Abstract: Proteins useful as sphingomyelin detecting probes, which specifically recognize sphingomyelin and have low cytotoxicity. The proteins of the present invention may be obtained by deletion of between about 110 to 170 amino acid residues from the N terminal or C terminal of earthworm toxin Lysenin 1. Kits for detecting sphingomyelin are also disclosed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a protein useful as a sphingomyelin detecting probe, which specifically recognizes sphingomyelin and has low cytotoxicity. The present invention provides a protein which has an amino acid sequence having, as the amino acid sequence from the 1st to the 48th amino acid, the amino acid sequence from the 1st to the 48th amino acid in Lysenin 1, and as the amino acid sequence from the 49th to the 298th amino acid, the amino acid sequence from the 51st to the 300th amino acid in Lysenin 3; and a protein which is obtained by deleting N terminal and/or C terminal from earthworm toxins Lysenin 1 or 3, and which specifically recognizes sphingomyelin.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a protein useful as a sphingomyelin detecting probe, which specifically recognizes sphingomyelin and has low cytotoxicity. The present invention provides a protein which has an amino acid sequence having, as the amino acid sequence from the 1st to the 48th amino acid, the amino acid sequence from the 1st to the 48th amino acid in Lysenin 1, and as the amino acid sequence from the 49th to the 298th amino acid, the amino acid sequence from the 51st to the 300th amino acid in Lysenin 3; and a protein which is obtained by deleting N terminal and/or C terminal from earthworm toxins Lysenin 1 or 3, and which specifically recognizes sphingomyelin.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a protein useful as a sphingomyelin detecting probe, which specifically recognizes sphingomyelin and has low cytotoxicity. The present invention provides a protein which has an amino acid sequence having, as the amino acid sequence from the 1st to the 48th amino acid, the amino acid sequence from the 1st to the 48th amino acid in Lysenin 1, and as the amino acid sequence from the 49th to the 298th amino acid, the amino acid sequence from the 51st to the 300th amino acid in Lysenin 3; and a protein which is obtained by deleting N terminal and/or C terminal from earthworm toxins Lysenin 1 or 3, and which specifically recognizes sphingomyelin.

Abstract: An original area of a color original placed on an original base is accurately detected. Color component signals of R, G and B generated by a line sensor 1-1 are converted into a lightness component L* and a chromatic component C*. Latch circuits 1-12 through 1-15 use these two components to detect the original area of the color original present on the original base.