Abstract: A method for producing 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde from glycerin in high conversion ratio is provided. The method is characterized by comprising a step of dehydrating glycerin using a microbial cell and/or a treated microbial cell containing diol dehydratase and/or glycerol dehydratase, and optionally diol dehydratase reactivating factor and/or glycerol dehydratase reactivating factor, under conditions so as to give a value (X/Y2) calculated by dividing a catalytic amount [X (U/g glycerin)] of diol dehydratase and/or glycerol dehydratase by square of glycerin concentration [Y (g/100 ml)] within a range of 10 to 8,000, to produce 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde.

Abstract: This invention is intended to improve the efficiency of producing 1,3-propanediol from glycerol and to provide an industrially effective process for producing the same. Such process involves the use of a transformant comprising the gene encoding the large subunit of glycerol dehydratase and/or diol dehydratase, the gene encoding the medium subunit thereof, and the gene encoding the small subunit thereof, the gene encoding the large subunit of the reactivation factor for glycerol dehydratase and/or the reactivation factor for diol dehydratase and the gene encoding the small subunit thereof, the gene encoding aldehyde dehydrogenase, and the gene encoding 1,3-propanediol oxidoreductase and/or the gene encoding propanol dehydrogenase.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for producing L-aspartic acid comprising treating an ammonium fumarate solution with aspartase to generate an ammonium L-aspartate solution; adding fumaric acid to the solution; and then crystallizing L-aspartic acid from the solution, wherein fumaric acid is added to the ammonium L-aspartate solution after the solution has been heated to 50 to 130° C. in an amount 0.4 to 0.8 times the total amount of fumarate and the L-aspartate contained therein in terms of mole, and the resultant mixture is once turned into a homogeneous solution by applying thereto a shearing force, and then L-aspartic acid is deposited therefrom, or wherein the solution is cooled at a rate of 0.1-5° C./min from the temperature at which fumaric acid is added thereto to the temperature at which crystallized L-aspartic acid is separated therefrom, to thereby deposit L-aspartic acid.

Abstract: A process for producing a polysuccinimide (co)polymer derivative which permits the reaction of a polysuccinimide (co)polymer with a Lewis base in a wide temperature range (90° to 300° C.) without using a pH-adjusting agent is provided. The process for producing a polysuccinimide (co)polymer derivative of this invention comprises reacting a polysuccinimide (co)polymer with a Lewis base by heating in the presence of a solvent having a low boiling point and high relative permittivity.

Abstract: A method capable of molding by a simple procedure such a polymer as a polysuccinimide based (co)polymer or a protein whose glass transition temperature is very close to the decomposition temperature is provided. The method for the molding of a polymer contemplated by this invention comprises heating and melting a polymer whose glass transition temperature is very close to the decomposition temperature in the presence of a solvent having a low boiling point and a high dielectric constant ratio and then molding the resultant molten product.

Abstract: A polyaspartic acid is obtained from an amino acid having aspartic acid as an essential component thereof without entailing formation of a bulk substance. A method for the production of polyaspartic acid is described which includes heating an amino acid having aspartic acid as an essential component thereof in the presence of water. A novel polyaspartic acid obtained by this method of production is described.

Abstract: A succinimide polymer is produced by thermally polymerizing an ammonium salt of aspartic acid in the presence of an acid catalyst such as a boric acid catalyst. Another amino acid may be added for copolymerizing with the ammonium salt of aspartic acid. Ammonia liberated during the production of a succinimide polymer can be collected in a fumaric acid suspension, an acidic fumaric acid solution, a maleic acid solution or an acidic maleic acid solution, and the resultant liquid reacted with an enzyme which may be immobilized to produce L-aspartic acid. An aspartic acid polymer is produced by hydrolyzing the succinimide polymer with a basic substance.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gene coding for maleate isomerase excellent in stability, a recombinant vector having the gene, and a transformant transformed with the recombinant vector. According to the present invention, maleate isomerase excellent in stability can be produced efficiently in a large amount.