho protein binding activity and protein kinase activity, or derivatives thereof. The molecular weight of the protein is about 160 kDa as measured by SDS-PAGE. The protein kinase activity of the protein is enhanced when it binds to the activated Rho protein.

Abstract: A promoter for a formate dehydrogenase gene from Candida boidinii, substantially comprising a 190 bp or more continuous nucleotide sequence selected from the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1; a promoter for a formate dehydrogenase gene from Candida boidinii, substantially comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, 48, 49 or 50; a terminator for a formate dehydrogenase gene from Candida boidinii, substantially comprising the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:2; a gene expression cassette comprising said promoter, a heterologous gene and said terminator; a recombinant expression vector comprising said gene expression cassette; a transformant transformed with said recombinant expression vector; a process for producing an expression product of a heterologous gene, which comprises culturing said transformant and recovering an expression product of a heterologous gene from the culture.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a thickness or deteriorating situation of a coating layer formed on a surface of a container, which includes an inspecting light irradiating unit to irradiate an inspecting light to a container with a coating layer formed thereon, an image pickup unit to receive a reflected light or a transmission light of the inspecting light irradiated by the inspecting light irradiating unit and reflected from the container or passing through the container, and to convert the reflected light or the transmission light into an image pickup signal and to output same, and an determining unit to determine a thickness or a deteriorating situation of the coating layer formed on the container by inputting the image pickup signal outputted from the image pickup unit and comparing an image pickup data indicated by the image pickup signal with a prememorized standard data.

Abstract: Disclosed are the following DNA strands relating to the synthesis of keto group-containing xanthophylls such as astaxanthin and the like, and the techniques relating to the production of xanthophylls by genetic engineering:A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptides having and enzyme activity for converting a methylene group at the 4-position of a .beta.-ionone ring into a keto group.A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for converting a methylene group at the 4-position of a 3-hydroxy-.beta.-ionone ring into a keto group.A DNA strand having a nucleotide sequence which encodes a polypeptide having an enzyme activity for adding a hydroxyl group to the 3-carbon of a 4-keto-.beta.-ionone ring.It is possible to produce a variety of xanthophylls such as canthaxanthin, astaxanthin and the like by introducing the DNA strands into an appropriate microorganism such as Escherichia coli and the like.

Abstract: Polypeptides, polynucleotides, fragments thereof, and monoclonal antibodies thereto are provided for antigen-specific and antigen-non-specific glycosylation inhibiting factor and a method for recombinant production of biologically active polypeptides from a structural gene encoding the polypeptide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the novel .alpha.-galactosylceramide represented by the formula (A): ##STR1## wherein R represents ##STR2## where R.sub.2 represents H or OH and X denotes an integer of 0-26, or R represents --(CH.sub.2).sub.7 CH.dbd.CH(CH.sub.2).sub.7 CH.sub.3 and R.sub.1 represents any one of the substituents defined by the following (a)-(e):(a) --CH.sub.2 (CH.sub.2).sub.Y CH.sub.3,(b) --CH(OH)(CH.sub.2).sub.Y CH.sub.3,(c) --CH(OH)(CH.sub.2).sub.Y CH(CH.sub.3).sub.2,(d) --CH.dbd.CH(CH.sub.2).sub.Y CH.sub.3, and(e) --CH(OH)(CH.sub.2).sub.Y CH(CH.sub.3)CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3,wherein Y denotes an integer of 5-17.The present invention also relates to an anti-tumor agent and an immunostimulator comprising one or more of the aforementioned compounds as effective ingredients.

Abstract: DNA sequences are described that encode genes for synthesizing ketocarotenoids such as astaxanthin. The DNA sequences, microorganisms containing them and encoded polypeptides are described. Also described are methods to obtain related sequences and to make host cells that contain such sequences. These genes and methods are useful to impart red coloration during culture of fish and crustaceans, as coloring in food, and as antioxidants.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a target protein for the activated Rho protein. The present invention is a protein having activated Rho protein binding activity and protein kinase activity or derivatives thereof. The molecular weight of the protein derived from bovine is about 164 kDa as measured by SDS-PAGE. The protein kinase activity of this protein is enhanced when it binds to the activated Rho protein.