Abstract: The invention aims to provide a novel alkaline protease having peculiar properties such as high alkali activity, resistance to surfactants and calcium-dependent thermostability and exhibiting excellent performance in highly alkaline detergents, and a gene coding for the amino acid sequence thereof. There is provided an alkaline protease with such properties that an active pH range is from 5 to 13, an optimum pH is approximately 12.6, an optimum temperature is 70° C., no activity drop by heating is observed up to 65° C. at pH 10 and the optimum temperature and the thermostability are not affected by Ca2+ ions. Specifically, there is provided, for example, an alkaline protease having an amino acid sequence constituting a mature enzyme as represented by SEQ ID NO: 3 or an amino acid sequence resulting from deletion, substitution, situs inversus arrangement, addition or insertion of a part of amino acids thereof, or derived from Alkaliphillus transvaalensis.

Abstract: The invention aims to provide a novel alkaline protease having peculiar properties such as high alkali activity, resistance to surfactants and calcium-dependent thermostability and exhibiting excellent performance in highly alkaline detergents, and a gene coding for the amino acid sequence thereof. There is provided an alkaline protease with such properties that an active pH range is from 5 to 13, an optimum pH is approximately 12.6, an optimum temperature is 70° C., no activity drop by heating is observed up to 65° C. at pH 10 and the optimum temperature and the thermostability are not affected by Ca2+ ions. Specifically, there is provided, for example, an alkaline protease having an amino acid sequence constituting a mature enzyme as represented by SEQ ID NO: 3 or an amino acid sequence resulting from deletion, substitution, situs inversus arrangement, addition or insertion of a part of amino acids thereof, or derived from Alkaliphillus transvaalensis.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid medium containing as a medium-solidifying component a cellulose gel, in particular a cellulose gel which is a porous cellulose gel structure containing cellulose as the skeletal part and having a cellulose concentration of 0.01% or higher and a porosity of 50% or higher, as well as a process for producing the same. The solid medium of the invention can be obtained by dispersing cellulose in a solvent, especially an aqueous thiocyanate salt solution, stirring and/or heating the dispersion to dissolve the cellulose, subsequently cooling the solution and/or removing the solvent to cause the solution to gel, and permeating nutrients into the resultant cellulose gel. The solid medium usable under a wide range of culture conditions where conventional solid media such as agar medium cannot be used, as well as a method for producing the same is provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of judging the thermostability of a protein, comprising the steps of calculating an analytical value specific to a test protein by a principal component analysis based on the amino acid composition of the protein calculated from the data of the amino acid sequence of the protein or the nucleotide sequence of the gene and comparing the analytical value with an analytical value of a protein which is retained by a thermostable organism and corresponds to the test protein, and further relates to a program for allowing a computer to execute processing for judging the thermostability of a protein by the method, and a computer readable recording medium having recorded the program thereon.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a yeast which is tolerant to copper and which can incorporate copper at a high concentration, and also a method of removing or recovering copper from extracellular solution. The present invention is copper-tolerant yeast and the pectinases produced by the yeast. Particularly, the present invention is copper-tolerant yeast Cryptococcus sp. N6 strain isolated from deep-sea sediments and the pectinases produced by the yeast.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a solid medium containing as a medium-solidifying component a cellulose gel, in particular a cellulose gel which is a porous cellulose gel structure containing cellulose as the skeletal part and having a cellulose concentration of 0.01% or higher and a porosity of 50% or higher, as well as a process for producing the same. The solid medium of the invention can be obtained by dispersing cellulose in a solvent, especially an aqueous thiocyanate salt solution, stirring and/or heating the dispersion to dissolve the cellulose, subsequently cooling the solution and/or removing the solvent to cause the solution to gel, and permeating nutrients into the resultant cellulose gel. The solid medium usable under a wide range of culture conditions where conventional solid media such as agar medium cannot be used, as well as a method for producing the same is provided.

Abstract: A method of taking a crustal core sample, wherein the crustal core sample is obtained in a state coated with an antimicrobial polymeric gel formed of a polymer and an inorganic antimicrobial agent dispersed in the polymer. The inorganic antimicrobial agent is a compound containing at least one of silver, zinc or ions thereof. The inorganic antimicrobial agent is carried on a carrier material. The polymer forming the antimicrobial polymeric gel contains a hydrophilic group, and the antimicrobial polymeric gel contains the inorganic antimicrobial agent in a proportion of 0.0001 to 10.0 mass %.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of judging the thermostability of a protein, comprising the steps of calculating an analytical value specific to a test protein by a principal component analysis based on the amino acid composition of the protein calculated from the data of the amino acid sequence of the protein or the nucleotide sequence of the gene and comparing the analytical value with an analytical value of a protein which is retained by a thermostable organism and corresponds to the test protein, and further relates to a program for allowing a computer to execute processing for judging the thermostability of a protein by the method, and a computer readable recording medium having recorded the program thereon.

