Abstract: In a method for producing a target substance utilizing a microorganism comprising culturing the microorganism in a medium to produce and accumulate the target substance in the medium and collecting the target substance, microorganism is employed, which is a mutant strain or a genetic recombinant strain constructed from a parent strain of the microorganism having a respiratory chain pathway of high energy efficiency and a respiratory chain pathway of low energy efficiency as respiratory chain pathways, and having either one or both of the following characteristics: (A) the respiratory chain pathway of high energy efficiency is enhanced, (B) the respiratory chain pathway of low energy efficiency is deficient.

Abstract: In a method for producing a target substance utilizing a microorganism comprising culturing the microorganism in a medium to produce and cause accumulation of the target substance in the medium and collecting the target substance, there is used, as the microorganism, a mutant strain or a genetic recombinant strain constructed from a parent strain of the microorganism having a respiratory chain pathway of high energy efficiency and a respiratory chain pathway of low energy efficiency as respiratory chain pathways, and having either one or both of the following characteristics: (A) the respiratory chain pathway of high energy efficiency is enhanced, (B) the respiratory chain pathway of low energy efficiency is deficient.

Abstract: A plasmid isolatable from Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes, which comprises a gene coding for a Rep protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8 or an amino acid sequence having homology of 90% or more to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8, and has a size of about 4.4 kb or about 6 kb, or a derivative thereof.

Abstract: In a mobile telephone including a camera 2a and a microphone 4 loaded in front, and a camera 2b on the back, the sensitivity of the microphone 4 is set at a normal level when the camera 2a is selected, and the sensitivity of the microphone 4 is enhanced when the camera 2b is selected so that the conventional problems can be solved. To attain this, an electronic apparatus such as a mobile telephone, a PHS, a PDA, etc. capable of capturing a moving picture and a still image is loaded with a camera and a microphone capable of easily and clearly collecting voice from all directions when a user who is taking a picture captures an image in front of the user, the user himself or herself, or a target in a different direction.

Abstract: An Escherichia coli mutant strain deficient in dihydrodipicolinate synthase or dihydrodipicolinate reductase is transformed with a chromosomal gene library of Bacillus methanolicus, and a transformant strain which can grow on a minimal medium is selected. Recombinant DNA which codes for dihydrodipicolinate synthase or dihydrodipicolinate reductase (named dapB) is obtained from the transformant.

Abstract: A methane-utilizing microorganism capable of producing L-amino acid, for example, bacteria belonging to type I, type X or type II in the taxonomic categorization methane-utilizing bacteria such as Methylomonas albus, Methylococcus capsulatus and Methylosinus trichosporium, is cultivated in a culture medium in contact with gas containing methane which is the main source of carbon, to allow the L-amino acid to be produced and accumulated in the medium, and the L-amino acid is collected from the medium.

Abstract: A plurality of primer sets are designed based on a region where conservation at the amino acid level is observed among various microorganisms for known gene sequences corresponding to a gene coding for an enzyme of the L-amino acid biosynthetic pathway derived from Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes, preferably an enzyme that functions at a higher temperature compared with that of Corynebacterium glutamicum. PCR is performed by using the primers and chromosomal DNA of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes as a template. The primers with which an amplification fragment has been obtained are used as primers for screening to select a clone containing a target DNA fragment from a plasmid library of chromosomal DNA of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes.

Abstract: A plurality of primer sets are designed based on a region where conservation at the amino acid level is observed among various microorganisms for known gene sequences corresponding to a gene coding for an enzyme of the L-amino acid biosynthetic pathway derived from Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes, preferably an enzyme that functions at a higher temperature compared with that of Corynebacterium glutamicum. PCR is performed by using the primers and chromosomal DNA of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes as a template. The primers with which an amplification fragment has been obtained are used as primers for screening to select a clone containing a target DNA fragment from a plasmid library of chromosomal DNA of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes.

Abstract: A plurality of primer sets are designed based on a region where conservation at the amino acid level is observed among various microorganisms for known gene sequences corresponding to a gene coding for an enzyme of the L-amino acid biosynthetic pathway derived from Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes, preferably an enzyme that functions at a higher temperature compared with that of Corynebacterium glutamicum. PCR is performed by using the primers and chromosomal DNA of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes as a template. The primers with which an amplification fragment has been obtained are used as primers for screening to select a clone containing a target DNA fragment from a plasmid library of chromosomal DNA of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes.

