Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing 3?-phosphoadenosine 5?-phosphosulfate (PAPS), the method including subjecting ATP to sulfation and phosphorylation by use of adenosine 5?-triphosphate sulfurylase (ATPS) and adenosine 5?-phosphosulfate kinase (APSK), wherein an adenosine 5?-triphosphate (ATP) supply/regeneration system including adenosine 5?-monophosphate (AMP), polyphosphate, polyphosphate-driven nucleoside 5?-diphosphate kinase (PNDK), and polyphosphate:AMP phosphotransferase (PAP), or an adenosine 5?-triphosphate (ATP) supply/regeneration system including adenosine 5?-monophosphate (AMP), polyphosphate, polyphosphate-driven nucleoside 5?-diphosphate kinase (PNDK), and adenylate kinase (ADK) is employed instead of ATP.

Abstract: The present invention provides a brewed soy sauce that has light color and reduced smell with a robust taste. In the brewed soy sauce, HEMF is less than 15 ppm. Glutamic acid is 0.9% (w/v) or more. Lactic acid and acetic acid are respectively 0.1% (w/v) or more. Reducing sugar is 1.5% (w/v) or less. Levulinic acid is less than 0.01% (w/v). And, pH is 4.5-5.5. The brewed soy sauce is produced as follows: First, a raw material is prepared from a plant protein-source material and a low-starch carbohydrate-source material. Then, koji is made by inoculating koji mold to the prepared raw material. Next, salt water is added to the koji, and the mixture of the salt water and koji is fermented. At least 5 days after initiating the fermentation, yeast belonging to Candida genus is added to the mixture. Then, the fermentation is matured.

Abstract: In the present invention, a novel 2-alkynyl-N9-propargyladenine represented by formula (I) wherein R1 represents a halogen atom, a furyl group, or a triazolyl group; R2 and R3 each represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-8 alkyl group, or form a cycloalkyl group by bonding to each other; and X represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, has a stronger and longer-lasting effect as a therapeutic agent for Parkinsonian syndromes.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing 3?-phosphoadenosine 5?-phosphosulfate (PAPS), the method including subjecting ATP to sulfation and phosphorylation by use of adenosine 5?-triphosphate sulfurylase (ATPS) and adenosine 5?-phosphosulfate kinase (APSK), wherein an adenosine 5?-triphosphate (ATP) supply/regeneration system including adenosine 5?-monophosphate (AMP), polyphosphate, polyphosphate-driven nucleoside 5?-diphosphate kinase (PNDK), and polyphosphate:AMP phosphotransferase (PAP), or an adenosine 5?-triphosphate (ATP) supply/regeneration system including adenosine 5?-monophosphate (AMP), polyphosphate, polyphosphate-driven nucleoside 5?-diphosphate kinase (PNDK), and adenylate kinase (ADK) is employed instead of ATP.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing 3?-phosphoadenosine 5?-phosphosulfate (PAPS), the method including subjecting ATP to sulfation and phosphorylation by use of adenosine 5?-triphosphate sulfurylase (ATPS) and adenosine 5?-phosphosulfate kinase (APSK), wherein an adenosine 5?-triphosphate (ATP) supply/regeneration system including adenosine 5?-monophosphate (AMP), polyphosphate, polyphosphate-driven nucleoside 5?-diphosphate kinase (PNDK), and polyphosphate:AMP phosphotransferase (PAP), or an adenosine 5?-triphosphate (ATP) supply/regeneration system including adenosine 5?-monophosphate (AMP), polyphosphate, polyphosphate-driven nucleoside 5?-diphosphate kinase (PNDK), and adenylate kinase (ADK) is employed instead of ATP.

Abstract: In the present invention, a novel 2-alkynyl-N9-propargyladenine represented by formula (I) wherein R1 represents a halogen atom, a furyl group, or a triazolyl group; R2 and R3 each represents a hydrogen atom or a C1-8 alkyl group, or form a cycloalkyl group by bonding to each other; and X represents a hydrogen atom or a hydroxyl group, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, has a stronger and longer-lasting effect as a therapeutic agent for Parkinsonian syndromes.

Abstract: A method by which high-purity CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid (HPLC purity, 95% or higher), which has been difficult to obtain with any technique other than chromatography, can be easily obtained in satisfactory yield by a simple operation without the need of chromatography. The process, which is for producing high-purity CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-NeuAc), is characterized by conducting a suitable combination of the following steps (1) to (4). Step 1: a step in which divalent cations are added to a solution containing CMP-NeuAc to thereby precipitate the phosphoric acid, pyrophosphoric acid, and nucleotide which coexist; Step 2: a step in which a phosphatase is added to a solution containing CMP-NeuAc to thereby convert the coexistent nucleotide into nucleoside; Step 3: a step in which an organic solvent is added to precipitate the CMP-NeuAc; and Step 4: a step in which the CMP-NeuAc precipitated is recovered.

