Abstract: Compounds represented by formula (1) have strong inhibitory activity that is selective towards HDAC1 and HDAC4. Therefore, the compounds of the present invention are useful as pharmaceutical agents for treating or preventing diseases caused by HDAC1 and HDAC4.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reduced FK228 of the formula (I) wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and each is a hydrogen atom or a thiol-protecting group, or a salt thereof, and a histone deacetylase inhibitor containing this compound, an expression potentiator and a reactivation promoter of a transgene, and pharmaceutical agents containing them as active ingredients. The reduced FK228 or a salt thereof has a strong histone deacetylase inhibitory activity and this compound can be used for the prophylaxis or treatment of various diseases, in which histone deacetylation is involved, and for the gene therapy of such diseases.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cyclic tetrapeptide derivative represented by the following general formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: wherein each of R21 and R22 independently denotes hydrogen, a linear C1-C6-alkyl group to which a non-aromatic cycloalkyl group or an optionally substituted aromatic ring may be attached, or a branched C3-C6-alkyl group to which a non-aromatic cycloalkyl group or an optionally substituted aromatic ring may be attached; and each of R1 and R3 independently denotes a linear C1-C5-alkylene group which may have a C1-C6 side chain, in which the side chain may form a condensed ring structure on the alkylene chain. The present invention also provides a histone deacetylase inhibitor, an MHC class-I molecule expression-promoting agent and a pharmaceutical composition, each of which comprises the above cyclic tetrapeptide derivative or pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as an active ingredient.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide a method of producing hydroxylated heterocyclic compounds and hydroxylated aromatic carboxylic acids by bioengineering technique, and modified enzymes which can be used for this method. A method of producing hydroxylated heterocyclic compounds or hydroxylated aromatic carboxylic acids comprises reacting an aromatic ring dioxygenase with heterocyclic compounds or aromatic carboxylic acids to hydroxylate these compounds. An enzyme according to the present invention is an aromatic ring dioxygenase comprising an &agr;-subunit consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, which is modified according to the &agr;-subunit of the biphenyl dioxygenase derived from the strain Burkholderia cepacia LB400, a &bgr;-subunit consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, and a ferredoxin consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, and a ferredoxin reductase consisting of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reduced FK228 of the formula (I) 1

Abstract: The present invention provides a cyclic tetrapeptide derivative represented by the following general formula (I) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof: 1

Abstract: A novel recombinant trehalose phosphorylase is provided. A gene encoding trehalose phosphorylase has been discovered. A vector containing the gene is constructed, a transformant is prepared, and recombinant trehalose phosphorylase is produced using the transformant. Trehalose phosphorylase can be produced in an industrial scale. Trehalose can be manufactured advantageously in an industry scale from D-glucose and &agr;-D-glucose 1-phosphoric acid using this enzyme.

Abstract: A cyclic tetrapeptide derivative represented by the general formula (I): wherein: R11, R12, R21 and R22 independently denote a monovalent group selected from hydrogen, a linear or branched alkyl group with 6 or less carbon atoms, benzyl group, 4-methoxybenzyl group, 3-indolylmethyl group, (N-methoxy-3-indolyl) methyl group, (N-formyl-3-indolyl)methyl group, etc.; R3 denotes a divalent group selected from a linear chained hydrocarbon group with 3 or 4 carbon atoms, or the linear branched hydrocarbon group having a branched chain added to the chain, or a divalent group substituted with a heteroatom; R4 denotes a divalent chained hydrocarbon group with 4 to 6 carbon atoms, or a divalent group derived from said hydrocarbon group by addition etc.

Abstract: A protein which comprises the sane or substantially the same amino acid sequence as that represented by SEQ ID NO:1, its partial peptide and their salts are disclosed. DNA encoding the protein or its partial peptide is also disclosed. The protein, its partial peptide or a salt thereof is an inhibitory factor of a transcription factor and, therefore, it is useful as medicine such as prophylactic and therapeutic drugs of, for example, tumors. The DNA is useful as a gene diagnosing drug. The antibody against the protein, etc. is also disclosed. The antibody is used for, for example, quantitative determination of the protein, etc. in a specimen fluid. The protein, etc. are also useful as a reagent for screening for compounds or their salts which promote the function of the protein, etc.

Abstract: A method for the production of a cellulosic product, which comprises:culturing a cellulose-producing microorganism transformed with a gene for an enzyme involved in sucrose metabolism in a medium containing sucrose, allowing the cellulosic product to be produced and accumulated in the medium, and collecting the cellulosic product. By the present method, the cellulosic product can be produced efficiently and economically.

Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant plasmid comprising combining a hybrid plasmid vector with the isolated DNA sequences of one or more genes encoding nitrile degrading enzymes which are derived from bacteria belonging to the genus Rhodococcus, said hybrid plasmid vector comprising an isolated DNA sequence which confers on the vector the ability to replicate and amplify in the cells of bacteria belonging to the genus Rhodococcus, and an isolated DNA sequence which confers on the vector the ability to replicate and amplify in the cells of bacteria belonging to Escherichia coli, and an isolated DNA sequence containing a drug resistance gene.

Abstract: Acetobacter sp. strain BPR 2001, an endogeneous plasmid named pAH4 derived from said strain as well as shuttle vectors constructed from said plasmid and an E. coli-derived plasmid are disclosed.These shuttle vectors can be advantageously used for gene recombination of cellulose-producing acetic acid bacteria.

Abstract: A DNA which encodes polypeptide carrying two specific amino acid sequences and having nitrile hydratase activity; a method for producing nitrile hydratase by incubating a transformant made by the transformation with a recombinant DNA prepared by integrating the foregoing DNA into a vector in a medium and harvesting nitrile hydratase accumulated in the medium; and a method for producing amides by incubating the foregoing transformant and then converting nitriles into corresponding amides by the action of the obtained nitrile hydratase or by making a culture solution, isolates, treated cells or their immobilized products act upon nitriles to produce corresponding amides.