Abstract: A method of taking a crustal core sample, wherein the crustal core sample is obtained in a state coated with an antimicrobial polymeric gel formed of a polymer obtained by polymerizing an antimicrobial monomer, preferably a quaternary ammonium salt compound. The polymer preferably contains a component derived from the antimicrobial monomer in a proportion of 1 to 10 mol%.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of taking a crustal core sample, wherein the crustal core sample is obtained in a state coated with antimicrobial polymeric gel formed of a polymer and an inorganic antimicrobial agent dispersed in the polymer. It is preferred that the inorganic antimicrobial agent is a compound containing at least one of silver, zinc, copper and ions thereof, the inorganic antimicrobial agent is carried onto a carrier material, the polymer forming the antimicrobial polymeric gel contains a hydrophilic group, and the antimicrobial polymeric gel contains the inorganic antimicrobial agent in a proportion of 0.0001 to 10.0 mass %.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a yeast which is tolerant to copper and which can incorporate copper at a high concentration, and also a method of removing or recovering copper from extracellular solution. The present invention is copper-tolerant yeast and the pectinases produced by the yeast. Particularly, the present invention is copper-tolerant yeast Cryptococcus sp. N6 strain isolated from deep-sea sediments and the pectinases produced by the yeast.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of taking a crustal core sample, wherein the crustal core sample is obtained in a state coated with antimicrobial polymeric gel obtained by polymerizing an antimicrobial monomer. It is preferred that antimicrobial monomer is a quaternary ammonium salt compound, and the polymer contains a component derived from the antimicrobial monomer in a proportion of 1 to 10 mol %.

Abstract: A method for detecting microorganisms present in a sample comprises the steps of: applying a non-lethal hydrostatic pressure to a sample containing microorganisms; and staining the microorganisms with a fluorescent dye. The method permits a significant increase in the uptake of a fluorescent substance by applying, to a sample, a desired non-lethal hydrostatic pressure, without causing any reduction of the survival rate of microorganisms. The method also permits the elimination of such a secondary effect that the subject microorganism undergoes proliferation during staining the same with a fluorescent dye. Thus, the present invention would contribute to the determination of the correct viable count in a wide variety of technical fields.

Abstract: A method for detecting microorganisms present in a sample comprises the steps of: applying a non-lethal hydrostatic pressure to a sample containing microorganisms; and staining the microorganisms with a fluorescent dye. The method permits a significant increase in the uptake of a fluorescent substance by applying, to a sample, a desired non-lethal hydrostatic pressure, without causing any reduction of the survival rate of microorganisms. The method also permits the elimination of such a secondary effect that the subject microorganism undergoes proliferation during staining the same with a fluorescent dye. Thus, the present invention would contribute to the determination of the correct viable count in a wide variety of technical fields.

Abstract: Disclosed are a novel microorganism (FERM BP-5144) belonging to the genus Plesiomonas and having ability to produce maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase required for the enzymatic production of trehalose and novel maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase obtainable from the microorganism as well as a process for producing the enzymes. A novel process for enzymatically producing trehalose (O-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.1)-D-glucopyranoside) is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are a novel microorganism (FERM BP-5144) belonging to the genus Plesiomonas and having ability to produce maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase required for the enzymatic production of trehalose and novel maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase obtainable from the microorganism as well as a process for producing the enzymes. A novel process for enzymatically producing trehalose (O-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.1)-D-glucopyranoside) is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are a novel microorganism (FERM BP-5144) belonging to the genus Plesiomonas and having ability to produce maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase required for the enzymatic production of trehalose and novel maltose phosphorylase and trehalose phosphorylase obtainable from the microorganism as well as a process for producing the enzymes. A novel process for enzymatically producing trehalose (O-.alpha.-D-glucopyranosyl-(1.fwdarw.1)-D-glucopyranoside) is also disclosed.

Abstract: A microorganism belonging to the genus Flavobacterium posessing the capacity to decompose hydrocarbons, tolerance to sulfurous acids, tolerance to salinity, tolerance to organic solvents, and tolerance to pressure. The microorganism is of a strain of the genus Flavobacterium DS-711 (FERM BP-4010). A hydrocarbon emulsifier or solubilizer having as an active component thereof a water soluble and acetone insoluble fraction obtained by culturing DS-711 strain. In addition the emulsifier or solubilizer obtained by culturing the strain DS-711 contains 18.4% protein, 18.8% carbohydrates and 28.6% lipids.

Abstract: Methanohalococcus alcaliphilum having an optimum growth sodium chloride concentration ranging from about 2.5 to about 3 mole are herein disclosed. The bacteria are halophilic or halophilic and alkalophilic and can be used as the microorganisms which play a central role in the methods of methane fermentation to enhance the efficiency of such a method since the use of the microorganism makes it possible to carry out the method at an alkaline pH, in the presence of salts in a high concentration and at a low temperature.

Abstract: A microorganism belonging to the genus Flavobacterium possessing the capacity to decompose hydrocarbons, tolerance to sulfurous acids, tolerance to salinity, tolerance to organic solvents, and tolerance to pressure. The microorganism is a strain of the genus Flavobacterium DS-711 (FERM BP-4010).