Abstract: The present invention provides a high production method of prenyl alcohol, which comprises culturing prenyl alcohol-producing cells in a medium with an increased sugar content in the presence of at least one member selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a fat or oil, and a terpene to produce and accumulate prenyl alcohol in the cells; allowing the accumulated prenyl alcohol to be secreted from the cells; and then collecting prenyl alcohol. The present invention enables prenyl alcohol to be highly produced in and effectively secreted from prenyl alcohol-producing cells by culturing the cells in a medium with an increased sugar content in the presence of at least one member selected from the group consisting of a surfactant, a fat or oil, and a terpene.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to genetic material useful for the preparation of actinol, such as an isolated DNA including a nucleotide sequence coding for an enzyme having levodione reductase activity, a polypeptide encoded by such a DNA, recombinant organisms, and the like. These genetic materials may originate from Corynebacterium, Cellulomonas, Planococcus, Arthrobacter, and the like. The present invention also provides a process for the production of actinol.

Abstract: A process for preparing lipids which contain docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and/or docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) is disclosed. The process includes the steps of cultivating in a medium a microorganism which belongs to the genus Ulkenia having the ability to produce DHA and/or DPA and recovering the lipids from the culture. The process may further include the step of separating DHA and/or DPA from the lipids.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing geranylgeraniol and analogous compounds thereof, which comprises culturing yeast cells (ascomycetes and deuteromycetes), bacterial cells, actinomycete cells or filamentous fungus cells, all of which are capable of producing geranylgeraniol and analogous compounds thereof, in a medium to produce and accumulate geranylgeraniol and analogous compounds thereof in the cells and/or in the extracellular environment; and then collecting these compounds. The present invention enables inexpensive mass production of geranylgeraniol and analogous compounds thereof by using microorganisms capable of producing geranylgeraniol, farnesol and/or nerolidol useful as biosynthetic intermediates of terpenes, carotenoids and/or steroids.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to genetic material useful for the preparation of actinol, such as an isolated DNA including a nucleotide sequence coding for an enzyme having levodione reductase activity, a polypeptide encoded by such a DNA, recombinant organisms, and the like. These genetic materials may originate from Corynebacterium, Cellulomonas, Planococcus, Arthrobacter, and the like. The present invention also provides a process for the production of actinol.

Abstract: A levodione reductase having the following physical properties is provided: molecular weight: from about 142,000 to about 155,000±10,000 (consisting of four homologous subunits having a molecular weight of 36,000±5,000); co-factor: nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (AND/NADH); substrate specificity: active on levodione; optimum temperature: about 15° C. to about 20° C. at pH 7.0; optimum pH: 7.5; and activator: K+, Cs+, Rb+, Na+ and NH4+. The levodione reductase according to the present invention produces actinol, an important intermediate for the production of zeaxanthin, from levodione. This enzyme may be produced from a microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium, preferably the microorganism Corynebacterium aquaticum AKU 611 (FERM BP-6448) or a functional equivalent, subculture, mutant or variant thereof.

Abstract: Genomic DNA and cDNA encoding &Dgr;9-desaturase from a microorganism belonging to the subgenus Mortierella of the genus Mortierella, an expression vector for expression thereof, and a transformant are disclosed. A method for producing &Dgr;9-desaturase by use of a gene encoding the enzyme is also disclosed. Introduction of the &Dgr;9-desaturase gene of the present invention into an unsaturated fatty acid producing cell can enhance conversion into palmitoleic acid or oleic acid, starting materials for unsaturated fatty acids, and can increase the production of unsaturated fatty acids. By combining a gene for cytochrome b5 or a gene for cytochrome b5 reductase, constituents of the microsomal electron transport system, with the &Dgr;9-desaturase of the present invention, more efficient production can be expected. &Dgr;9-desaturase can also be produced with high efficiency by a recombinant DNA technology.

Abstract: An enzyme having carbonyl reduction activity of reducing a carbonyl compound asymmetrically to produce an optically active alcohol, a DNA coding the enzyme, a plasmid having the DNA, a transformant which is a cell transformed with the plasmid, and a production method of an optically active alcohol using the enzyme and/or the transformed cell are provided.

Abstract: A process for making (4R, 6R)-4-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone by contacting (6R)-2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanedione with a microorganism which is selected from microorganisms of the genera Cellulomonas, Corynebacterium, Planococcus and Arthrobacter and which is capable of the selective asymmetric reduction of (6R)-2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanedione to (4R, 6R)-4-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone, and recovering the resulting (4R, 6R)-4-hydroxy-2,2,6-trimethylcyclohexanone from the reaction mixture. The selective asymmetric reduction can be effected in the presence of a co-factor, such as, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP), or said co-factor with glucose and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH), and/or in the presence of a surfactant. The product is useful for the synthesis of carotenoids, such as, zeaxanthin.

