Abstract: Provided is DNA of biosynthetic enzyme of glycoalkaloid of solanaceous plant (Solanaceae) such as potato. Provided are a protein having activity on a biosynthetic enzyme of glycoalkaloid of solanaceous plant such as potato, and a method of creating and assaying a novel organism using a gene encoding the protein.

Abstract: The present invention provides dendritic cells (DCs) having reduced inflammatory activity, a method for producing DCs capable of inducing regulatory T cells and regulatory T cells, and substances useful for such a method, wherein the DCs and regulatory T cells are useful for prevention and treatment of immune diseases. The present invention relates to a cereal plant-derived material fermented with a koji microorganism, which is obtained by fermentation thereof with a koji microorganism, or a processed product thereof. Preferably, the fermented product or a processed product thereof comprises 14-dehydroergosterol. According to the present invention, regulatory DCs and regulatory T cells can be induced and the proliferation of inflammatory T cells can be suppressed using plant-derived materials.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for inducing a single somatic embryo, which comprises physically dividing a plant somatic embryo mass, and to a method for mass-propagation of a plant comprising inducing a large number of single somatic embryos from a somatic embryo mass according to the above method and germinating the somatic embryos.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there are provided a food and a food additive obtained using an alkaline decomposition product of a hop extract, and an agent for suppressing fat accumulation or for suppressing weight gain comprising the same as an active ingredient.

Abstract: Provided are the DNA of a glycoalkaloid biosynthetic enzyme of solanaceous plants (Solanaceae) such as potato, solanaceous plants producing no glycoalkaloids, and a method of producing a cultivar with a reduced risk of accumulating glycoalkaloids, which involves crossing plants in which the expression of an oxidase gene involved in glycoalkaloid biosynthesis is suppressed or the activity of the enzyme is lowered, as mother plants, and screening progeny resulting from the crossing.

Abstract: This invention provides a plant belonging to the family Solanaceae that does not produce cholesterols, including glycoalkaloids. This invention concerns a protein having activity of an enzyme that reduces position 24 of the steroid skeleton of a plant belonging to the family Solanaceae, a novel plant in which a gene encoding such protein is suppressed, and a method for producing and testing such plant.

Abstract: There is provided a method for introducing a temperature-sensitive probe comprising a copolymer, which comprises a thermoresponsive unit and a fluorescent unit, into a cell, and the method using the copolymer further comprising a cationic unit as the temperature-sensitive probe, and the method comprising the step of mixing the copolymer with the cell in a solvent. The copolymer can be preferably used as a fluorescence temperature sensor which measures intracellular temperature since the copolymer has a cationic group and thus enters into a cell without using a special method.

Abstract: This invention provides an IFN inducer comprising, as an active ingredient, lactic acid bacteria and capable of inducing IFN production, an immunopotentiating agent or prophylactic agent against virus infection comprising such inducer, and a food or drink product comprising such IFN inducer and having IFN-inducing activity, immunopotentiating activity, or prophylactic activity against virus infection. The agent for inducing IFN production comprises, as active ingredients, lactic acid bacteria that can activate plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and promote IFN production, such as Lactococcus garvieae NBRC100934, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris JCM16167, Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris NBRC100676, Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae JCM1180, Lactococcus lactis subsp. hordniae JCM11040, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NBRC12007, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis NRIC1150, Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis JCM5805, Lactococcus lactis subsp.

Abstract: This invention relates to: a method for controlling the sexuality of hop, comprising applying a chemical to a hop female plant once or more and forming a fertile male flower capable of forming pollen on the female plant, wherein the chemical reduces a reaction with endogenous ethylene in the female plant; an embryo or seed, hop plant, and cone, capable of being obtained through the method; a method of screening for a hop plant; and a method of producing a hop plant variety.

Abstract: Disclosed is the provision of a DNA for a glycoalkaloid biosynthetic enzyme in a plant belonging to the family Solanaceae such as potatoes. Also disclosed is a protein having the enzymatic activity of a glycoalkaloid biosynthetic enzyme of a plant belonging to the family Solanaceae such as potatoes and a method for producing and examining a novel organism using a gene encoding this protein.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an ornithine-containing alcohol-free malt beverage which is provided with health functions of ornithine imparted to an alcoholic beverage-flavored alcohol-free malt beverage containing substantially no alcohol component and which retains an excellent flavor of the alcohol-free malt beverage, and to provide a method for producing the same. The ornithine-containing alcohol-free malt beverage of the present invention is produced using ornithine hydrochloride and ornithine aspartate in combination as ornithine raw materials. For this production, 20% or more by weight of ornithine hydrochloride in terms of ornithine is used with respect to the total weight of ornithine hydrochloride and ornithine aspartate in terms of ornithine. The ornithine-containing alcohol-free malt beverage thus produced is provided with health functions of ornithine and retains an excellent flavor of an alcohol-free malt beverage. In this way, the object can be attained.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there are provided a food and a food additive obtained using an alkaline decomposition product of a hop extract, and an agent for suppressing fat accumulation or for suppressing weight gain comprising the same as an active ingredient.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide DNA of a glycoalkaloid biosynthetic enzyme of a solanaceous plant (Solanaceae) such as a potato. The present invention relates to a protein having glycoalkaloid biosynthetic enzyme activity of a solanaceous plant such as a potato and a method for producing/detecting a novel organism using a gene encoding the protein.

Abstract: This invention provides a product safe for treating, improving or preventing an inflammatory bowel disease such as ulcerative colitis, and provides a product comprising an insoluble dietary fiber obtained by enzymatic treatment of seeds of a grain plant(s) or germinated young seeds thereof, as well as a food or drink or medicament comprising the product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a bitterness suppressant derived from a juice of a stone fruit, and more specifically to a bitterness suppressant characterized by being derived from a juice of a stone fruit wherein a low molecular weight saccharide has been removed.

Abstract: This invention provides DNAs of a prenyltransferase derived from a hop (Humulus) plant. The invention also provides protein having the prenyltransferase activity of a hop plant and a method for producing and detecting a novel organism using a gene encoding such protein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for inducing a single somatic embryo, which comprises physically dividing a plant somatic embryo mass, and to a method for mass-propagation of a plant comprising inducing a large number of single somatic embryos from a somatic embryo mass according to the above method and germinating the somatic embryos.

Abstract: The present invention provides an irritable bowel syndrome-inhibiting substance containing insoluble dietary fiber, which is obtained by enzymatically treating the seeds of a grain plant or young germinated seeds thereof, and a food or drink or a medicament that contains the substance and has effects of inhibiting irritable bowel syndrome.

Abstract: To provide a microorganism or a plant transformed with a ?-ionone ring-4-ketolase gene and/or ?-ionone ring-3-hydroxylase gene derived from Brevundimonas sp. strain SD-212. The ?-ionone ring-4-ketolase gene and ?-ionone ring-3-hydroxylase gene produced by Brevundimonas sp. strain SD-212 each have a high activity compared with those of known enzymes, and therefore microorganisms transformed with the genes encoding these enzymes can efficiently produce astaxanthin.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to find substances that can be used as skin aging markers, and the present invention provides a method for determining the degree of skin aging, including measurement of expression of secretory proteins and/or intracellular proteins and/or their genes in skin cells and/or skin tissues, wherein the secretory proteins and/or intracellular proteins change their expression with aging of skin. The present invention also provides a kit for determining the degree of skin aging and a method for identifying substances effective in the prevention of skin aging.