Abstract: The present invention relates to a high-yield process for producing high-activity, high-purity transglutaminase by refolding denatured microorganism-derived transglutaminase by reacting denatured transglutaminase in an aqueous medium under acidic conditions and reconstituting a higher-order enzymatically active state in an aqueous medium at a neutral pH.

Abstract: Disclosed are a protein having a transglutaminase activity, which comprises a sequence ranging from serine residue at the second position to proline residue at the 331st position in an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No. 1 wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the protein corresponds to serine residue at the second position of SEQ ID No. 1, a DNA encoding the protein, a transformant having the DNA, and a process for producing a protein having a transglutaminase activity, which comprises the steps of culturing the transformant in a medium. The protein can be produced in a large amount with the transformant using a host such as E. coli.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for isotopically labeling a functional group possessed by an amino acid residue of a protein. The present invention also provides a protein whose functional group in an amino acid residue is isotopically labeled. A functional group in an amino acid residue of a protein is substituted with an isotope-labeling group derived from an isotope-labeling compound by making use of the action of an enzyme. In particular, the carboxyamide nitrogen atom in a glutamine residue of a protein is replaced with an isotopically labeled atom by acting a transglutaminase on the glutamine residue.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a heterologous protein by making a coryneform bacterium to produce and efficiently extracellularly secrete (secreto-production) an industrially useful heterologous protein. According to the present invention, a genetic construct is used where a gene sequence encoding an intended protein which is ligated to the downstream of a sequence encoding the signal peptide derived from a coryneform bacterium, the gene construct is introduced into a mutant coryneform bacterium which has a capacity of secreting the heterologous protein at least 2-fold higher than the wild type Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13869, the mutant coryneform bacterium is cultured and the extracellularly released heterologous protein is recovered.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for designing and preparing mutant transglutaminases on the basis of the three-dimensional structure of MTG derived from Streptoverticillium mobaraense (MTG), and the mutant MTG thus prepared. The present invention provides a method for modifying MTG on the basis of the three-dimensional structure, and transglutaminase having reactivity on the substrate improved by the method. In the present invention, the binding site of MTG for the substrate is extrapolated based on the three-dimensional structure obtained by X-ray crystal structure analysis of MTG crystals, and the mutant transglutaminases are designed and produced by replacing, inserting or deleting amino acid residues positioned at the substrate-binding site of the transglutaminase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for secretory production of a foreign protein, in particular, transglutaminase by a coryneform bacterium.

Abstract: Disclosed are a protein having a transglutaminase activity, which comprises a sequence ranging from serine residue at the second position to proline residue at the 331st position in an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No. 1 wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the protein corresponds to serine residue at the second position of SEQ ID No. 1, a DNA encoding the protein, a transformant having the DNA, and a process for producing a protein having a transglutaminase activity, which comprises the steps of culturing the transformant in a medium. The protein can be produced in a large amount with the transformant using a host such as E. coli.

Abstract: Disclosed are a protein having a transglutaminase activity, which comprises a sequence ranging from serine residue at the second position to proline residue at the 331st position in an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No. 1 wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the protein corresponds to serine residue at the second position of SEQ ID No. 1, a DNA encoding the protein, a transformant having the DNA, and a process for producing a protein having a transglutaminase activity, which comprises the steps of culturing the transformant in a medium. The protein can be produced in a large amount with the transformant using a host such as E. coli.

Abstract: A process for producing a crosslink-cyclized cyclopentadiene, comprising the steps of reacting a cyclopentenone with an alkali metal hydride to thereby reduce the cyclopentenone (reduction step A) into a cyclopentenol; and reacting the cyclopentenol with a dehydrating agent to thereby dehydrate the cyclopentenol (dehydration step B) into a crosslink-cyclized cyclopentadiene of the general formula (III): wherein each of R1 and R2 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched saturated alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, n is an integer of 3 to 10, and the broken line in the 5-membered ring denotes that the 5-membered ring has two double bonds.

Abstract: Disclosed are a protein having a transglutaminase activity, which comprises a sequence ranging from serine residue at the second position to proline residue at the 331st position in an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No. 1 wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the protein corresponds to serine residue at the second position of SEQ ID No. 1, a DNA encoding the protein, a transformant having the DNA, and a process for producing a protein having a transglutaminase activity, which comprises the steps of culturing the transformant in a medium. The protein can be produced in a large amount with the transformant using a host such as E. coli.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high-yield process for producing high-activity, high-purity transglutaminase by refolding denatured microorganism-derived transglutaminase by reacting denatured transglutaminase in an aqueous medium under acidic conditions and reconstituting a higher-order enzymatically active state in an aqueous medium at a neutral pH.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for isotopically labeling a functional group possessed by an amino acid residue of a protein. The present invention also provides a protein whose functional group in an amino acid residue is isotopically labeled.