Abstract: A plurality of primer sets are designed based on a region where conservation at the amino acid level is observed among various microorganisms for known gene sequences corresponding to a gene coding for an enzyme of the L-amino acid biosynthetic pathway derived from Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes, preferably an enzyme that functions at a higher temperature compared with that of Corynebacterium glutamicum. PCR is performed by using the primers and chromosomal DNA of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes as a template. The primers with which an amplification fragment has been obtained are used as primers for screening to select a clone containing a target DNA fragment from a plasmid library of chromosomal DNA of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes.

Abstract: An Escherichia coli mutant strain deficient in dihydrodipicolinate synthase or dihydrodipicolinate reductase is transformed with a chromosomal gene library of Bacillus methanolicus, and a transformant strain which can grow on a minimal medium is selected. Recombinant DNA which codes for dihydrodipicolinate synthase or dihydrodipicolinate reductase is obtained from the transformant.

Abstract: A plurality of primer sets are designed based on a region where conservation at the amino acid level is observed among various microorganisms for known gene sequences corresponding to a gene coding for an enzyme of the L-amino acid biosynthetic pathway derived from Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes, preferably an enzyme that functions at a higher temperature compared with that of Corynebacterium glutamicum. PCR is performed by using the primers and chromosomal DNA of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes as a template. The primers with which an amplification fragment has been obtained are used as primers for screening to select a clone containing a target DNA fragment from a plasmid library of chromosomal DNA of Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes.

Abstract: A plasmid which is able to be isolated from Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes, and which comprises a gene coding for a Rep protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4 or an amino acid sequence having homology of 90% or more to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 4. and has a size of about 4.4 kb or about 6 kb, or a derivative thereof.

Abstract: An Escherichia coil mutant strain deficient in dihydrodipicolinate synthase or dihydrodipicolinate reductase is transformed by using a chromosome gene library of Bacillus methanolicus, a transformant strain which can grow on a minimal medium is selected, and recombinant DNA containing DNA which codes for dihydrodipicolinate synthase or dihydrodipicolinate reductase is obtained from the transformant.

Abstract: A plasmid isolatable from Corynebacterium thermoaminogenes, which comprises a gene coding for a Rep protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8 or an amino acid sequence having homology of 90% or more to the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 8, and has a size of about 4.4 kb or about 6 kb, or a derivative thereof.

Abstract: In a mobile telephone including a camera 2a and a microphone 4 loaded in front, and a camera 2b on the back, the sensitivity of the microphone 4 is set at a normal level when the camera 2a is selected, and the sensitivity of the microphone 4 is enhanced when the camera 2b is selected so that the conventional problems can be solved. To attain this, an electronic apparatus such as a mobile telephone, a PHS, a PDA, etc. capable of capturing a moving picture and a still image is loaded with a camera and a microphone capable of easily and clearly collecting voice from all directions when a user who is taking a picture captures an image in front of the user, the user himself or herself, or a target in a different direction.

Abstract: A methane-utilizing microorganism capable of producing L-amino acid, for example, bacteria belonging to type I, type X or type II in the taxonomic categorization methane-utilizing bacteria such as Methylomonas albus, Methylococcus capsulatus and Methylosinus trichosporium, is cultivated in a culture medium in contact with gas containing methane which is the main source of carbon, to allow the L-amino acid to be produced and accumulated in the medium, and the L-amino acid is collected from the medium.

Abstract: An Escherichia coil mutant strain deficient in dihydrodipicolinate synthase or dihydrodipicolinate reductase is transformed by using a chromosome gene library of Bacillus methanolicus, a transformant strain which can grow on a minimal medium is selected, and recombinant DNA containing DNA which codes for dihydrodipicolinate synthase or dihydrodipicolinate reductase is obtained from the transformant.

Abstract: In a method for producing a target substance utilizing a microorganism comprising culturing the microorganism in a medium to produce and accumulate the target substance in the medium and collecting the target substance, there is used, as the microorganism, a mutant strain or a genetic recombinant strain constructed from a parent strain of the microorganism having a respiratory chain pathway of high energy efficiency and a respiratory chain pathway of low energy efficiency as respiratory chain pathways, and having either one or both of the following characteristics:

Abstract: The present invention provides dihydropicolinate synthase and dihydrodipicolinate reductase enzymes from Bacillus methanolicus, polynucleotides encoding the enzymes, and methods of producing L-lysinse in microorganisms expressing the enzymes.