Abstract: A polymer containing an N-linked sialo-glycan wherein a sialo-glycan is condensed to a ?-polyglutamic acid using a chemical compound having an amino group on one end and a carboxyl group on another end and represented by the structural formula (I). Formula (I) (In the formula, Z means a hydroxy group or a residue represented by the formula (II), and n represents an integer of 10 or more, with the proviso that any one or more of the Z's is represented by the formula in (II).) Formula (II) (In the formula, X means a hydroxy group or an acetylamino group, Y1 and Y2 mean a hydroxyl group or an N-acetylneuraminic acid residue, L means a hydrocarbon, an m represents 0 or an integer of 1 or 2, with the proviso that Y1 and Y2 are not the same.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining the degree of macrophage-associated negative effects on a vertebrate including a human, the method including assaying diacetylpolyamine contained in a sample collected from the vertebrate. According to the method of the present invention, metabolic conditions of macrophages can be monitored, and the degree of macrophage-associated negative effects on a vertebrate (including a human) can be determined. Specifically, the present invention can predict, through assay of diacetylpolyamine, pathological condition which is considered a macrophage-related disease; e.g., recurrence of cancer or malignant tumor, or infiltration or activation of cancer or malignant tumor cells; denaturation or degeneration of neurons associated with Alzheimer's disease; or onset or progression of an autoimmune disease (e.g., rheumatism or Crohn's disease) or arteriosclerosis. Therefore, the present invention is very useful for clinical tests.

Abstract: 1-(2-Fluoro-4-thio-?-D-arabinofuranosyl)-5-methyluracil exhibits an anti-EB virus activity, and is therefore effective as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a disease associated with an EB virus. Each of a plasmid capable of expressing EB virus-TK and a plasmid capable of expressing human-TK is introduced into a TK-defect cell, thereby producing two types of cells respectively having the plasmids introduced therein. By using the two types of cells, it is possible to screen a medicinal agent which has cytotoxicity against the cell having the plasmid capable of expressing EB virus-TK introduced therein but has no toxicity against the cell having the plasmid capable of expressing human-TK introduced therein. In this manner, it becomes possible to screen a medicinal agent which specifically exhibits an anti-EB virus activity.

Abstract: A di(pyrimidine nucleoside 5?-)polyphosphate is synthesized by converting a pyrimidine nucleoside 5?-triphosphate into a pyrimidine nucleoside 5?-cyclic triphosphate by use of a condensing agent, and subsequently reacting the pyrimidine nucleoside 5?-cyclic triphosphate with a pyrimidine nucleotide in the presence of a salt of a metal selected from among magnesium, manganese, and iron. Through the method of the invention, a di(pyrimidine nucleoside 5?-)polyphosphate can be synthesized from an unprotected pyrimidine nucleoside 5?-phosphate serving as a starting material at a synthesis yield of 50% or higher. Therefore, the method of the invention is suitable for large-scale synthesis of a di(pyrimidine nucleoside 5?-)polyphosphate.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to, for example, an oligosaccharide having at an end thereof a 4-position halogenated galactose residue represented by formula (I): (wherein X represents a halogen atom, and R represents a monosaccharide, an oligosaccharide, or a carrier), a transferase inhibitor containing the oligosaccharide, and a method for inhibiting sugar chain elongation reaction in the presence of glycosyltransferase, the method including employing the inhibitor. The invention also provides a method for producing a 4-position halogenated galactose sugar nucleotide represented by formula (II): (wherein each of R1 to R3 represents a hydroxyl group, an acetyl group, a halogen atom, or a hydrogen atom; X represents a halogen atom; and M represents a hydrogen ion or a metal ion), wherein the method employs bacterium-derived galactokinase and bacterium-derived hexose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a 4?-C-substituted-2-haloadenosine derivative represented by the following formula [I], [II], or [III]: wherein X represents a halogen atom, R1 represents an ethynyl group or a cyano group, and R2 represents hydrogen or a phosphoryl group. The present invention also provides the derivative, and a pharmaceutical composition containing the derivative and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier therefor. The derivative is useful as a medicine for the treatment of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Abstract: To provide a novel anti-psychosocial stress agent which is highly safety and can be continuously taken, more particularly, a novel anti-psychosocial stress agent which prevents or alleviates psychosocial stress. The invention provides an anti-psychosocial stress agent containing, as an active ingredient, uridylic acid, uridine, or uracil. Since uridylic acid, uridine, or uracil, which is an active ingredient of the anti-psychosocial stress agent of the present invention, is inexpensively available and is a biological component, the agent exhibits high safety and can be continuously taken. Therefore, the anti-psychosocial stress agent of the present invention is effective for mitigating, alleviating, or relieving psychosocial stress, which is an issue in modern society. When the anti-psychosocial stress agent is taken before development of symptoms associated with psychosocial stress, the symptoms can be prevented.