Abstract: A process for producing a crosslink-cyclized cyclopentadiene, comprising the steps of reacting a cyclopentenone with an alkali metal hydride to thereby reduce the cyclopentenone (reduction step A) into a cyclopentenol; and reacting the cyclopentenol with a dehydrating agent to thereby dehydrate the cyclopentenol (dehydration step B) into a crosslink-cyclized cyclopentadiene of the general formula (III): 1

Abstract: Monofluoromethyl ethylene carbonate, difluoromethyl ethylene carbonate and trifluoromethyl ethylene carbonate are provided as novel compounds. These compounds are very useful as solvents because they are chemically and physically stable, have a high dielectric constant, can readily dissolve organic substances and have a wide application temperature range. These compounds have excellent charge and discharge cycle characteristics, have a high flash point, and are safe as non-aqueous elecytrolytes. Hence, batteries using these compounds withstand voltage and have excellent charge and discharge cycle characteristics.

Abstract: A process for producing an alkali metal cyclopentadienylide is disclosed which comprises reacting in a solvent an alkali metal hydride with a disubstituted or trisubstituted 1,3-cyclopentadiene. Further, a process for producing a dihalobis(.eta.-substituted-cyclopentadienyl)zirconium is disclosed which comprises reacting a zirconium halide with the above alkali metal cyclopentadienylide. The former process enables performing the reaction between the disubstituted or trisubstituted 1,3-cyclopentadiene and the alkali metal hydride at an easily controllable temperature of room temperature to about 150.degree. C. and also enables obtaining the alkali metal cyclopentadienylide in high yield. The latter process enables obtaining the dihalobis(.eta.-substituted-cyclopentadienyl)zirconium in high yield.

Abstract: Disclosed are a protein having a transglutaminase activity, which comprises a sequence ranging from serine residue at the second position to proline residue at the 331st position in an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No. 1 wherein the N-terminal amino acid of the protein corresponds to serine residue at the second position of SEQ ID No. 1, a DNA encoding the protein, a transformant having the DNA, and a process for producing a protein having a transglutaminase activity, which comprises the steps of culturing the transformant in a medium. The protein can be produced in a large amount with the transformant using a host such as E. coli.

Abstract: Monofluoromethyl ethylene carbonate, difluoromethyl ethylene carbonate and trifluoromethyl ethylene carbonate are provided as novel compounds. These compounds are very useful as solvents because they are chemically and physically stable, have a high dielectric constant, can dissolve well organic substances and have a wide application temperature range. These compounds are excellent in charge and discharge cycle characteristics, have a high flash point, and are safe as non-aqueous elecytrolytes and hence, batteries using these compounds are excellent in withstand voltage and charge and discharge cycle characteristics.

Abstract: The novel acrylic ester, allyl ether and allyl carbonate of the present invention are characterized by having the structures represented by the following general formulae (I) to (IV): The above acrylic ester, allyl ether and allyl carbonate are used as a starting monomer which forms a polymer matrix for use in a polymeric solid electrolyte. The novel polymer of the present invention comprises structural units derived from at least one compound selected from a group of the compounds represented by the above general formulae (I) to (IV). The polymeric solid electrolyte comprising the above novel polymer as a polymer matrix exhibits high ionic conductivity and is chemically stable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an ionically conductive polymeric gel electrolyte for batteries having high ionic conductivity and sufficiently high solid strength. The invention has an object to provide a solid battery which prevents internal short-circuiting even if no diaphragm is used and which has high reliability, by using the ionically conductive polymeric gel electrolyte. Disclosed is an ionically conductive polymeric gel electrolyte, containing at least a polymer matrix, a non-aqueous electrolytic solution and an electrolytic salt, wherein at least one kind of a halogen-substituted carbonic ester is contained as a solvent of the non-aqueous electrolytic solution. Also disclosed is a solid battery having the ionically conductive polymeric gel electrolyte as a constituent.

Abstract: A process for removing a diol from a cyclic carbonic acid ester containing the diol as an impurity, which comprises bringing a cyclic carbonic acid ester containing a diol as an impurity into contact with a synthetic zeolite in the presence of a chain carbonic acid ester. According to this process, there can be obtained a mixture of a cyclic carbonic acid ester and a chain carbonic acid ester having a very small content of diol, which is suitable as a solvent for electrolytic solution of a condenser, cell or battery.