Abstract: The invention is a water-soluble thickener made of a copolymer that is obtained by copolymerizing 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid or its salt, hydroxyethylacrylamide, and a crosslinking monomer, or that is made of a copolymer that is obtained by further neutralizing said copolymer that has been obtained using an alkaline agent. It also provides a cosmetic in which this water-soluble thickener has been blended. It is an object of the invention to provide, as a water-soluble thickener, a copolymer which, when blended into a cosmetic, demonstrates a sufficiently satisfactory degree of usability and is excellent in terms of stability and safety.

Abstract: The invention is an alternating copolymer, and a method of producing the same, obtained by alternately copolymerizing a vinylbenzyl-terminated polyethylene oxide (or polydimethylsiloxane) and a (meth)acryloyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane (or polyethylene oxide). The alternating copolymer is a novel amphiphilic brush-shaped alternating copolymer having a structure that is well-suited as an emulsifier or a dispersant for oil and silicone solvents commonly used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.

Abstract: A protein having been modified by addition, deletion, insertion or substitution of at least one amino acid in an amino acid sequence constituting a protein having a sarcosine oxidase activity and still having the sarcosine oxidase activity, characterized by having an improved stability in the state of a liquid compared with the unmodified one and/or having a lowered action on L-proline compared with the unmodified one. A sarcosine oxidase having at least one of the following characteristics, i.e., an action on L-proline being 0.7% or less based on sarcosine and a Km value to L-proline being 150 mM or more, when measured at 37° C. and pH 8.0; a process for producing sarcosine oxidase having an excellent substrate specificity which comprises culturing a microorganism capable of producing sarcosine oxidase and collecting the sarcosine oxidase from the culture medium; and a reagent for measuring creatinine which contains the sarcosine oxidase.

Abstract: The present invention provide methods of imparting stress tolerance, characterized in that an expression amount of at least one stress defense gene is increased compared with a non-transformant by transforming the plant with an exogenous spermidine synthase (SPDS) gene, an exogenous S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) gene, an exogenous arginine decarboxylase (ADC) gene, an ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) gene and/or a spermine synthase (SPMS) gene under the control of a promoter capable of functioning in the plant.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a method of conveniently screening a novel protein or a novel partial sequence protein having a blocking ability based on amino acid sequence data; and a protein achieving an improved blocking efficiency that can be expressed on a large scale in Escherichia coli. A method of screening a novel protein or a novel partial sequence protein having a blocking ability based on amino acid sequence data; a protein characterized by achieving an improved blocking efficiency owing to an amino acid sequence modification; and a method of utilizing the protein.

Abstract: Relating to a gene encoding a new glycerol kinase and a method for preparing the enzyme by gene recombination technique. A Glycerol kinase which has high resistance against preservative, a recombinant vector comprising a gene encoding the glycerol kinase, a transformant prepared by transforming a host cell with the recombinant vector, and a method for producing the glycerol kinase, including culturing the transformant to produce glycerol kinase, and collecting the resulting glycerol kinase.

Abstract: A protein having been modified by addition, deletion, insertion or substitution of at least one amino acid in an amino acid sequence constituting a protein having a sarcosine oxidase activity and still having the sarcosine oxidase activity, characterized by having an improved stability in the state of a liquid compared with the unmodified one and/or having a lowered action on L-proline compared with the unmodified one. A sarcosine oxidase having at least one of the following characteristics, i.e., an action on L-proline being 0.7% or less based on sarcosine and a Km value to L-proline being 150 mM or more, when measured at 37° C. and pH 8.0; a process for producing sarcosine oxidase having an excellent substrate specificity which comprises culturing a microorganism capable of producing sarcosine oxidase and collecting the sarcosine oxidase from the culture medium; and a reagent for measuring creatinine which contains the sarcosine oxidase.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stable lyophilized PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase composition comprising a PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase together with (i) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, ?-ketoglutaric acid, malic acid, ?-ketogluconic acid, ?-cyclodextrin and their salts and (ii) an albumin.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase that makes possible quantitative measurement of formaldehyde by cycling reaction, and a determination method of formaldehyde and biological components, such as creatinine, creatine, and homocysteine, which produces formaldehyde as a reaction intermediate. In addition, the present invention provides a reagent kit for the above-mentioned determination method. The present invention provides a novel determination method of a homocysteine using transferase utilizing homocysteine and other compound as a pair of substrates. Particularly, the present invention provides a determination method of homocysteine which includes bringing betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase and dimethylglycine oxidase into contact with a sample and measuring produced hydrogen peroxide or formaldehyde. Moreover, the present invention provides novel dimethylglycine oxidase stable to thiol compound, which is suitably used for the measurement.

Abstract: The present invention relates to modified pyrroloquinoline quinone dependent glucose dehydrogenase (PQQGDH) having lower activity with respect to disaccharides and/or greater stability than wild-type PQQGDH.