Abstract: The present invention relates a detecting method of distinguishing a temporary liver function test abnormalities by a thyrotoxicosis from a drug-induced hepatic injury by an antithyroid drug using a blood test and the likes, which is performed in a simple manner and with specificity. In the course of treating Graves' disease using an antithyroid drug, it is possible to differentiate a temporary liver function test abnormalities resulted from a thyrotoxicosis from a drug-induced hepatic injury resulted from the antithyroid drug, and therefore to detect the drug-induced hepatic injury with specificity by assaying a level of OCT in a body sample from a patient. In other words, it is possible to diagnose as a drug-induced hepatic injury if a blood OCT level in the sample from the patient is elevated compared to a level prior to administering the antithyroid drug or a blood OCT level from normal persons.

Abstract: A stable and high-purity protected pseudouridine in crystal form is provided represented by the following structural formula: wherein M represents a trityl group or a derivative thereof, which is a useful material for producing an RNA oligomer or a similar substance. A method for producing the crystalline protected pseudouridine is also provided, which method includes crystallizing a protected pseudouridine from a solution containing the protected pseudouridine, by use of an ester solvent and/or an alcoholic solvent. The method, which does not need a silica gel column treatment, can be performed in a simple manner, does not impose a load on the environment, and realizes low-cost production of a target crystalline protected pseudouridine.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a process for producing CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-NeuAc), comprising adding to the cultured E. coli cells which has been transformed with both the DNA encoding N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate 2-epimerase (GlcNAc-6P 2-epimerase) and the DNA encoding N-acetylneuraminic acid synthase (NeuAc synthase) and exhibit activities of N-acetylglucosamine-6-phosphate 2-epimerase and N-acetylneuraminic acid synthase, a phosphate buffer containing baker's yeast cells, CMP, N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), magnesium, xylene, glucose, and CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid synthase (CMP-NeuAc synthase) to provide a reaction mixture, and allowing the reaction to proceed and produce CMP-N-acetylneuraminic acid (CMP-NeuAc), and wherein the process does not require adding ATP.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for enzymatically producing uridine 5?-diphospho-N-acetylgalactosamine (UDP-GalNAc) (which is an important substrate for oligosaccharide synthesis) from uridine 5?-triphosphate (UTP) and N-acetylgalactosamine 1-phosphate (GalNAc 1-P), the method including using, as an enzyme, uridine 5?-diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase (UDP-GlcNAc pyrophosphorylase) derived from a microorganism (exclusive of a pathogenic microorganism). The GalNAc 1-P employed can be prepared from N-acetylgalactosamine and a phosphate donor in a reaction system by use of N-acetylgalactosamine kinase. According to the present invention, uridine 5?-diphospho-N-acetylgalactosamine can be efficiently produced by use of a relatively inexpensive substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stable salt of 3?-phosphoadenosine 5?-phosphosulfate (PAPS) and a production method therefor. The present invention is directed to a stable salt of PAPS (amine salt), which is formed between PAPS and an amine compound, and to a method for producing a stable salt of PAPS, which includes adding an amine compound to an aqueous PAPS solution in an amount by mole equal to or greater than that of PAPS, and lyophilizing the resultant solution. The present invention has first realized production of a solid-form PAPS salt having considerably improved stability through a very simple technique. Since the thus-produced amine salt of PAPS is very stable, the salt can be stored or employed without taking much care about decomposition thereof at ambient temperature.

Abstract: 1-(2-Fluoro-4-thio-?-D-arabinofuranosyl)-5-methyluracil exhibits an anti-EB virus activity, and is therefore effective as a prophylactic or therapeutic agent for a disease associated with an EB virus. Each of a plasmid capable of expressing EB virus-TK and a plasmid capable of expressing human-TK is introduced into a TK-defect cell, thereby producing two types of cells respectively having the plasmids introduced therein. By using the two types of cells, it is possible to screen a medicinal agent which has cytotoxicity against the cell having the plasmid capable of expressing EB virus-TK introduced therein but has no toxicity against the cell having the plasmid capable of expressing human-TK introduced therein. In this manner, it becomes possible to screen a medicinal agent which specifically exhibits an anti-EB virus activity.