Abstract: The invention relates to a novel water-insoluble glucose isomerase which is formed by a crystalline enzyme converted to solid form by cross-linking. The invention also concerns a process for the preparation of the novel crystalline glucose isomerase by cross-linking with dialdehyde in the presence of a compound containing at least one amino group, and the use of this novel enzyme preparation as an isomerization catalyst. Preferrably the compound having an amino group is an ammonium salt, lysine or tryptophan and the dialdehyde is glutaraldehyde.

Abstract: This invention relates to a beta-fructofuranosidase enzyme food supplement composition, which alleviates gastrointestinal distress caused by ingested food containing oligosaccharides, comprising a beta-fructofuranosidase enzyme, a cellulase enzyme and a hemicellulase enzyme. More particularly, the enzyme food supplement composition of this invention comprises a beta-fructofuranosidase enzyme, a cellulase enzyme, a hemicellulase enzyme, a lipase enzyme and an acid protease enzyme. This invention also relates to a method of alleviating gastrointestinal distress in the gastrointestinal system of a human being, which distress is caused by ingested food containing oligosaccharides, the method comprising the step of ingesting a beta-fructofuranosidase enzyme food supplement composition comprising a beta-fructofuranosidase enzyme, a cellulase enzyme and a hemicellulase enzyme, to convert oligosaccharides contained in the ingested food to reducing sugars.

Abstract: A method for preparing an aqueous solution enriched in xylanase only, EG III only and both EG III and xylanase from an aqueous mixture containing cellulase proteins, xylanase and EG III is disclosed. The methods involve adding an amount of a low molecular weight alcohol and an organic salt to an aqueous mixture containing cellulase proteins under conditions wherein substantially all of the cellulase proteins other than EG III and xylanase are precipitated out of the aqueous mixture. The methods can then involve adding an inorganic salt to the supernate produced in the previous step so as to form a second precipitate and a second supernate and then finally collecting either the second precipitate from the second supernate to obtain a precipitate enriched in xylanase or the second supernate from the second precipitate to obtain a supernate enriched in EG III.

Abstract: The invention relates to a preparation exhibiting enzymatic activity, which preparation has the capability of delignifying wood pulp at a temperature of at least 65.degree. C. and a pH of at least 9. Further, the invention relates to a method of producing said preparation by aerobically fermentating a selected Bacillus stearothermophilus strain. Furthermore, the invention relates to two isolated Bacillus stearothermophilus strains and mutants and variants thereof. The invention also relates to applications of the preparation of the invention, namely to a process comprising treatment of wood pulp with a preparation according to the invention, and a wood pulp and a fluff pulp treated with a preparation according to the invention, and also a paper, a board and a fluff made from a wood pulp treated with a preparation according to the invention.

Abstract: A purified low molecular weight .beta.-D-glucosidase is produced from Acidothermus cellulolyticus ATCC 43068. The enzyme is water soluble, possesses activity against pNP-.beta.-D-glucopyranoside, has a high of degree of stability toward heat, exhibits optimal temperature activity at about 65.degree. C. at a pH range of from about 2 to about 7, has an inactivation temperature of about 80.degree. C. at a pH range of from about 2 to about 7 and has a molecular weight of about 50.5-54.5 kD as determineded by SDS-PAGE.

Abstract: Glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase is stabilized in a clinical assay reagent with at least one stabilizer selected from among hydroxylamines, aldehyde scavengers dimethylthiocarbamoyl chloride, 2-(2-aminoethylamine) ethanol, and their salts. The reagent may be in liquid or lyophilized form.

Abstract: Proteolytic enzyme compositions and processes for digesting connective tissue are provided. The enzyme compositions include collagenase, which is essentially free of toxins and non-collagen specific components, and chymopapain, which is essentially free of toxins. The enzyme compositions are used for dissociating microvessel cells from connective tissue. Recovered microvessel cells are incorporated into artificial vessel grafts. The composition preferrably contains collagenase having an activity of about 43 nkat/ml to about 51 nkat/ml and chymopapin having an activity of about 0.22 nkat/ml to about 0.44 nkat/ml.

