Abstract: This invention provides a bacterial cellulose comprising ribbon-shaped microfibrils having a thickness of 10 to 100 nm and a width of 160 to 1000 nm or a bacterial cellulose comprising ribbon-shaped microfibrils having a thickness of 10 to 100 nm and a width of 50 to 70 nm. The former bacterial cellulose can be produced by culturing cellulose-producing bacteria in a culture medium containig a cell division inhibitor, and the latter can be produced by culturing the bacterium in a culture medium containing an organic reducing agent. The bacterial cellulose is modified from conventional bacterial cellulose in the major axis, and is improved in Young's modulus, etc.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a condiment with decreased animal smell and which has increased beefwise taste and greater body flavor and complex flavor. The condiment is produced by blending therein denatured meat and/or the extract thereof, wherein the denatured meat is obtained by salting livestock meat, washing and then allowing microorganisms to ferment and ripen the meat.

Abstract: A method for processing a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, or a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, or a peptide or derivatives thereof having a crosslinked structure, which entails contacting glutamine and lysine residues in a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, a peptide or derivatives thereof with a transglutaminase obtained from Bacillus subtilus to form intermolecular or intramolecular, crosslinked .epsilon.(.delta.-Glu)-Lys bonds between or in the molecules of the protein, non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, peptide or derivatives thereof, wherein the transglutaminase has the physicochemical properties described herein.

Abstract: The present invention relates to (1) a transglutaminase (hereinafter referred to as TG) isolated from a Bacilli such as those of Bacillus subtilis, (2) a fraction having transglutaminase activity, and (3) a method for producing a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, a peptide or derivatives thereof having a crosslinked structure, by crosslinking the glutamine and lysine residues in the same with the TG or the fraction having TG activity to thereby form intermolecular or intramolecular, crosslinked .epsilon.-(.gamma.-Glu)-Lys bonds. The present invention also relates to (4) a DNA coding for a TG derived from a Bacilli such as Bacillus subtilis, (5) a vector comprising said DNA coding for the TG, (6) a cell transformed with the vector, and (7) a method for producing a Bacillus-derived transglutaminase by incubating the transformant.

Abstract: The invention relates to (a) a low calorie foodstuff containing, as a substitute for protein, carbohydrate and/or oil and fat, from 0.7 to 10% by weight, based on the dry weight, of dietary fibers with a size of not greater than 80 .mu.m and a retained water amount of 9 or greater, (b) an aqueous paste-like composition of from 5 to 40% by weight of from spherical to fibrous dietary fibers of not greater than 5 .mu.m of diameter or length, and (c) an aqueous paste-like composition, which contains from 5 to 40% by weight of dietary fibers, the dietary fibers being in the form of gel particles having a particle size of not greater than 80 .mu.m, as well as the production method.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gel of microbially-produced cellulose, characterized in that the microbially-produced cellulose is modified by (1) physically or chemically bonding an animal cell adhesive protein to the cellulose, and/or (2) substituting hydrogen atoms of at least parts of hydroxyl groups of the cellulose with a positively or negatively charged organic group. This gel is valuable as a carrier for mass culture of animal cells or as a medical vulnerary cover.

Abstract: A complex of fibrous material and fungi is prepared by allowing fungi to grow in a medium containing a fibrous material.

Abstract: A carrier for immobilization of microorganisms is prepared by impregnating a fabric such as cotton gauze having a mesh size of 10-50 with 20-50% by weight of a vinyl monomer such as ethlene glycol methacrylate and polymerizing the monomer with ionizing radiation to form a polymer coating on the fabric. A microorganism such as Trichoderma reesei is grown in a liquid culture medium in contact with the polymer-coated fabric and the polymer-coated fabric is recovered containing growing cells of the microorganism. The polymer-coated fabric has high air permeability and permits good diffusion of liquid culture medium.

Abstract: A molding material having high dynamic strength which contains bacterial cellulose having ribbon-shaped microfibrils.Such material is advantageously used as a reinforcing material for composite plastics having high strength, as high quality paper or as acoustic diaphragms for percussion instruments.

Abstract: A method of measuring the number of eumycete cells in a sample which comprises preparing a solution or suspension containing a sample of a medicine, food, drink, cosmetic or water, adding to said solution or suspension a 7-amino-4-methyl-coumarin derivative represented by formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R is an alkyl group, an allyl group, an aralkyl group, or a heterocyclic group, or R--CO-- is an amino acid or peptide residue, said derivative not inhibiting the hydrolysis of the amide bond of formula (1) by microorganism hydrolases contained in the samples; and measuring the fluorescence of 7-amino-4-methyl-courmarin released by the microorganism hydrolases.

Abstract: This invention relates to sulfamoylbenzoic acid derivatives which possess diuretic and uricosuric activities, and which are of the formula (I) ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is a chlorine atom or phenoxy group, R.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom, halogen atom, lower alkyl group, lower alkoxy group or methylenedioxy group.

Abstract: A 5-substituted-3-isoxazolecarboxylic acid derivative of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein X stands for a phenyl group, thienyl group, furyl group or pyridyl group, each of which optionally may carry at least one substituent group; R stands for a phenyl group or hydroxyphenyl group; and A stands for a group of the formula: ##STR2## wherein Y stands for ##STR3## in which the carbon atom with which the carboxyl group combines with the nitrogen atom in A, M stands for a hydrogen atom or a substituent group, and Z stands for a hydrogen atom, hydroxy group, acyloxy group, carbamoyloxy group, aromatic heterocycle thio group or aromatic nitrogen-containing heterocycle quaternary ammonium group, is disclosed along with methods for producing these compounds.

Abstract: The production of a 1-.beta.-D-ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is hydroxy, amino, or alkoxy, is carried out by reacting a 1,2,4 triazole of formula ##STR2## wherein R is hydroxy, amino, or alkoxy group, with a greater than equimolar amount of a ribofuranosyl group donor in the presence of a nucleoside phosphorylase preparation at a temperature in the range from 40.degree. to 65.degree. C. for more than 10 minutes, and recovering a 1-.beta.-D-ribofuranosyl-1,2,4-triazole from the reaction solution. The temperature is preferably from 55.degree. to 65.degree. C. and the time is preferably 10 minutes to 20 hours. An elevated temperature higher than the usual enzyme reaction temperature isused to prevent undesirable enzymatic reactions.

Abstract: A novel strain belonging to genus Methylomonas grows well on a culture medium in the presence of methane as the main carbon source. The microbial cells are useful as a feedstuff.