Abstract: A highly homogeneous library can be obtained by cleaving a genomic DNA by a sequence-independent cleavage method, such as sonication. By selecting satellite sequences from such a library, efficiency of isolation is improved. Thus, an efficient method of isolating microsatellite sequences, which are useful as DNA markers, is provided.

Abstract: A method of controlling an inkjet printer containing at least two substantially closed ducts in which ink is present, which includes actuating an electro-mechanical transducer whereby the pressure in a first duct is increased, and a pressure change in another duct is also generated by said actuation, whereby an electro-mechanical transducer is deformed as a result of the pressure change, said electrical transducer generating an electrical signal, and measuring the electric signal.

Abstract: Wheat starch of the present invention is obtained from endosperm of a seed of wheat which is modified to lack starch granule protein-1 (SGP-1). The wheat starch has an apparent amylose content of about 35% or more. Wheat flour of the present invention is obtained from endosperm of a seed of wheat which is modified to lack SGP-1. Wheat of the present invention is modified to lack SGP-1. The wheat flour and the wheat comprise wheat starch which has an apparent amylose content of about 35% or more.

Abstract: Wheat starch of the present invention is obtained from endosperm of a seed of wheat which is modified to lack starch granule protein-1 (SGP-1). The wheat starch has an apparent amylose content of about 35% or more. Wheat flour of the present invention is obtained from endosperm of a seed of wheat which is modified to lack SGP-1. Wheat of the present invention is modified to lack SGP-1. The wheat flour and the wheat comprise wheat starch which has an apparent amylose content of about 35% or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gene Any-RF derived from an insect, having dormancy-control activity and biological cell-control function; a dormancy-control substance and a method for preparing the same; as well as a biological cell-control agent, which comprises, as an effective component, a physiologically active substance having a biological cell-control function and which never causes any antigen-antibody reaction in the living body. The gene encodes for a protein having an amino acid sequence specified as Sequence No. 1 in SEQUENCE LISTING: Asp-Ile-Leu-Arg-Gly, whose C-terminal is amidated and having a molecular weight of 570.959. The physiologically active substance comprising such a gene is a peptide, which can be isolated and purified by adding an acid-methanol aqueous solution to Antheraea yamamai, triturating the resulting mixture, centrifuging the same and then treating the resulting supernatant in an HPLC system.

Abstract: The present inventors successfully cloned the rice Na+/H+ antiporter gene. It is possible to produce salt tolerant plants by using the isolated gene, or genes with equivalent functions.

Abstract: Genes whose expression was induced in the early stages of elicitor treatment were investigated using a DNA microchip containing 1265 varieties of rice ESTs. A chitin oligomer (N-acetylchitooligosaccharide), an important component in the cell wall of rice blast fungus, was used as the elicitor. This resulted in the identification of six varieties of novel elicitor-responsive ESTs. Of these, the product of two genes (named CIGR1 gene and CIGR2 gene) possessed a motif characteristic of the GRAS family, which are thought to be transcription factors. Thus it was indicated for the first time that, in addition to gibberellin signal transduction regulatory factors, the GRAS family is also present in rice.

Abstract: A C3 plant has a gene for an enzyme involved in a C4 pathway of photosynthesis and expresses the C4 photosynthesis gene at a high level. More specifically, the C3 plant includes DNA which contains (a) an expression control region of a gene for an enzyme involved in a photosynthetic pathway of a phylogenetically related C4 plant and (b) a structural gene for an enzyme involved in a photosynthetic pathway of the C4 plant. The C3 plant expresses the enzyme encoded by the structural gene at a high level.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to elucidate a biologically active function of a component constituting undegraded sericin and to provide a novel medical material, cosmetic material, etc. utilizing the functional composition. Disclosed is a cell growth promoter obtainable by elution from a fiber discharged by a domestic silkworm, e.g., cocoon filaments or the like, wherein the cell growth promoter comprises sericin having a molecular weight of about 400,000 as measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) as a main component. This cell growth promoting agent (substance) is extremely useful because growth of cells is promoted when it is used in a wound dressing material, a vascular endothelium forming material and an organ forming material for medical use, in a cell culture base material for biological use, or in a cosmetic material for skin care use.

