Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for eliminating the hydroxyl group at the 8-position of a urolithin to produce another kind of urolithin, and this object is achieved by a method for producing a second urolithin, comprising allowing, in a solution containing a first urolithin, a microorganism having an ability to produce the second urolithin from the first urolithin.

Abstract: The present disclosure addresses the problem of providing at least a composition for suppressing obesity and the problem is solved by a composition for suppressing obesity comprising a prenylflavonoid represented by general formula (1), as an active ingredient, below.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the issue of providing: a novel microorganism having a high capability to produce urolithins; and a method of producing urolithins using the same, and the issue is solved by a microorganism that belongs to the genus Eggerthella and produces urolithins.

Abstract: A urolithin-containing aqueous solution containing urolithin and collagen, a dried solid composition thereof, methods for producing these, and a stabilization method for urolithin.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for eliminating the hydroxyl group at the 8-position of a urolithin to produce another kind of urolithin, and this object is achieved by a method for producing a second urolithin, comprising the Step (a): allowing, in a solution. containing a first urolithin, a microorganism having an ability to produce the second urolithin from the first urolithin to produce the second urolithin from the first urolithin.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the issue of providing: a novel microorganism having a high capability to produce urolithins; and a method of producing urolithins using the same, and the issue is solved by a microorganism that belongs to the genus Eggerthella and produces urolithins.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for eliminating the hydroxyl group at the 9-position of a urolithin to produce another kind of urolithin. This object is achieved by a method for producing a second urolithin, including Step (a): allowing, in a solution containing a first urolithin, a microorganism having an ability to produce the second urolithin from the first urolithin to produce the second urolithin from the first urolithin.

Abstract: A urolithin-containing aqueous solution containing urolithin and collagen, a dried solid composition thereof, methods for producing these, and a stabilization method for urolithin.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide recombinant microorganisms efficiently producing optically active 1,3-butanediol, which is useful as a material for synthesizing pharmaceuticals and such, and provide methods for efficiently producing optically active 1,3-butanediol using the recombinant microorganisms. As a result of dedicated research for achieving the above objective, the present inventors succeeded in producing recombinant microorganisms in which the activity of an enzyme catalyzing the reduction reaction represented by Formula 1 is enhanced and which produce a diol compound represented by Formula 2.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to elucidate a collagen peptide composed of oligopeptides having ability to enter the blood higher than that of conventional collagen peptides and thus to provide a food or beverage mixed with the collagen peptide. The present invention provides a collagen peptide composition obtainable by digesting a collagen or gelatin with protease, which comprises 70% to 100% by weight of peptides with a molecular weight 500 or more to 3000 or less, less than 10% by weight of peptides with a molecular weight of less than 500, and less than 20% by weight of peptides with a molecular weight of more than 3000, based on the total weight of the composition, wherein the ratio of N-terminal glycine residues to total of the N-terminal amino acid residues of the peptides in the composition is 33 mol % or more to 65 mol % or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides mutant D-aminoacylases and use thereof. The mutant D-aminoacylases are hard to be inhibited by the substrate and, comprise the amino acid sequences of the D-aminoacylase derived from Alcaligenes denitrificans subsp. xylosoxydans MI-4 strain, wherein amino acid residues at specific sites have been modified. The mutants of the present invention have high reaction specificity as well as resistance to inhibition by the substrate. The present invention enables high-yield production of D-amino acids using higher concentrations of N-acyl-DL-amino acid as the substrate. The mutants of the present invention are useful in producing D-tryptophan in particular.

Abstract: A method and a device for computing sense data, which automatically compute data relating to feelings or senses generated by the human sensations by analyzing signals, such as audio signals, relating to the sensations. In the device, a MP3 decoder storing unit stores digital sound data which has been recorded using MP3 system. A decompression unit decompresses MP3 data which has been decompressed, and outputs as sound pressure value data at each frequency area. A sense data computation unit includes a feeling analysis unit and a rhythm analysis unit. The rhythm analysis unit obtains count of beats per unit time based on the sound pressure value data. The feeling analysis unit obtains a few kinds of feeling parameter values based on the sound pressure value data, determines the kind and level of feelings based on the value of feeling parameter and the count of beats per unit time, and writes the results thereof into a sense data accumulation unit.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide methods for efficiently producing (S)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propanol at a high optical purity. Another objective is to provide novel reductases which reduce 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetone, using NADPH as a coenzyme, to produce (S)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propanol with a high optical purity. The inventors found that a 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetone-reducing enzyme present in Torulaspora delbrueckii is a novel carbonyl reductase that reduces various carbonyls. This novel enzyme reduces 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetone in a reduction reaction to produce (S)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propanol with a high optical purity and at a high yield. Furthermore, the inventors isolated a DNA that encodes the present enzyme, and generated a recombinant bacterium which highly expresses the present enzyme. Thus, the present inventors established a simple and highly economical method of obtaining optically active alcohols with a high optical purity and at a high yield.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide efficient methods for producing D-?-hydroxyamino acids (formula 2 or 4), such as D-erythro-2-amino-3-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxypropionic acid, which are useful as intermediates in the synthesis of pharmaceutical products and others. The present invention makes it possible to efficiently produce D-erythro-2-amino-3-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxypropionic acid by cleaving unnecessary L-erythro-2-amino-3-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxypropionic acid in industrially feasible concentrations of DL-erythro-2-amino-3-cyclohexyl-3-hydroxypropionic acid used as starting material by using Pseudomonas putida-derived L-phenylserine aldolase.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is to provide methods for efficiently producing (S)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propanol at a high optical purity. Another objective is to provide novel reductases which reduce 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetone, using NADPH as a coenzyme, to produce (S)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propanol with a high optical purity. The inventors found that a 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetone-reducing enzyme present in Torulaspora delbrueckii is a novel carbonyl reductase that reduces various carbonyls. This novel enzyme reduces 3,4-dimethoxyphenylacetone in a reduction reaction to produce (S)-1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-propanol with a high optical purity and at a high yield. Furthermore, the inventors isolated a DNA that encodes the present enzyme, and generated a recombinant bacterium which highly expresses the present enzyme. Thus, the present inventors established a simple and highly economical method of obtaining optically active alcohols with a high optical purity and at a high yield.

Abstract: The present invention provides mutant D-aminoacylases and use thereof. The mutant D-aminoacylases are hard to be inhibited by the substrate and, comprise the amino acid sequences of the D-aminoacylase derived from Alcaligenes denitrificans subsp. xylosoxydans MI-4 strain, wherein amino acid residues at specific sites have been modified. The mutants of the present invention have high reaction specificity as well as resistance to inhibition by the substrate. The present invention enables high-yield production of D-amino acids using higher concentrations of N-acyl-DL-amino acid as the substrate. The mutants of the present invention are useful in producing D-tryptophan in particular.

Abstract: A method and a device for computing sense data, which automatically compute data relating to feelings or senses generated by the human sensations by analyzing signals, such as audio signals, relating to the sensations. In the device, a MP3 decoder storing unit stores digital sound data which has been recorded using MP3 system. A decompression unit decompresses MP3 data which has been decompressed, and outputs as sound pressure value data at each frequency area. A sense data computation unit includes a feeling analysis unit and a rhythm analysis unit. The rhythm analysis unit obtains count of beats per unit time based on the sound pressure value data. The feeling analysis unit obtains a few kinds of feeling parameter values based on the sound pressure value data, determines the kind and level of feelings based on the value of feeling parameter and the count of beats per unit time, and writes the results thereof into a sense data accumulation unit.