Abstract: A fuel production plant includes an electrolysis apparatus; an ethanol generation apparatus that decomposes sugars to generate ethanol and carbon dioxide; and a hydrocarbon generation apparatus that generates hydrocarbons by reacting carbon dioxide with hydrogen. The fuel production plant further includes a hydrogen supply part that supplies hydrogen generated in the electrolysis apparatus to the hydrocarbon generation apparatus by coupling the electrolysis apparatus to the hydrocarbon generation apparatus, an oxygen supply part that supplies oxygen generated in the electrolysis apparatus to the ethanol generation apparatus by coupling the electrolysis apparatus to the ethanol generation apparatus, and a carbon dioxide supply part that supplies carbon dioxide generated in the ethanol generation apparatus to the hydrocarbon generation apparatus by coupling the ethanol generation apparatus to the hydrocarbon generation apparatus.

Abstract: A fuel production plant includes an electrolysis apparatus; an ethanol generation apparatus that decomposes sugars to generate ethanol and carbon dioxide; and a hydrocarbon generation apparatus that generates hydrocarbons by reacting carbon dioxide with hydrogen. The fuel production plant further includes a hydrogen supply part that supplies hydrogen generated in the electrolysis apparatus to the hydrocarbon generation apparatus by coupling the electrolysis apparatus to the hydrocarbon generation apparatus, an oxygen supply part that supplies oxygen generated in the electrolysis apparatus to the ethanol generation apparatus by coupling the electrolysis apparatus to the ethanol generation apparatus, and a carbon dioxide supply part that supplies carbon dioxide generated in the ethanol generation apparatus to the hydrocarbon generation apparatus by coupling the ethanol generation apparatus to the hydrocarbon generation apparatus.

Abstract: A eukaryotic cell having xylose utilization ability. Provided is a protein that has xylose isomerase activity and has an amino acid sequence including, when aligned with an amino acid sequence expressed by SEQ ID NO:1, the 1st to 6th motifs expressed respectively by SEQ ID NOs:2 to 7 from the N-terminus side in the order described, and having, in place of asparagine (N) in an amino acid sequence of the 6th motif, another amino acid.

Abstract: A eukaryotic cell having xylose utilization ability. Provided is a protein that has xylose isomerase activity and has an amino acid sequence including, when aligned with an amino acid sequence expressed by SEQ ID NO:1, the 1st to 6th motifs expressed respectively by SEQ ID NOs:2 to 7 from the N-terminus side in the order described, and having, in place of asparagine (N) in an amino acid sequence of the 6th motif, another amino acid.

Abstract: A eukaryotic cell having xylose utilization ability. Provided is a protein that has xylose isomerase activity and has an amino acid sequence including, when aligned with an amino acid sequence expressed by SEQ ID NO:1, the 1st to 6th motifs expressed respectively by SEQ ID NOs:2 to 7 from the N-terminus side in the order described, and having, in place of asparagine (N) in an amino acid sequence of the 6th motif, another amino acid.

Abstract: A eukaryotic cell having xylose utilization ability. Provided is a protein that has xylose isomerase activity and has an amino acid sequence including, when aligned with an amino acid sequence expressed by SEQ ID NO:1, the 1st to 6th motifs expressed respectively by SEQ ID NOs:2 to 7 from the N-terminus side in the order described, and having, in place of asparagine (N) in an amino acid sequence of the 6th motif, another amino acid.

Abstract: The invention is intended to metabolize acetic acid and to lower acetic acid concentration in a medium at the time of xylose assimilation and ethanol fermentation by a yeast strain having xylose-metabolizing ability. The method for producing ethanol comprises a step of culturing recombinant yeast strains resulting from introduction of a xylose isomerase gene and an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase gene into a medium containing xylose, so as to perform ethanol fermentation.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for improving the xylose-metabolizing ability of a yeast strain having xylose-metabolizing ability. The method comprises steps of: soaking the yeast strain having xylose-metabolizing ability in an acetic-acid-containing solution; and then, culturing the yeast strain in a xylose-containing medium to perform ethanol fermentation.

Abstract: The present invention provides, inter alia, an improvement in the production of a desired product from yeast, wherein the growth rate and fermentation rate of the yeast are maintained at excellent levels. The present invention also provides, inter alia, for the introduction of a foreign gene into a yeast host cell, wherein the foreign gene encodes an enzyme involved in the production of a desired product. The yeast may also constitutively express a HAP4 gene, or a homologous gene thereof, to significantly improve the ability of the yeast to produce the desired product while maintaining its growth rate and fermentation rate. In some embodiments, a yeast mutant is used which is a mutant strain having lowered alcohol productivity vis-à-vis a wild-type strain.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for improving the xylose-metabolizing ability of a yeast strain having xylose-metabolizing ability. The method comprises steps of: soaking the yeast strain having xylose-metabolizing ability in an acetic-acid-containing solution; and then, culturing the yeast strain in a xylose-containing medium to perform ethanol fermentation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transformant into which has been incorporated DNA for coding a foreign protein having lactate dehydrogenase activity and provided with pyruvic acid substrate affinity that equals or exceeds the pyruvic acid substrate affinity of the pyruvate decarboxylase inherent in the host organism. Said transformant can stably mass-produce lactic acid inside a host organism having the pyruvate decarboxylase gene.

Abstract: According to the present invention, the ability to produce a desired product is significantly improved and the growth rate and the fermentation rate are maintained at excellent levels for yeast upon production of a desired product with the use of yeast A yeast used as a host is introduced with a foreign gene that encodes an enzyme involved in the production of a desired product and the HAP4 gene that can be constitutively expressed or a homologous gene thereof. Preferably a yeast mutant is a mutant strain having lowered alcohol productivity than that of a wild-type strain.

Abstract: Lactic acid with high optical purity that has not previously been achieved is produced. It has been found that the optical purity of lactic acid is reduced as the racemization reaction of lactic acid proceeds when lactic acid coexists with glycerol. By reducing the amount of glycerol prior to concentrating lactic acid by heating, the optical purity of lactic acid after concentration by heating can be maintained at a high level.

Abstract: Lactic acid with high optical purity that has not previously been achieved is produced. It has been found that the optical purity of lactic acid is reduced as the racemization reaction of lactic acid proceeds when lactic acid coexists with glycerol. By reducing the amount of glycerol prior to concentrating lactic acid by heating, the optical purity of lactic acid after concentration by heating can be maintained at a high level.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transformant into which has been incorporated DNA for coding a foreign protein having lactate dehydrogenase activity and provided with pyruvic acid substrate affinity that equals or exceeds the pyruvic acid substrate affinity of the pyruvate decarboxylase inherent in the host organism. Said transformant can stably mass-produce lactic acid inside a host organism having the pyruvate decarboxylase gene.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of expressing a gene by inserting the genome into a host organism using genetic engineering techniques. The present invention further relates to a novel promoter, a recombinant vector containing the promoter and a target gene, a transformant containing the recombinant vector, and a method of producing a useful gene product or useful substance using the transformant.