Abstract: A polymer compound having a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide residue, or an amino acid or peptide residue bound to a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide residue bound to a side chain of a water-soluble polymer through a linker containing a selectively cleavable bond, the water-soluble polymer containing 20 to 80 mol % of (meth)acrylic acid residue.

Abstract: A polymer compound having a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide residue, or an amino acid or peptide residue bound to a monosaccharide or an oligosaccharide residue bound to a side chain of a water-soluble polymer through a linker containing a selectively cleavable bond, the water-soluble polymer containing 20 to 80 mol % of (meth)acrylic acid residue.

Abstract: A sugar chain synthesizer comprising one or more reaction columns packed with immobilized glycosyltransferase and/or glycosidase; one or more separation means, arranged downstream from the reaction columns, for separating reaction products, unreaction products and byproducts contained in the solution eluted from the reaction columns; a first pump for feeding a primer of water soluble polymer and buffer solution to the reaction columns through a first selector valve; a second pump for feeding a buffer solution and sugar nucleotide solution to any one of the reaction columns through a second selector valve; one or more circulation flow paths connecting between a flow path downstream from the separation means and a flow path upstream from each of the reaction columns; and a third selector valve, arranged between the separation means and one or more circulation flow paths, for selective connection between the separation means and a desired circulation flow path.

Abstract: To provide a fusion protein of a sugar-bonding protein and &bgr;1,2-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase II, and a method for producing such proteins in E. coli cells.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed to achieve an improvement in the characteristics and yield of cotton fibers. In one method, a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium in seed form or in growth stage is treated with a brassinosteroid. In another method, an ovule culture is prepared from a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium in a brassinosteroid-containing liquid medium. Cotton fibers with improved fiber characteristics are obtained from the cotton bolls of the treated plant or from the cultured ovules.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed to achieve an improvement in the characteristics and yield of cotton fibers. In one method, a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium in seed form or in growth stage is treated with a brassinosteroid. In another method, an ovule culture is prepared from a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium in a brassinosteroid-containing liquid medium. Cotton fibers with improved fiber characteristics are obtained from the cotton bolls of the treated plant or from the cultured ovules.

Abstract: Novel plant promoters isolated from cotton fiber tissues are provided. The plant promoters are located upstream cotton plant genes KC03, KC18, KC22, and Gh3, all of which are expressed in cotton fibers, and contain (a) DNA having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, 6, 11, or 16. Also provided are plant expression vectors prepared by introducing the plant promoters into appropriate vectors; transformed plant cells prepared by introducing the plant expression vectors into host plant cells; transformed plants regenerated from the transformed plant cells; transformed plant seeds obtained from the transformed plants; and processes for producing transformed plants from the plant seeds.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed to achieve an improvement in the characteristics and yield of cotton fibers. In one method, a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium in seed form or in growth stage is treated with a brassinosteroid. In another method, an ovule culture is prepared from a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium in a brassinosteroid-containing liquid medium. Cotton fibers with improved fiber characteristics are obtained from the cotton bolls of the treated plant or from the cultured ovules.

Abstract: Cotton fiber tissue-specific genes disclosed herein are specifically expressed in a cotton fiber tissue at the stage of cotton fiber elongation. One of the genes was first derived from a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium and found to change the degree of its expression by treatment with a brassinosteroid.

Abstract: A method for producing glycoconjugate, which comprises the steps of:(i) binding a sugar residue to the side chain of a water-soluble polymer via a linker having a selectively cleavable linkage to give a primer, and bringing said primer into contact with an immobilized glycosyltransferase in the presence of a sugar nucleotide, to transfer a sugar residue of said sugar nucleotide to the sugar residue of said primer,(ii) elongating a sugar chain by transfer of plural sugar residues by repeating the step (i) at least once,(iii) removing, where necessary, a by-produced nucleotide or an unreacted sugar nucleotide, and(iv) repeating the steps (i)-(iii) where necessary and releasing the glycoconjugate by selectively cleaving the cleavable linkage in the linker, from the above-mentioned primer connecting the sugar chain elongated by the transfer of plural sugar residues,and a method for producing a sphingoglycolipid.

Abstract: Cotton fiber tissue-specific genes disclosed herein are specifically expressed in a cotton fiber tissue at the stage of cotton fiber elongation. One of the genes was first derived from a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium and found to change the degree of its expression by treatment with a brassinosteroid. These novel genes are useful for the production of cotton fibers with improved characteristics.

Abstract: Methods are disclosed to achieve an improvement in the characteristics and yield of cotton fibers. In one method, a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium in seed form or in growth stage is treated with a brassinosteroid. In another method, an ovule culture is prepared from a cotton plant of the genus Gossypium in a brassinosteroid-containing liquid medium. Cotton fibers with improved fiber characteristics are obtained from the cotton bolls of the treated plant or from the cultured ovules.