Abstract: Provided is a detergent having a high detergency against corneum-derived stains and a method for evaluating the ability of an enzyme to degrade corneum-derived stains. The detergent a M23A subfamily protease as an active ingredient. The method for evaluating the ability of the enzyme to degrade corneum-derived stains comprises obtaining the degrading activities of the test enzyme on a reference peptide and one or more substrate peptides and evaluating the ability of the test enzyme to degrade corneum-derived stains based on the degrading activities of the test enzyme on the reference peptide and the substrate peptide, wherein the reference peptide is GGGGG or GGGG, the one or more substrate peptides are selected from the group consisting of GGGXG, GXGGG, GGXG, and GXGG, and X is any amino acid residue other than glycine.

Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently producing an M23A family protease. The method for producing an M23A family protease includes culturing bacteria of the genus Bacillus having a polynucleotide encoding a proprotein of the M23A family protease introduced thereinto to produce a mature form of the M23A family protease extracellularly from the bacteria of the genus Bacillus.

Abstract: Provided is a mutant protease with improved stability under acidic condition. A mutant protease that consists of the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:2 or an amino acid sequence having an identity of at least 90% thereto, in which the amino acid residue at a position corresponding to position 303 in the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO:2 is substituted with another amino acid residue.

Abstract: Provided is a method for efficiently producing an M23A family protease. The method for producing an M23A family protease includes culturing bacteria of the genus Bacillus having a polynucleotide encoding a proprotein of the M23A family protease introduced thereinto to produce a mature form of the M23A family protease extracellularly from the bacteria of the genus Bacillus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a detergent having a high detergency against corneum-derived stains, a method for evaluating the ability of an enzyme or a composition comprising the enzyme to degrade corneum-derived stains. A detergent comprising an M23A subfamily protease as an active ingredient.

Abstract: Provided is a microorganism having high sophorolipid production capability. Disclosed is a sophorolipid-producing yeast mutant strain, in which a polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity therewith, has been deleted or deactivated.

Abstract: Provided is a microorganism exhibiting high production capability for sophorolipids. Disclosed is a yeast mutant strain having high sophorolipid productivity, in which a transporter transporting Acyl-CoA to a peroxisome has been deleted or deactivated.

Abstract: Provided is a microorganism exhibiting high production capability for sophorolipids. Disclosed is a yeast mutant strain having high sophorolipid productivity, in which a transporter transporting Acyl-CoA to a peroxisome has been deleted or deactivated.

Abstract: Provided is a microorganism having high sophorolipid production capability. Disclosed is a sophorolipid-producing yeast mutant strain, in which a polypeptide consisting of the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:2 or an amino acid sequence having at least 90% identity therewith, has been deleted or deactivated.

Abstract: Providing an alkaline protease exhibiting an improved solubility in a liquid detergent. A mutant alkaline protease consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No: 2 or an amino acid sequence having 80% or more sequence identity therewith, in which at least one amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of the amino acid residues at predetermined positions of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No: 2 or corresponding positions thereto are substituted.

Abstract: Providing an alkaline protease exhibiting an improved solubility in a liquid detergent. A mutant alkaline protease consisting of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No: 2 or an amino acid sequence having 80% or more sequence identity therewith, in which at least one amino acid residue selected from the group consisting of the amino acid residues at predetermined positions of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID No: 2 or corresponding positions thereto are substituted.

Abstract: The invention is directed to an alkaline protease that has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or of an amino acid sequence having an identity of 90% or more thereto, except that one or more amino acid residues at positions selected from (a) position 6, (b) position 15, (c) position 16, (d) position 65, (e) position 66, (f) position 82, (g) position 83, (h) position 204, (i) position 319, and (j) position 337 of SEQ ID NO: 2, or at positions corresponding thereto, are substituted with certain other amino acid residues. The invention is also directed to detergent compositions and culture medium that contain the protease.

Abstract: A recombinant microorganism obtained by transferring, into a host microorganism capable of producing protein or polypeptide with increased productivity, a gene encoding a protein or polypeptide, and a method for producing a protein or polypeptide by use of the recombinant microorganism. The recombinant microorganism is prepared by transferring, to a mutant strain of microorganism from which any of Bacillus subtilis genes comA, yopO, treR, yvbA, cspB, yvaN, yttP, yurK, yozA, licR, sigL, mntR, glcT, yvdE, ykvE, slr, rocR, ccpA, yaaT, yyaA, yycH, yacP, hprK, rsiX, yhdK, and ylbO, or one or more genes functionally equivalent to any of these genes have been deleted or knocked out, a gene encoding a heterologous protein or polypeptide.

