Abstract: The present invention provides a complementary DNA for a rice chitinase having a lytic activity against moulds and a bacteria, a complementary DNA for a rice chitinase encoding a protein comprising an amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID NO: 1 in SEQUENCE LISTING, a plasmid vector containing said complementary DNA and a transformant having said plasmid vector. The present invention enables realization of a possibility of developing a recombinant crop plant having an acquired resistance against a wide range of pathogenic microorganisms by identifying a complementary DNA encoding a novel chitinase capable of lysing cell walls of both of moulds and bacteria and introducing the sequence thereof into a plant.

Abstract: Disclosed are a cDNA encoding a plant-derived, asparagine residue-specific endoprotease having an amino sequence described in SEQ ID NO: 1 in the sequence list and a gene encoding a plant-derived, asparagine residue-specific endoprotease having an amino sequence described in SEQ ID NO: 2 in the sequence listing. The enzymes enable production of asparagine residue-specific endoprotease in large amounts.

Abstract: A modified enzyme having a reduced maltopentaose decomposing activity and improvements in practical usability was provided by a gene coding for .alpha.-amylase highly producing maltopentaose, the .alpha.-amylase comprising an amino acid sequence where an amino acid residue at 57- or 139-position has been substituted in the amino acid sequence of maltopentaose-forming amylase derived from Pseudomonas sp. KO-8940 (Shida, O. et al., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem. Vol. 56, 76-80 (1992)).

Abstract: Apparatus for continuously pasteurizing liquid by continuously flowing the liquid within a high electric field, comprises a body of electrical insulator material forming a wall, opening portions formed in the wall body as passages for the liquid therethrough, at least a pair of electrode wires laid across the opening portions, and a mechanism for applying an alternating current voltage across the pair of electrode wires. Joints and pipes may be connected to the wall body and together with the opening portions define a fluid passage through which the liquid continuously flows for being pasteurized. A method of continuous liquid pasteurization using the apparatus involves applying an alternating current voltage between the pair of electrode wires under the conditions of 2000.ltoreq.H/d.ltoreq.200 where d (mm) is the distance between the wires and H (volt) is the voltage applied thereacross, and such that the liquid is heated.

Abstract: A chitin deacetylase gene encoding a protein, a plasmid vector containing said gene and a transformant transformed with the plasmid vector. An object of the present invention is to make contribution to the industrial production of said enzyme, by cloning the gene of said enzyme to elucidate the structure of the gene and express the gene.

Abstract: A continuous liquid pasteurizing apparatus and method for effectively pasteurizing microbes or bacteria having heat-resistance and/or pressure-resistance, such as sporangium, with low temperature or by maintaining a high temperature for a short time, wherein an electricity conducting unit (9) for pasteurizing the liquid is provided within a pressurized container (1), and an upper end portion of the electricity conducting unit(9)is connected to a supply opening (3)for liquid, while a lower end portion thereof is connected to a reservoir portion(10)which is cooled by a cooling mechanism involving heat exchange with cooling water(7). The thus-pasteurized liquid is reserved in a reservoir portion (10)and is taken out from an outlet opening(4)through a conduit (11)outside the container(1).

Abstract: The present invention relates to polynucleotides encoding particular N-acetylmuramidases, which are cell wall lytic enzymes, of Streptomyces rutgersensis origin. The invention also relates to vectors comprising the polynucleotides encoding the N-acetylmuramidases, and also relates to host cells transformed with the vectors.

Abstract: A sodium chloride substitute containing alkali metal gluconates utilizable for bread and other baked goods; doughs of bread and other baked goods prepared by using the gluconate alone or together with sodium chloride; and bread and other baked goods produced from the doughs.

Abstract: Disclosed is p-nitrophenyl 2-acetylamino-4-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-.beta.-D-glucopyranosyl)-2-deoxy-.beta. -D-glucopyranoside of formula (1) and its acid-addition salts. ##STR1## The compound of formula (1) is produced by reacting a p-nitrophenyl derivative of chitin dimer with a microorganism-derived deacetylase. The compound and its salts do not act on exo-type chitinases, and are specific to only endo-type ones.

Abstract: Di-N-acetyl-D-chitobiose, which is easily available as a chitin decomposate or a chemical reagent, is reacted with a microorganisms-derived deacetylase to produce 2-acetylamino-4-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-.beta.-D-glucopyranosyl)-2-deoxy-D-gluc ose of formula (1). ##STR1## The method is quantitative and efficiently produces the compound (1). The compound (1) and its salts are usable as substrates for measuring enzymatic activities, and also as starting substances in the production of various food materials and in the field of glyco-chain engineering.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to isolate complementary DNA coding for ornithine carbamyltransferase derived from a rice plant, necessary for development of a plant ornithine carbamyltransferase gene mutated to have phaseolotoxin resistance, and further to establish an expression system in microorganisms for simply evaluating the functions of the gene mutated to have resistance. This object is solved by a rice ornithine carbamyltransferase gene coding for a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO:6 in the Sequence Listing, a plasmid vector containing the gene, and a transformant carrying the plasmid vector.

