Abstract: Provided are: a coating material for seeds that can be obtained by a simple treatment stage; and a coated seed that is coated with the aforesaid coating material, suffers from little physical damage and is almost free from growth inhibition. The coating material for seeds comprises as a major component a pulverized inorganic mineral powder. The coated seed is coated with the aforesaid coating material.

Abstract: Provided are: a coating material for seeds that can be obtained by a simple treatment stage; and a coated seed that is coated with the aforesaid coating material, suffers from little physical damage and is almost free from growth inhibition. The coating material for seeds comprises as a major component a pulverized inorganic mineral powder. The coated seed is coated with the aforesaid coating material.

Abstract: Providing is a new enzyme assay method for enzymes having a water-insoluble or substantially water-insoluble substrate. In the method for measuring enzymatic activity, a prescribed amount of an enzyme is disposed on a part of the surface of a gel comprising dispersoids, at least some of which are the substrate of the enzyme. Recesses formed in the surface of the gel by the action of the enzyme are measured, and the enzyme activity is calculated on the basis of the measurement results and the amount of the enzyme. The measurement of the recesses formed in the surface of the gel is performed using a method for measuring the shape and the volume of the recesses, a method for measuring changes in the optical transmittance of the gel due to the formation of the recesses, or a method for measuring changes in the optical reflectance of the gel surface due to the formation of the recesses.

Abstract: This invention provides: DNA encoding cellulase enzymes from intestinal symbiotic protists of the insects of Reticulitermes speratus, Hodotermopsis sjostedti, Neotermes koshunensis, Mastotermes darwiniensis, and Cryptocercidae, comprising the nucleotide sequences as shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 to 140; an expression system for the DNA; and a method for producing the cellulase enzymes using the expression system.

Abstract: This invention provides a cellulase enzyme derived from intestinal symbiotic protists of insects selected from the group consisting of Reticulitermes speratus, Hodotermopsis sjostedti, Neotermes koshunensis, Mastotermes darwiniensis, and Cryptocercidae and comprising an amino acid sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of the nucleotide sequences as shown in SEQ ID NOS:1 to 140 and nucleotide sequences having 90% or higher identity therewith, a mixture of two or more said enzymes, a processed matter of said enzyme or mixture, DNA encoding said enzyme and an expression system thereof, and a method for producing said enzyme.