Abstract: An alkaline protease variant derived from an alkaline protease consisting of an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2 or consisting of an amino acid sequence having an identity of 90% or more therewith, which variant has mutations wherein one or more amino acid residues at positions selected from (a) position 6, (b) position 15, (c) position 16, (d) position 65, (e) position 66, (f) position 82, (g) position 83, (h) position 204, (i) position 319, and (j) position 337 of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2, or at positions corresponding thereto are substituted with the following amino acid residues: (a) or a position corresponding thereto: Typ, Leu, Val, Ile, Met, Tyr, Gln, Lys, Thr, Phe, Arg, Ser, Cys, Ala, or His; (b) or a position corresponding thereto: Glu, Met, Asp, Val, Gln, Arg, Cys, Trp, Ala, or Phe; (c) or a position corresponding thereto: Met, Glu, Arg, Val, Lys, Phe, Tyr, Ile, His, Asp, or Cys; (d) or a position corresponding thereto: Trp; (e) or a position corresponding t

Abstract: Novel Bacillus subtilis mutant strains having good productivity of various enzymes are provided through extensive analysis of strains that are derived from Bacillus subtilis via gene disruption. The Bacillus subtilis mutant strains according to the present invention have genomic structures prepared by deletion of regions listed in the columns for deficient regions. Each of these Bacillus subtilis mutant strains exerts significantly improved secretory productivity of a protein when a gene encoding such a secretory target protein is introduced so that it can be expressed, compared with a case in which the same gene is introduced into a wild-type strain.

Abstract: A microorganism wherein one or more genes selected from the group of genes participating in sporulation in the middle to late stages of sporulation have been deleted or inactivated; and a process for producing a target product (a protein) by use the microorganism. No spore is formed when this microorganism is employed, thereby enabling production of a target product (a protein) while decreasing energy loss, production of a by-product and specific production speed to decrease unnecessary consumption of a medium. Moreover, the production period can be prolonged, whereby the target product (the protein) can be produced efficiently.

Abstract: Novel Bacillus subtilis mutant strains having good productivity of various enzymes are provided through extensive analysis of strains that are derived from Bacillus subtilis via gene disruption. The Bacillus subtilis mutant strains according to the present invention have genomic structures prepared by deletion of regions listed in the columns for deficient regions. Each of these Bacillus subtilis mutant strains exerts significantly improved secretory productivity of a protein when a gene encoding such a secretory target protein is introduced so that it can be expressed, compared with a case in which the same gene is introduced into a wild-type strain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant microorganism obtained by transferring, into a host microorganism which is capable of producing protein or polypeptide with increased productivity and which was identified by the present inventors, a gene encoding a protein or polypeptide, and a method for producing a protein or polypeptide by use of the recombinant microorganism.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant microorganism obtained by transferring, into a host microorganism which is capable of producing protein or polypeptide with increased productivity and which was identified by the present inventors, a gene encoding a protein or polypeptide, and a method for producing a protein or polypeptide by use of the recombinant microorganism. The recombinant microorganism is prepared by transferring, to a mutant strain of microorganism from which any of at least one gene participating in membrane permeation of maltose has been deleted or knocked out, a gene encoding a heterologous protein or polypeptide.

Abstract: A recombinant microorganism obtained by transferring, into a host microorganism capable of producing protein or polypeptide with increased productivity, a gene encoding a protein or polypeptide, and a method for producing a protein or polypeptide by use of the recombinant microorganism. The recombinant microorganism is prepared by transferring, to a mutant strain of microorganism from which any of Bacillus subtilis genes comA, yopO, treR, yvbA, cspB, yvaN, yttP, yurK, yozA, licR, sigL, mntR, glcT, yvdE, ykvE, sir, rocR, ccpA, yaaT, yyaA, yycH, yacP, hprK, rsiX, yhdK, and yibO, or one or more genes functionally equivalent to any of these genes have been deleted or knocked out, a gene encoding a heterologous protein or polypeptide.