Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method that has less number of steps, improves the yield of terephthalic acid, and can inexpensively produce terephthalic acid from a biomass resource, while reducing the amount of energy consumption, and a method for producing polyester. The method for producing terephthalic acid comprises a step of converting a biomass resource or a compound derived from the biomass resource to p-tolualdehyde with a microbe. The method for producing polyester comprises a step of reacting terephthalic acid produced from a biomass resource with a diol compound to produce polyester.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for efficiently producing monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and furfurals from biomass. A biomass is hydrolyzed under conditions under which monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and furfurals are produced while continuously supplying an aqueous suspension of the biomass from a supply port of a continuous primary hydrolysis device and moving the suspension through the device. A hydrolysis solution is continuously discharged from a discharge port of the continuous hydrolysis device, and a hydrolysis solution containing monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and furfurals are extracted from an intermediate extraction port provided at any position between the supply port and the discharge port of the continuous primary hydrolysis device. The extracted hydrolysis solution is then subjected to secondary hydrolysis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for efficiently producing monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and furfurals from biomass. A biomass is hydrolyzed under conditions under which monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and furfurals are produced while continuously supplying an aqueous suspension of the biomass from a supply port of a continuous primary hydrolysis device and moving the suspension through the device. A hydrolysis solution is continuously discharged from a discharge port of the continuous hydrolysis device, and a hydrolysis solution containing monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, and furfurals are extracted from an intermediate extraction port provided at any position between the supply port and the discharge port of the continuous primary hydrolysis device. The extracted hydrolysis solution is then subjected to secondary hydrolysis.

Abstract: A method for treating woodchips, comprising the steps of: preparing a DNA encoding an antisense RNA substantially complementary to the whole or a part of a transcription product of a cellulolytic enzyme gene derived from Basidiomycete; preparing a vector comprising (a) the above DNA, or (b) a recombinant DNA comprising the above DNA and a DNA fragment having a promoter activity, wherein the above DNA binds to the above DNA fragment such that an antisense RNA of the cellulolytic enzyme gene is generated as a result of transcription; transforming host cells with the above vector, so as to prepare the host cells having a suppressed cellulolytic enzyme activity; and inoculating the above host cells having a suppressed cellulolytic enzyme activity into woodchips to treat them.