Abstract: A C3 plant has a gene for an enzyme involved in a C4 pathway of photosynthesis and expresses the C4 photosynthesis gene at a high level. More specifically, the C3 plant includes DNA which contains (a) an expression control region of a gene for an enzyme involved in a photosynthetic pathway of a phylogenetically related C4 plant and (b) a structural gene for an enzyme involved in a photosynthetic pathway of the C4 plant. The C3 plant expresses the enzyme encoded by the structural gene at a high level.

Abstract: A method of sorting undifferentiated cells is provided. Subpopulations of cells contained in a single line of ES cells can be sorted using cell-surface markers. The sorted undifferentiated cells have ability to produce chimera with high contribution and germ line transmission efficiently. These undifferentiated cells can be used as a valuable vehicle for the production of transgenic animals and also knockout animals.

Abstract: A tissue of a multicellular organism is gradually dried during cultivation. After the tissue has been completely dehydrated, water is added to the tissue for its recovery. The tissue of the multicellular organism is submerged in an insect body fluid medium treated with heat, and dried for 48 hours or more.

Abstract: The invention provides an in vitro culture medium for in vitro-produced porcine embryo for the in vitro culture thereof, which can improve the quality of the resulting blastocyst and can raise the ratio of the development into fetus and infant after transfer, along with a method for in vitro culturing in vitro-produced porcine embryo using the culture medium, which can improve the quality of the resulting blastocyst and can develop the blastocyst into fetus and infant after transfer.

Abstract: A naringenin derivative of the general formula I: where R1 and R2 each represents either a hydrogen atom or &bgr;-D-glucosyl group, and but both R1 and R2 are not identical.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a method of conferring resistance to pathogenic fungi on a plant by transformation with a nucleic acid encoding Sarcotoxin 1a operatively linked to a signal peptide, and optionally linked via the hinge region of tobacco chitinase to a plant peptide, and plants thereby obtained.

Abstract: The invention provides a cosmetic material containing a crystalline superfine silk powder that has the original structure of silk yarn, properties such as an unique gloss, feeling of touch, flexibility, and elasticity; and various properties such as excellent coating power, spreadability, adhesion, feeling of touch, and formability, which are required of an extender powder or color material of cosmetics. The cosmetic material contains a colored crystalline superfine silk powder obtained by the steps of bringing a silk substance into contact with an alkali aqueous solution at temperatures ranging from 100° C. to 150° C. under a pressure ranging from 1 through 5 atmospheric pressures to weaken the silk substance to not greater than 0.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide DNAs encoding novel plant proteins having a gibberellin (GA) 2-oxidation activity. Another objective is to modify plant height by utilizing these DNAs for regulating the gibberellin content.

Abstract: A biodegradable biopolymer material consists of silk fibroin from domesticated silkworm; silk fibroin from wild silkworm; a composite material comprising silk fibroin from domesticated silkworm and silk fibroin from wild silkworm; or a composite material comprising either silk fibroin from domesticated silkworm or silk fibroin from wild silkworm and at least one secondary substance selected from the group consisting of cellulose, chitin, chitosan, chitosan derivatives, keratin from wool and polyvinyl alcohol. The material may be prepared by, for instance, casting an aqueous solution of domesticated silkworm silk fibroin on the surface of a substrate and then cast drying the applied solution. The biodegradable biopolymer material is effectively used as, for instance, a metal ion-adsorbing material, a sustained release substrate for a useful substance such as a medicine, a biological cell-growth substrate and a biodegradable water-absorbing material.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to isolate and identify a gene encoding the polypeptide that interacts with calreticulin (CRT), and to provide the gene and the use thereof. Specifically, an objective of the present invention is to provide the CRTintP gene, the transformed plants comprising the CRTintP gene, and a method of producing these transformed plants. The present inventors successfully detected a group of CRT-interacting genes using the yeast two-hybrid method. As a result, the present inventors detected the polynucleotide encoding the CRT-interacting polypeptide (named as CRTintP). Furthermore, the present inventors isolated the full-length cDNA encoding the CRTintP and revealed that the gene encoding the cDNA was novel. It was found that the expression of the CRT and CRTintP genes was significantly increased following application of cold stress in rice leaves.

Abstract: There is provided a polynucleotide encoding a plant gene capable of controlling a signal transduction system for brassinosteroid hormone, the polynucleotide encoding an amino acid sequence from Met at position 1 to Arg at position 1057 of SEQ ID NO: 2 in the SEQUENCE LISTING, including any polynucleotide encoding an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted or added to the amino acid sequence.