Abstract: Proteolytic enzyme compositions and processes for digesting connective tissue are disclosed. The enzyme compositions include collagenase, which is essentially free of toxins and non-collagen specific components, and chymopapain, which is essentially free of toxins. The enzyme compositions are used for dissociating microvessel cells from connective tissue. Recovered microvessel cells are incorporated into artificial vessel grafts. The enzyme compositions preferably contain an aqueous mixture of collagenase having an activity of about 43 nkat/ml to about 51 nkat/ml, and chymopapain having an activity of about 0.22 nkat/ml to about 0.44 nkat/ml.

Abstract: An enzymatic process is disclosed for the preparation of galactosyl.beta.1,3glycal disaccharides such as Gal.beta.1,3Glucal, an intermediate useful in Le.sup.a preparation and an inhibitor of .beta.-galactosidase. The process utilizes .beta.-galactosidase, an enzyme usually used for bond breaking, to form a bond between a galactoside and a glucal such as glycal, a 6-O--C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 acylglucal or 6-O--C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 acetylgalactal.

Abstract: An isolated endogly canase having activity against polysaccharides having the subunit backbone structure: ##STR1## wherein Glc is glucose, GlcA is glucuronic acid, Rha is rhamnose, Man is mannose, X may be Rha or Man, and wherein the reducing end of the polymer is toward the X residue of the backbone is disclosed. A method for producing the compound by culturing Bacillus ATCC 55294, the method for selecting Bacillus ATCC 55294 and method for using the endoglycanase are also disclosed.

Abstract: A process is described for the production of anhydrosugars such as levoglucosan (1,6-anhydro-.beta.-D-glucopyranose), from liquids obtained by the fast thermal pyrolysis of pretreated lignocellulosics or celluloses. In this process, the pyrolytic liquids containing the anhydrosugars are produced with a substantially reduced amount of lignin-derived components by using as feedstock materials which have been previously delignified and then pretreated, or by preferential oxidation of the lignin fraction of a pretreated biomass during pyrolysis. The preparation from pretreated biomass of pyrolytic liquors from which the lignin derived chemical products of fast pyrolysis are absent or in low concentrations permits simpler and more economical recovery of crystalline levoglucosan and other anhydrosugars, or a more economical preparation of readily fermentable aqueous sugar solutions therefrom. A new procedure for the recovery of crystalline levoglucosan from such solutions is described.

Abstract: A xylanase obtained from Rhodothermus marinus, the method of obtaining it and a process for its use are disclosed. The xylanase has an optimum temperature of from 85.degree. to 100.degree. C., a relative activity of more than 50% in the interval of from pH 5 tp pH 8 after incubation for 5 minutes at 65.degree. C., a relative temperature stability at 80.degree. C. of more than 80% after incubation at pH 7 for 3 hours, a pH optimum of about 6 and an isoelectric point in the range of from 3 to 7. The xylanase can be obtained from the strains ATCC 43812, ATCC 43813 or a mutant thereof. The process for obtaining the xylanase involves cultivation of a xylanase-producing strain of Rhodothermus marinus in a suitable nutrient medium containing carbon and nitrogen sources and inorganic salts followed by recovery of the xylanase. Also disclosed is a process for the treatment of lignocellulosic pulp with the xylanase.

Abstract: A process for the degradation of keratin, keratinaceous material, collagen or collagenaceous material comprising contacting keratin, keratinaceous material, collagen or collagenaceous material with an enzyme material isolated from a culture of Micrococcus sedentarius. The enzyme material comprises one or more proteases having the ability to degrade keratin, keratinaceous material, collagen or collagenaceous material. The enzyme material is water soluble, non-dialysable through a membrane having a molecular weight cut-off of 10 kDa, has an isoelectric point of 4.6 or 2.7, a molecular weight of 30.3 kDa or 50 kDa, an optimum pH for protease activity at about 8.2 or at about 10.2 and an optimum temperature for protease activity at about 40.degree. C. or 46.degree. C.

Abstract: A cleaning composition is disclosed. The composition contains a first enzyme where the enzyme can be Endo-D, Endo-H, Endo-L, Endo-C, Endo-CII, Endo-F-Gal type, Endo-F and PNGaseF and a second enzyme where the enzyme can be a protease, lipase, nuclease, glycosidase, an enzyme different from the first enzyme, and any combination of these. The composition also contains a detergent surfactant and a builder. The composition can be used in a method for cleaning a surface on which is bound a glycoside-containing substance. The substance can be blood or components thereof, fecal matter or components thereof or microorganisms. The surface can be fabric, biological tissue, tooth enamel, contact lens, glass, ceramic, metal, metal alloy, plastic, plant, fruit and vegetable.