Abstract: A novel enzyme which is useful in the optical resolution of D,L-pantolactone via D-selective asymmetric hydrolysis and a gene encoding the the same are provided. The invention discloses the gene coding for a natural D-pantolactone hydrolase (for example, one originating in Fusarium oxysporum) or proteins having an activity substantially equivalent thereto; host cells transformed with DNA containing a nucleotide sequence coding for said protein, processes for producing said protein via using said host cells and uses of said proteins and host cells.

Abstract: An enzyme having carbonyl reduction activity of reducing a carbonyl compound asymmetrically to produce an optically active alcohol, a DNA coding the enzyme, a plasmid having the DNA, a transformant which is a cell transformed with the plasmid, and a production method of an optically active alcohol using the enzyme and/or the transformed cell are provided.

Abstract: A process for the production of dihomo-&ggr;-linolenic acid comprising the steps of culturing a microorganism having an ability to produce araquidonic acid and having a reduced or lost &Dgr;5 desaturase activity to produce dihomo-&ggr;-linolenic acid or a lipid containing dihomo-&ggr;-linolenic acid, and recovering the dihomo-&ggr;-linolenic acid.

Abstract: A process for the production of dihomo-&ggr;-linolenic acid comprising the steps of culturing a microorganism having an ability to produce araquidonic acid and having a reduced or lost &Dgr;5 desaturase activity to produce dihomo-&ggr;-linolenic acid or a lipid containing dihomo-&ggr;-linolenic acid, and recovering the dihomo-&ggr;-linolenic acid.

Abstract: A process for controlling the mycelial morphology of a microorganism belonging to the genus Mortierella during culturing and a process for producing unsaturated fatty acids and a lipid containing them by using a culture medium for culturing a microorganism in which phosphate ions, potassium ions, sodium ions, magnesium ions, and calcium ions in the culture medium are in the range of 5 to 60 mM, 5 to 60 mM, 2 to 50 mM, 0.5 to 9 mM, and 0.5 to 12 mM, respectively, characterized in that the microorganism belonging to the genus Mortierella is cultured in a culture medium containing phosphate ions in the range of 5 to 60 mM, potassium ions in the range of 5 to 60 mM, sodium ions in the range of 2 to 50 mM, magnesium ions in the range of 0.5 to 9 mM, and calcium ions in the range of 0.

Abstract: An enzyme having carbonyl reduction activity of reducing a carbonyl compound asymmetrically to produce an optically active alcohol, a DNA coding the enzyme, a plasmid having the DNA, a transformant which is a cell transformed with the plasmid, and a production method of an optically active alcohol using the enzyme and/or the transformed cell are provided.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a process for producing lipid containing omega-9 highly unsaturated fatty acid by culturing in a medium a mutant strain obtained by mutation on a microorganism having the ability to produce arachidonic acid belonging to the genus Mortierella and so forth, in which .DELTA.12 desaturation activity is decreased or lost, but at least one of .DELTA.5 desaturation activity, .DELTA.6 desaturation activity and chain length elongation activity is elevated. Moreover, the present invention also discloses a process for producing omega-9 highly unsaturated fatty acid by collecting omega-9 highly unsaturated fatty acid from the culture or lipid described above.

Abstract: Edible oil containing arachidonic acid obtained from microorganisms belonging to the subgenus Mortierella of the genus Mortierella and being capable of producing arachidonic acid are provided. The oil contain little unsaponifiable matters and, above all, the smallest possible amount of sterol with cyclopropane structure which have not been recognized as food components, and are suitable for the production of foods, in particular, infant formula.Arachidonic acid-containing edible oil originating in microorganisms containing not more than 0.8% by weight, preferably not more than 0.6% by weight of unsaponifiable matters and 20% by weight or more of arachidonic acid. Further, these edible oil contain not more than 0.3% by weight, preferably not more than 0.15% by weight of 24,25-methylenecholest-5-en-3 .beta.-ol. The microorganisms are those belonging to the subgenus Mortierella of the genus Mortierella and being capable of producing arachidonic acid.

Abstract: Novel purine nucleosidase derived from Ochrobactrum anthropi microorganisms, a gene system coding therefor, uses therefor and particularly its use in the production of beer.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing beer having a reduced content of purine compounds by using wort having a reduced content of purine nucleosides as a result of decomposing purine nucleosides into purine bases by using nucleoside phosphorylase or nucleosidase, or decomposing purine nucleosides into purine bases during fermentation and having the purine bases metabolized by yeast.

Abstract: In a process for the production of a D-.alpha.-amino acid, in which an N-carbamyl-D-.alpha.-amino acid corresponding to the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R represents phenyl, hydroxy-substituted phenyl, substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, or thienyl, is converted by a microbial enzyme in an aqueous medium to a D-.alpha.-amino acid corresponding to the general formula: ##STR2## wherein R is the same as defined above, decarbamylase produced by a microorganism of the genus Comamonas, Blastobacter, Alcaligenes, Sporosarcina, Rhizobium, Bradyrhizobium or Arthrobacter is used as the enzyme converting the N-carbamyl-D-.alpha.-amino acid to the D-.alpha.-amino acid.The conversion of the N-carbamyl-D-.alpha.-amino acids to the D-.alpha.-amino acids is carried out in a neutral to alkaline pH range.