Abstract: As a nutritional composition and a composition for the prophylaxis or improvement of lower gastrointestinal function, which improve lower gastrointestinal function and are effective for the prophylaxis or improvement of diarrhea, gastroesophageal reflux or misswallowing caused by administration of a liquid nutritional supplement, the present invention provides a nutritional composition and a composition for the prophylaxis or improvement of lower gastrointestinal function, which comprise at least one kind selected from glutamic acid, 5?-nucleotide and a salt thereof, wherein, when glutamic acid alone is contained, the content thereof on administration is 0.0013-1.3 w/v % as free glutamic acid.

Abstract: Peptides which can induce specific CTLs for HIV, DNAs encoding for the peptides and medicaments for preventing and/or treating HIV comprising the peptides are provided. According to the present invention, peptides carrying novel CTL epitopes derived from HIV Pol or Env proteins are provided. These peptides can bind to HLA-A11, particularly HLA-A*1101 which is frequently encountered in Japanese people and induce HIV-specific cytotoxic T cells.

Abstract: As a nutritional composition and a composition for the prophylaxis or improvement of lower gastrointestinal function, which improve lower gastrointestinal function and are effective for the prophylaxis or improvement of diarrhea, gastroesophageal reflux or misswallowing caused by administration of a liquid nutritional supplement, the present invention provides a nutritional composition and a composition for the prophylaxis or improvement of lower gastrointestinal function, which comprise at least one kind selected from glutamic acid, 5?-nucleotide and a salt thereof, wherein, when glutamic acid alone is contained, the content thereof on administration is 0.0013-1.3 w/v % as free glutamic acid.

Abstract: A method for screening a low molecular weight substance which binds to a specific site of a biomolecule and may be usable as a starting material in drug development. This method comprises screening a substance that interacts with a specific region of a biomolecule having an activity, to regulate the activity, by the following steps: (a) a step of selecting a recombinant organism that interacts with the biomolecule, from a peptide library composed of a collection of recombinant organisms each presenting at least one of various peptides on its surface; and (b) a step of selecting a substance inhibiting the interaction between the selected recombinant organism or a peptide presented by the recombinant organism and the biomolecule.

Abstract: Peptides which can induce specific CTLs for HIV, DNAs encoding for the peptides and medicaments for preventing and/or treating HIV comprising the peptides are provided. According to the present invention, peptides carrying novel CTL epitopes derived from HIV Pol or Env proteins are provided. These peptides can bind to HLA-A11, particularly HLA-A*1101 which is frequently encountered in Japanese people and induce HIV-specific cytotoxic T cells.

Abstract: Peptides which can induce specific CTLs for HIV, DNAs encoding for the peptides and medicaments for preventing and/or treating HIV comprising the peptides are provided. According to the present invention, peptides carrying novel CTL epitopes derived from HIV Pol or Env proteins are provided. These peptides can bind to HLA-A11, particularly HLA-A*1101 which is frequently encountered in Japanese people and induce HIV-specific cytotoxic T cells.

Abstract: Peptides which can induce specific CTLs for HIV, DNAs encoding for the peptides and medicaments for preventing and/or treating HIV comprising the peptides are provided. According to the present invention, peptides carrying novel CTL epitopes derived from HIV Pol or Env proteins are provided. These peptides can bind to HLA-A11, particularly HLA-A*1101 which is frequently encountered in Japanese people and induce HIV-specific cytotoxic T cells.

Abstract: A method for processing a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, or a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, or a peptide or derivatives thereof having a crosslinked structure, which entails contacting glutamine and lysine residues in a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, a peptide or derivatives thereof with a transglutaminase obtained from Bacillus subtilus to form intermolecular or intramolecular, crosslinked .epsilon.(.delta.-Glu)-Lys bonds between or in the molecules of the protein, non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, peptide or derivatives thereof, wherein the transglutaminase has the physicochemical properties described herein.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a peptide which is a fragment of the whole protein of HIV, the fragment being a peptide having a sequence of successive 8 to 11 amino acid residues, which corresponds to an HLA-binding motif, which actually binds to HLA and which can induce killer cells capable of attacking HIV-infected cells as target cells. The peptide is effective as an anti-AIDS agent for preventing and curing AIDS.

Abstract: The present invention relates to (1) a transglutaminase (hereinafter referred to as TG) isolated from a Bacilli such as those of Bacillus subtilis, (2) a fraction having transglutaminase activity, and (3) a method for producing a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, a peptide or derivatives thereof having a crosslinked structure, by crosslinking the glutamine and lysine residues in the same with the TG or the fraction having TG activity to thereby form intermolecular or intramolecular, crosslinked .epsilon.-(.gamma.-Glu)-Lys bonds. The present invention also relates to (4) a DNA coding for a TG derived from a Bacilli such as Bacillus subtilis, (5) a vector comprising said DNA coding for the TG, (6) a cell transformed with the vector, and (7) a method for producing a Bacillus-derived transglutaminase by incubating the transformant.