Abstract: The first objective of the present invention is to provide a water-based polymer emulsion having a satisfactory storage stability and giving a coating film whose water resistance and adhesiveness are excellent. The second objective of the present invention is to provide the water-based polymer emulsion described above which has furthermore excellent characteristics for being used in a hair cosmetics. For the purpose of accomplishing the first objective described above, a water-based polymer emulsion according to the present invention is a water-based polymer emulsion obtained by emulsion polymerization of one or more silane coupling monomer, one or more lipophilic radical polymerizable monomer, and one or more hydrophilic radical polymerizable monomer, in which the polymer having said silane coupling monomer-derived reactive silyl group remaining therein is dispersed at a concentration or lower allowing the crosslinking between said silyl groups to be formed in a water-based dispersion medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase that makes possible quantitative measurement of formaldehyde by cycling reaction, and a determination method of formaldehyde and biological components, such as creatinine, creatine, homocysteine and the like, which produces formaldehyde as a reaction intermediate. In addition, the present invention provides a reagent kit for the above-mentioned determination method. The present invention provides a novel determination method of a homocysteine using transferase utilizing homocysteine and other compound as a pair of substrates. Particularly, the present invention provides a determination method of homocysteine which includes bringing betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase and dimethylglycine oxidase into contact with a sample and measuring produced hydrogen peroxide or formaldehyde. Moreover, the present invention provides novel dimethylglycine oxidase stable to thiol compound, which is suitably used for the measurement.

Abstract: The invention relates to a plasmid characterized in that the plasmid comprises a DNA fragment containing a gene coding for an enzyme taking PQQ as the prosthetic group as cloned in a broad-host-range vector defected of conjugative transfer function beforehand and that the plasmid is capable of being expressed in bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas.

Abstract: The present invention provides a stable lyophilized PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase composition comprising a PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase together with (i) at least one compound selected from the group consisting of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, &agr;-ketoglutaric acid, malic acid, &agr;-ketogluconic acid, &agr;-cyclodextrin and their salts and (ii) an albumin.

Abstract: A creatine amidinohydrolase having the following physicochemical properties:Action: catalyzing the following reaction;creatine+H.sub.2 O.fwdarw.sarcosine+ureaOptimum temperature: about 40-50.degree. C.Optimum pH: pH about 8.0-9.0Heat stability: not more than about 50.degree. C. (pH 7.5, 30 min)Km value for creatine in a coupling assay using a sarcosine oxidase and a peroxidase: about 3.5-10.0 mMMolecular weight: about 43,000 (SDS-PAGE)Isoelectric point: about 3.5,a method for producing said enzyme, comprising culture of microorganism producing said enzyme, a method for the determination of creatine or creatinine in a sample using said enzyme, and a reagent therefor.

Abstract: A protein having an .alpha.-glucosidase activity, wherein its N-terminal amino acid sequence is the sequence depicted in the Sequence Listing of the present invention at Sequence No. 1; a DNA having the genetic information of the protein having an .alpha.-glucosidase activity; a recombinant vector containing said DNA; a transformant transformed with said vector; and production of .alpha.-glucosidase comprising culture of said transformant in a medium so as to grow .alpha.-glucosidase, and harvesting said .alpha.-glucosidase. According to the present invention, .alpha.-glucosidase without contamination of amylase can be easily produced in high yields and in large amounts by genetic engineering.

Abstract: A novel protein having a heat-resistant malate dehydrogenase activity, a DNA fragment having a gene encoding said protein, a recombinant vector having said DNA fragment, a transformant transformed with said vector, a method for producing the protein having heat-resistant malate dehydrogenase activity by the use of said transformant, a reagent for GOT determination, comprising the above-mentioned novel protein having a heat-resistant malate dehydrogenase activity and a method for determining GOT activity, which comprises the use of said reagent. According to the present invention, a protein having a heat-resistant malate dehydrogenase activity and having higher purity and superior heat stability can be obtained. In addition, a reagent for GOT determination which is superior in long-term storage can be prepared by the use of the protein having a heat-resistant malate dehydrogenase activity.

Abstract: A novel protein having a heat-resistant malate dehydrogenase activity, a DNA fragment having a gene encoding said protein, a recombinant vector having said DNA fragment, a transformant transformed with said vector, a method for producing the protein having heat-resistant malate dehydrogenase activity by the use of said transformant, a reagent for GOT determination, comprising the above-mentioned novel protein having a heat-resistant malate dehydrogenase activity and a method for determining GOT activity, which comprises the use of said reagent. According to the present invention, a protein having a heat-resistant malate dehydrogenase activity and having higher purity and superior heat stability can be obtained. In addition, a reagent for GOT determination which is superior in long-term storage can be prepared by the use of the protein having a heat-resistant malate dehydrogenase activity.

Abstract: A creatine amidinohydrolase having the following physicochemical properties: Action: catalyzing the following reaction; creatine+H2O?sarcosine+urea Optimum temperature: about 40-50° C. Optimum pH: pH about 8.0-9.0 Heat stability: not more than about 50° C. (pH 7.5, 30 min) Km value for creatine in a coupling assay using a sarcosine oxidase and a peroxidase: about 3.5-10.0 mM Molecule weight: about 43,000 (SDS-PAGE) Isoelectric point: about 3.5 4.5, a method for producing said enzyme, comprising culture of microorganism producing said enzyme, a method for the determination of creatine or creatinine in a sample using said enzyme, and a reagent therefor.

Abstract: A creatine amidinohydrolase having the following physicochemical properties: Action: catalyzing the following reaction; creatine+H2O?sarcosine+urea Optimum temperature: about 40-50° C. Optimum pH: pH about 8.0-9.0 Heat stability: not more than 50° C. (pH 7.5, 30 min) Km value for creatine in a coupling assay using a sarcosine oxidase and a peroxidase: about 3.5-10.00 mM Molecular weight: about 43,000 (SDS-PAGE) Isoelectric point: 3.5 4.5, a method for producing said enzyme, comprising culture of microorganism producing said enzyme, a method for the determination of creatine or creatinine in a sample using said enzyme, and a reagent therefor.