Abstract: A process is provided which comprises isomerizing a compound having a ketose structure by the use of or in the presence of an organogermanium compound having a structural portion represented by formula (I): ##STR1## Due to the use or presence of the organogermanium compound, the process is free from the problems of the prior art, and is capable of isomerizing a compound having an aldose structure into a compound having a ketose structure at a high isomerization ratio without requiring any special apparatus or any complicated operation.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cellobiose phosphorylase gene coding for a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16 as set forth in the Sequence Listing, a plasmid vector comprising the cellobiose phosphorylase gene and a transformant transformed with the plasmid vector.

Abstract: A method is provided for preparing an asparaginyl endoproteinase from the seeds of soybean, ginkgo and rice which have been collected between an early growing stage and ripening. The method comprises the steps of dialyzing an extract of the seeds against an acidic buffer of pH 4.0 to 6.0, ammonium sulfate precipitation, hydrophobic chromatography and gel filtration. The resulting asparaginyl endoproteinase cleaves glycinin between the C-terminal amino acid residue of the acidic subunit region, Asn, and the N-terminal amino acid residue of the basic subunit region, Gly or Asn.

Abstract: A process is provided which comprises isomerizing a compound having a ketose structure by the use of or in the presence of an organogermanium compound having a structural portion represented by formula (I): ##STR1## Due to the use or presence of the organogermanium compound, the process is free from the problems of the prior art, and is capable of isomerizing a compound having an aldose structure into a compound having a ketose structure at a high isomerization ratio without requiring any special apparatus or any complicated operation.

Abstract: A gummy starch is prepared by conmbining a starch with a saccharide and subsequently heating up the mixture. The gummy starch consists essentially of a water insoluble part with a chewable property and good dispersibility in oils and fats. A process for preparation of a gummy starch comprises the steps of combining a starch with a saccharide and heating up the mixture at such a temperature for such a time as to cause the saccharide to be caramelized to pick up water insoluble part. A chewable food raw material consists essentially of a gummy starch prepared by combining a starch with a saccharide and subsequently heating up the mixture. An oil and fat dispersant consists essentially of a gummy starch prepared by combining a starch with a saccharide and subsequently heating up the mixture.

Abstract: An N-acylamino acid compound represented by the general formula (1):R--CO--(NH--X--CO).sub.n --OR.sup.1 (1)wherein (NH--X--CO) is an amino acid residue, X in (NX--X--CO) is variable with the kind of amino acid to be used, R--CO is a saturated or an unsaturated fatty acid residue having 6 to 24 carbon atoms, R.sup.1 is hydrogen atom, sodium atom, potassium atom, or methyl group and n is an integer in the range of from 1 to 3, indicating that at least one histidine is contained as a component amino acid is disclosed, which is obtained by causing an N-hydroxysuccinimide ester to react with an amino acid or a peptide.The compound excels in antioxidizing power, emulsifying power, antibacterial power, chelating power, infrared absorbing power, and humidity-retaining power.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing modified starch granules having low viscosity and being capable of absorbing hydrophobic substances. The modified starch granules are prepared by contacting raw starch granules with an .alpha.-amylase and/or glucoamylase the modified starch granules are prepared at 10.degree. to 65.degree. C. to a decomposition percentage of 0.1 to 15%, preferably 0.1 to 1.0%. When cereal starch granules are lightly decomposed with .alpha.-amylase, the viscosity of the granules decreases to such a degree that they are only slightly viscous. The decomposed starch granules may be used in preparing instant liquid foods. By appropriately blending the decomposed starch granules and other non-treated starch granules or other decomposed starch granules, blends of different starch granules having various viscosities can be obtained. The paste or liquid prepared from the enzyme-treated starch granules is smooth and soft to the touch and are useful as base materials for producing various foods.

Abstract: A double-screw press for separating a liquid from a two-phase solid-liquid material includes a hollow barrel and two screws disposed in the barrel. The barrel comprises a plurality of detachable barrel plates and a plurality of spacers disposed between the barrel plates and cooperating with the barrel plates in defining slits. The screws are arranged side by side with a gap defined therebetween, and are rotated by a motor to move a material, which has been charged into the barrel, efficiently from an upstream end to a downstream end of the barrel. The barrel plates and the screws have respective passages connected to cooling water sources, which supply cooling water to keep the temperature in the screws and the barrel at a desired level. The charged material is crushed and mixed in the gap between the screws, and oil is expressed from the material when it is compressed in the barrel. The expressed oil is discharged through the slits and collected in a container.

Abstract: A method of nondestructively measuring the sugar content of fruit comprising irradiating the fruit with near infrared radiation such that the radiation penetrates the fruit; measuring the absorbance at a given wavelength with a wavelength selector that is placed in the optical path of the near infrared radiation; normalizing the obtained absorbance, taking account of the size of the fruit; and finding an index of the sweetness of the fruit from the normalized measured absorbance. Thus, the sugar content of fruits, especially of fruits having thick skins, can be measured nondestructively with practically acceptable accuracy.