Abstract: A DNA fragment containing a gene coding for a novel cell surface layer protein derived from Brevibacterium lactofermentum and having two sequences of: ##STR1## in the molecule, and having a molecular weight of about 63,000 dalton is introduced into Coryneform bacteria to obtain a transformant, or originate a mutant strain being sufficient in the novel cell surface layer protein, which is used for producing a useful substance such as an L-amino acid by an L-amino acid fermentation method.

Abstract: A DNA fragment which contains a mobile genetic element originated from a strain of the genus Brevibacterium is obtained, and a gene is transferred into the chromosomal DNA of the strain making use of the DNA fragment.This invention provides a DNA fragment which contains a mobile genetic element originated from a strain of the genus Brevibacterium and a process for obtaining the DNA fragment, and a process for transferring a gene into the chromosomal DNA of the strain making use of the DNA fragment and a plasmid vector for use in the gene transfer process.

Abstract: The present invention provides a DNA fragment derived from Coryneform bacteria and containing a gene coding for a protein having sucrase activity and a recombinant DNA vector containing said DNA fragment and capable of expression in Coryneform bacteria, The recombinant DNA is introduced into Coryneform bacteria to enhance their sucrase activity, By using the bacteria having enhanced sucrase activity a method is provided for efficiently producing L-amino acids and nucleic acids in a short period of time.

Abstract: A DNA fragment containing a gene coding for a novel cell surface layer protein derived from Brevibacterium lactofermentum and having two sequences of:(1)Thr-Leu-Arg-Gln-His-Tyr-Ser-Ser-Leu-Ile-Pro-Asn-Leu-Phe-Ile-Ala-Ala-Val- Gly-Asn-Ile-Asn-Glu-Leu-Asn-Asn-Ala-Asp-Gln-Ala-Ala-Arg-Glu-Leu-Phe-Leu-Asp -Trp-Asp-Thr (SEQ ID NO: 1) and:(2)Asn-Lys-Thr-Asp-Phe-Ala-Glu-Ile-Glu-Leu-Tyr-Asp-Val-Leu-Tyr-Thr-Asp-Ala- Asp-Ile-Ser-Gly-Asp-Ala-Pro-Leu-Leu-Ala-Pro-Ala-Tyr-Lys (SEQ ID NO: 2)in the molecule, and having a molecular weight of about 63,000 dalton is introduced into Coryneform bacteria to obtain a transformant, or originate a mutant strain being sufficient in the novel cell surface layer protein, which is used for producing a useful substance such as an L-amino acid by an L-amino acid fermentation method.

Abstract: A method for producing L-tryptophan comprising culturing coryneform glutamic acid-producing bacteria transformed with an expression vector capable of replicating and expressing an operably linked anthranilic acid phosphoribosyl transferase gene isolated from a brevibacterium glutamic acid-producing bacterium, growing the transformants in culture medium allowing for the production of L-tryptophan and recovering the L-tryptophan accumulated in the culture medium.

Abstract: A brevibacterium containing a recombinant DNA molecule constructed by operatively connecting a gene coding for shikimate kinase isolated from Brevibacterium lactofermentum to a plasmid vector capable of replicating in the Brevibacterium is disclosed along with methods of preparing this bacterium and of using it in the production of aromatic amino acids.

Abstract: A method for producing an L-amino acid, which comprises inserting a gene which codes for an enzyme which is utilized on the route of biosynthesis of an L-amino acid product into one of at least two plasmid vectors which have compatible replicating origins different from each other, inserting a second gene which codes for an enzyme different from the first enzyme on the route of biosynthesis of the L-amino acid into a second of the plasmid vectors; introducing the thus obtained recombinant plasmids into a strain of Coryneform bacteria; and culturing the thus transformed strain which is capable of producing the L-amino acid, said two enzymes being highly rate determining enzymes for the biosynthesis of L-amino acid.

Abstract: A recombinant DNA molecule comprising a plasmid vector having operationally inserted therein a gene coding for homoserine kinase is disclosed along with bacteria containing this recombinant DNA molecule and methods of using these bacteria to produce amino acids in large quantities.

Abstract: A process for producing L-tryptophan in which a suitable substrate such as a carbohydrate, indole or anthranilic acid is contacted with Coryneform bacteria, where the Coryneform bacteria bear recombinant DNA constructed by connecting a gene coding for tryptophan synthetase with a plasmid vector capable of proliferating in Coryneform bacteria.

Abstract: A genetic sequence coding for the production of a protein having the activity of diaminopimelic acid decarboxylase and having two Pst I cleavage sites in its DNA chain and a molecular weight of 2.9.+-.0.05 Md, is incorporated into a vehicle capable of replication in Coryneform bacteria and used to produce L-lysine by fermentation.