Abstract: A Corynebacterium glutamicum transformant having the capability of producing isobutanol and the following genes (1) to (5): (1) a gene which encodes an enzyme having acetohydroxy acid synthase activity; (2) a gene which encodes an enzyme having acetohydroxy acid isomeroreductase activity; (3) a gene which encodes an enzyme having dihydroxy acid dehydratase activity; (4) a gene which encodes an enzyme having 2-keto acid decarboxylase activity; and (5) a gene which encodes an enzyme having alcohol dehydrogenase activity, at least one of the genes being endogenous, and at least one of the genes being exogenous, efficiently produces isobutanol.

Abstract: The catalyst exhibiting hydrogen spillover effect relates to the composition of a catalyst exhibiting hydrogen spillover effect and to a process for preparing the catalyst. The catalyst has a reduced transition base metal of Group VIB or Group VIIIB, such as cobalt, nickel, molybdenum or tungsten, supported on a high porous carrier, such as saponite, the base metal being ion-exchanged with at least one precious metal of Group VIIIB. The process includes the steps of loading the base metal onto the support, reducing the base metal, preferably with H2 at 600° C., and thereafter ion-exchanging the precious metal with the base metal. Preferred examples of the catalyst include a saponite support loaded with about 10-20 wt % cobalt and about 0.1-1 wt % precious metal. The catalyst is optimized for reactions that occur in commercial processes at about 360-400° C., such as in hydrocracking.

Abstract: A transformant capable of producing isopropanol which is constructed by transferring the following genes (a) to (d) into a coryneform bacterium: (a) an exogenous gene which encodes an enzyme having acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase activity; (b) an exogenous gene which encodes an enzyme having acetoacetyl CoA: acetate CoA-transferase activity; (c) an exogenous gene which encodes an enzyme having acetoacetate decarboxylase activity; and (d) an exogenous gene which encodes an enzyme having isopropanol dehydrogenase activity.

Abstract: A coryneform bacterium transformant prepared by transferring an exogenous gene which encodes a protein having a sugar transporter function into a coryneform bacterium capable of utilizing D-xylose.

Abstract: A hydrogen producing method by culturing a microorganism having a hydrogenase gene, in which a lactic acid biogenetic path and a succinic acid biogenetic path in anaerobic metabolic paths are inactivated, under an anaerobic condition in the presence of organic substrate. The microorganism may further have a formate dehydrogenase gene. The microorganism may be Escherichia coli which is a facultative anaerobic bacterium.

Abstract: The catalyst exhibiting hydrogen spillover effect relates to the composition of a catalyst exhibiting hydrogen spillover effect and to a process for preparing the catalyst. The catalyst has a reduced transition base metal of Group VIB or Group VIIIB, such as cobalt, nickel, molybdenum or tungsten, supported on a high porous carrier, such as saponite, the base metal being ion-exchanged with at least one precious metal of Group VIIIB. The process includes the steps of loading the base metal onto the support, reducing the base metal, preferably with H2 at 600° C., and thereafter ion-exchanging the precious metal with the base metal. Preferred examples of the catalyst include a saponite support loaded with about 10-20 wt % cobalt and about 0.1-1 wt % precious metal. The catalyst is optimized for reactions that occur in commercial processes at about 360-400° C., such as in hydrocracking.

Abstract: A transformant capable of producing isopropanol which is constructed by transferring the following genes (a) to (d) into an aerobic bacterium or a facultative anaerobic bacterium: (a) a foreign gene which encodes an enzyme having acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase activity; (b) a foreign gene which encodes an enzyme having acetoacetyl CoA:acetate CoA-transferase activity; (c) a foreign gene which encodes an enzyme having acetoacetate decarboxylase activity; and (d) a foreign gene which encodes an enzyme having isopropanol dehydrogenase activity.

Abstract: The multiple zeolite catalyst is a catalytic composition used to convert C9+ alkylaromatic hydrocarbons to BTX, particularly commercially valuable xylenes. The catalyst is formed by mixing at least two zeolites selected from mordenite, beta zeolite, ZSM-5, ZSM-11, ZSM-12, ZSM-22, ZSM-23, MFI topology zeolite, NES topology zeolite, EU-1, MAPO-36, SAPO-5, SAPO-11, SAPO-34, and SAPO-41, and adding at least one metal component selected from Group VIB and Group VIII of the Periodic Table of the Elements. The two zeolites should have different physical and chemical characteristics, such as pore size and acidity. An exemplary catalyst includes mordenite, ZSM-5, and 3 wt. % molybdenum. The transalkylation reaction may be conducted in one or more reactors with a fixed bed, moving bed, or radial flow reactor at 200-540° C., a pressure of 1.0-5.0 MPa, and liquid hourly space velocity of 1.0-5.0 per hour.

Abstract: In a step of contacting an organic material including formic acid ions and a carbon source other than the formic acid ions with a microorganism having a formate dehydrogenase gene and a hydrogenase gene under an anaerobic condition, concentration of the formic acid ions in the organic material is set to be not less than 0.01 mol/L and not more than 0.5 mol/L, and concentration of the carbon source is set to not less than 0.1 mmol/L and not more than 200 mmol/L. This allows continuously producing hydrogen for a long time, without dropping the ability of the microorganism to produce hydrogen.

Abstract: The present invention provides a microorganism which possesses the formate dehydrogenase gene and hydrogenase gene and contains an exogenous transcription activator gene for formate hydrogen lyase system, characterized in that said microorganism shows the transcription activator for formate hydrogen lyase system highly expressed therein and shows an improved function to generate hydrogen from formic acid, and a process for producing hydrogen using the microorganism. Utilization of the microorganism of the present invention enables the hydrogen production from an organic substrate to be accomplished on a practical, commercial scale. The hydrogen to be produced by the present invention, which is free of carbon monoxide being causative to poisoning of the electrode catalyst for fuel cells, is useful as a fuel for fuel cells.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of inducing expression of a promoter function of various genes in a Coryneform bacterium related to function exertion, in order to exert the function of a Coryneform bacterium highly and effectively under an anaerobic condition, for producing an organic compound useful under an anaerobic condition, more particularly, provides a method of enhancing and/or suppressing the promoter function related to various genes, for the purpose of highly and effectively expressing various protein genes necessary for production of an objective substance, and suppressing expression of an unnecessary protein gene. The DNA fragment of the present invention is useful as a primer which is introduced into a transformed Coryneform bacterium producing a useful substance such as lactic acid and succinic acid highly and at a high efficiency.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aerobic coryneform bacterium transformant in which a lactate dehydrogenase gene is disrupted, and a pyruvate carboxylase gene is recombined so as to be highly expressed by a genetic engineering method. The aerobic coryneform bacterium transformant of the present invention can produce dicarboxylic acids from saccharides at a high production rate.

Abstract: A hydrogen producing method by culturing a microorganism having a hydrogenase gene, in which a lactic acid biogenetic path and a succinic acid biogenetic path in anaerobic metabolic paths are inactivated, under an anaerobic condition in the presence of organic substrate. The microorganism may further have a formate dehydrogenase gene. The microorganism may be Escherichia coli which is a facultative anaerobic bacterium.

Abstract: The present invention provides an aerobic coryneform bacterium transformant in which a lactate dehydrogenase gene is disrupted, and a pyruvate carboxylase gene is recombined so as to be highly expressed by a genetic engineering method. The aerobic coryneform bacterium transformant of the present invention can produce dicarboxylic acids from saccharides at a high production rate.