Abstract: A debranching enzyme, a process for producing the enzyme, a microorganism capable of producing the enzyme, and a process for producing glucose liquids using the enzyme are disclosed. The microorganism is preferrably Bacillus FERM BP-4204, the enzyme is a debranching enzyme which acts on alpha-1,6 glucosidase bonds on produce straight chain amylose, acts on pullulan and also acts on relatively long chain saccharides, wherein said substrate specificity for activity on pullulan is set at 100, the activity of said enzyme on soluble starches relative to said activity on pullulan is from about 20 to 40, the activity of said enzyme on glycogen relative to said activity on pullulan is from about 30 to 60, and the activity of said enzyme on amylopectin relative to said activity on pullulan is from about 10 to 30, has an optimum pH from about 4.5 to 6.0, an optimum temperature from about 60.degree. C. to about 70.degree. C., a molecular weight of about 98 kD as measured by SDS-PAGE, and an isoelectric point of about 2.

Abstract: A method of desulfurizing a petroleum liquid containing organosulfur molecules is disclosed. The method relies upon the use of an aqueous biocatalytic agent comprising, in preferred embodiments, a substantially cell free extract of a microorganism which functionally expresses an enzyme capable of selectively cleaving organic carbon-sulfur bonds even in sulfur-bearing heterocycles, wherein the extract contains a substantial proportion of the total activity of said enzyme expressed by the microorganism. An emulsion, preferably a microemulsion, is formed between this biocatalytic agent and the petroleum liquid. Reversible microemulsions are particularly preferred, due to facilitated recovery of a desulfurized petroleum liquid at the conclusion of treatment. The invention described is particularly well suited to the desulfurization of petroleum liquids having a high relative abundance of refractory organosulfur molecules, such as dibenzothiophene.

Abstract: Invertase is produced by a process wherein, first the yeast cells are disrupted to produce a disrupted cell suspension, second the disrupted cell suspension is adjusted to an acidic pH, third denatured undersired proteins are removed with the cell detritus and lastly the invertase is isolated. The improvement of the invention to the state of the art is that it comprises subjecting the disrupted cell suspension prior to removing the undesired proteins and cell detritus, to a pH of less than 4.5 and to a heat treatment in a continuous thermal denaturation system at a temperature in a range of from 44.degree. C. to about 51.degree. C.

Abstract: Processes are disclosed for producing lactic acid, esters of lactic acid, acrylic acid, and esters of acrylic acid, primarily from fermentable carbohydrate materials. An overall process for producing esters of acrylic acid comprises: a) fermenting carbohydrate material with a lactic-acid-forming organism in the presence of NH.sub.3 to produce ammonium lactate; b) combining the ammonium lactate with an alcohol; c) combining the ammonium lactate and alcohol with an effective catalyzing amount of gaseous CO.sub.2 to catalytically esterify the ammonium lactate and alcohol into a lactic acid ester containing solution; d) recovering purified lactic acid ester; and e) vaporizing the lactic acid ester and passing it through a solid catalyst bed comprised of an effective catalyzing amount of crystalline hydrated and partially calcined calcium sulfate to catalytically convert lactic acid ester into an acrylic acid ester. Step "d" would be useful in a process for making low-cost, purified lactic acid.

Abstract: A cellulase having the following properties: (1) an optimum pH of from 9.5 to 10.5 as measured using carboxymethylcellulose as a substrate; (2) a stable pH of from 6 to 11 as measured using carboxymethylcellulose as a substrate after treating at 30.degree. C. and for 30 minutes; (3) an optimum temperature of about 55.degree. C. as measured using carboxymethylcellulose as a substrate; (4) influence of a surfactant being such that residual activity is 90% or more after treatment at 30.degree. C. and pH of 9.0 for 2 hours in the presence of a sodium n-alkylbenzenesulfonate; (5) a molecular weight of 52,000.+-.2,000 as measured by electrophoresis on SDS-polyacrylamide gel; and (6) an isoelectric point of 4.2.+-.0.2 as measured by isoelectric electrophoresis. The cellulase is produced by Bacillus sp. SD402, its mutant strains or its genetic engineered strains. An aid for detergents and a paper treating agent, respectively, contain the cellulase as an effective ingredient.

Abstract: A tripeptide ligand of the formula -X-Y-Argininal is used to purify plasminogen activators.