Abstract: Provided herein is a culturing method for bacteria of the genus Rhizobium whereby a low viscosity can be maintained in a culture solution during the culturing of and at the end of culturing of said bacteria, and that enables easy and efficient post-procedures, including concentration and separation of viable bacteria, among others. This is achieved by growing Rhizobium bacteria by liquid culture using a medium containing a disaccharide (for example, maltose, trehalose, lactose, sucrose) accounting for at least 25 mass % of the carbon source in the medium while maintaining a pH of 5.0 to 7.0 in the culture solution throughout the course of the culture, namely from the beginning of the culturing to the end of the culturing of said bacteria.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for producing a lyophilized composition of viable cells of Rhizobium bacteria having high viable cell viability, and a lyophilized composition of viable cells of Rhizobium bacteria having desirable long-storage survivability, among others. The lyophilized composition of viable cells of Rhizobium bacteria having high viable cell viability and desirable long-storage survivability can be obtained when a composition containing viable cells of Rhizobium bacteria and more than 10 mass % moisture is lyophilized to bring the moisture content to 10 mass %, and the drying is ended before the moisture content becomes less than 5 mass % so that the composition after the lyophilization contains the viable bacteria and 5 to 10 mass % of moisture.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method for producing a lyophilized composition of viable cells of Rhizobium bacteria having high viable cell viability, and a lyophilized composition of viable cells of Rhizobium bacteria having desirable long-storage survivability, among others. The lyophilized composition of viable cells of Rhizobium bacteria having high viable cell viability and desirable long-storage survivability can be obtained when a composition containing viable cells of Rhizobium bacteria and more than 10 mass % moisture is lyophilized to bring the moisture content to 10 mass %, and the drying is ended before the moisture content becomes less than 5 mass % so that the composition after the lyophilization contains the viable bacteria and 5 to 10 mass % of moisture.

Abstract: Provided herein is a culturing method for bacteria of the genus Rhizobium whereby a low viscosity can be maintained in a culture solution during the culturing of and at the end of culturing of said bacteria, and that enables easy and efficient post-procedures, including concentration and separation of viable bacteria, among others. This is achieved by growing Rhizobium bacteria by liquid culture using a medium containing a disaccharide (for example, maltose, trehalose, lactose, sucrose) accounting for at least 25 mass % of the carbon source in the medium while maintaining a pH of 5.0 to 7.0 in the culture solution throughout the course of the culture, namely from the beginning of the culturing to the end of the culturing of said bacteria.

Abstract: A plant growth regulator containing glutathione allows increasing harvest index. This provides a technique for specifying a control factor for a plant, thereby effectively controlling germination, growth, anthesis etc. of the plant.

Abstract: A biological measurement apparatus of this invention includes (i) a micro piezoelectric element for vibrating a nerve cell of a subject without coming in contact with the nerve cell, (ii) an electromagnetic wave antenna for receiving an electromagnetic wave generated by the nerve cell vibrated by the micro piezoelectric element, and (iii) a computer for measuring an electric charge of the nerve cell based on the electromagnetic wave received by the electromagnetic wave antenna. Further, this biological measurement apparatus includes an electromagnetic wave antenna for emitting an electromagnetic wave to a nerve cell. This configuration provides an apparatus capable of measuring an electrical activity of a nerve cell in a living organism in real time and three-dimensionally at a spatial resolution of a nerve cell size. Moreover, this configuration provides an apparatus capable of individually giving electrical stimulations to any desired cells in the subject.

Abstract: A shoot of a plant is cultivated under the presence of glutathione, so that the shoot is rooted. It is possible to cultivate the shoot under the presence of glutathione by use of a rooting medium including glutathione or by contacting a solution including glutathione with the shoot. Oxidized glutathione is preferably used as glutathione. By promoting rooting of the shoot of the plant, a rooting rate of the shoot of the plant is improved. This improves productivity of a clone seedling.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a technique with which the production of plant biomass can be drastically increased and salt stress resistance can be imparted to a plant is provided. A gene encoding a protein comprising a common sequence consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 3 and a common sequence consisting of the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2 in such order from the N-terminal side and having a coiled-coil structure, a nucleic acid binding site, and a leucine rich repeat structure has been introduced or an expression control region of the gene that is endogenously presented has been altered.

Abstract: The composition, in accordance with the present invention, for producing a plant body having an improved sugar content includes glutathione, a polynucleotide encoding ?-glutamylcysteine synthetase, or a polynucleotide encoding glutathione-binding plastid type fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase. The composition preferably includes oxidized glutathione. This allows provision of a composition for easily producing a plant body having an improved sugar content.

Abstract: It is found that a transformed plant into which a ?-glutamylcysteine synthetase gene has been introduced is increased in at least one of the number of flowers and the number of seeds in comparison with a wild-type plant, and is therefore increased in seed yield. Based on this finding, the present invention elucidates the function of a product of a plant-derived ?-glutamylcysteine synthetase gene and provides a technique for producing a plant having an increased seed yield.

Abstract: Disclosed is a transgenic plant improved in growth ability and disease resistance. Also disclosed is a method for production of the transgenic plant. It is found that a transgenic plant having DNA encoding a glutathione-binding plastid-type fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase introduced therein is improved in growing ability and disease resistance compared to a wild-type one.

Abstract: A paraquat resistance gene and a vascular tissue- and trichome-specific promoter are provided. The paraquat resistance gene and the vascular tissue- and trichome-specific promoter are isolated by identifying and analyzing genes of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Abstract: The composition, in accordance with the present invention, for producing a plant body having an improved sugar content includes glutathione, a polynucleotide encoding ?-glutamylcysteine synthetase, or a polynucleotide encoding glutathione-binding plastid type fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase. The composition preferably includes oxidized glutathione. This allows provision of a composition for easily producing a plant body having an improved sugar content.

Abstract: It is found that a transformed plant into which a ?-glutamylcysteine synthetase gene has been introduced is increased in at least one of the number of flowers and the number of seeds in comparison with a wild-type plant, and is therefore increased in seed yield. Based on this finding, the present invention elucidates the function of a product of a plant-derived ?-glutamylcysteine synthetase gene and provides a technique for producing a plant having an increased seed yield.

Abstract: Serum amyloid P component, oxidized LDL and ?2-glycoprotein I can together form a complex. The presence of a disease such as hyperlipemia and atherosclerosis can be determined by detecting the complex by using either one of an anti-serum amyloid P component antibody and an anti-?2-glycoprotein I antibody.

Abstract: A plant growth regulator containing glutathione allows increasing harvest index. This provides a technique for specifying a control factor for a plant, thereby effectively controlling germination, growth, anthesis etc. of the plant.

Abstract: An intermediate member for laser bonding (3) to be sandwiched, in order to bond a first member (2) and a second member (4) using a laser welding method, between the first member (2) made of a material capable of transmitting laser beams and the second member (4) made of a material which is the same as or different from that of the first member (2) before irradiation with laser beams, the intermediate member for laser bonding (3) having tackiness. This intermediate member for laser bonding (3) can be used for bonding of various materials, and thus a high bonding strength can be attained.

Abstract: A method of regulating flowering of a plant by applying an effective amount of a substance that affects the synthesis or amount of glutathione in cells to the plant and cultivating the plant under conditions suitable for growth.

Abstract: A paraquat resistance gene and a vascular tissue- and trichome-specific promoter are provided. The paraquat resistance gene and the vascular tissue- and trichome-specific promoter are isolated by identifying and analyzing genes of Arabidopsis thaliana.