Abstract: Provided is an efficient process for producing L-glutamine or L-glutamic acid using a microorganism. L-glutamine or L-glutamic acid is produced by culturing in a medium a microorganism in which has an ability to produce L-glutamine or L-glutamic acid, and in which an ability to form a superhelical double-stranded DNA is decreased compared with that of the parent strain, producing and accumulating L-glutamine or L-glutamic acid in the medium, and recovering L-glutamine or L-glutamic acid from the medium.

Abstract: The invention provides a microorganism having an ability to produce a protein having a dipeptide synthesizing activity and in which an activity of the protein to transport a dipeptide in a microbial cell to theoutside of the microbial cell is higher than that of a parental strain.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing glutathione or ?-glutamylcysteine by culturing in a medium a microorganism with a higher activity of a protein having an activity to transport intracellular glutathione to the outside of cells, and a higher activity of a protein involved in glutathione or ?-glutamylcysteine biosynthesis, compared with that of the parent strain, forming and accumulating glutathione or ?-glutamylcysteine in the medium, and recovering the glutathione or ?-glutamylcysteine from the culture.

Abstract: Provided is an efficient process for producing L-glutamine or L-glutamic acid using a microorganism. L-glutamine or L-glutamic acid is produced by culturing in a medium a microorganism in which has an ability to produce L-glutamine or L-glutamic acid, and in which an ability to form a superhelical double-stranded DNA is decreased compared with that of the parent strain, producing and accumulating L-glutamine or L-glutamic acid in the medium, and recovering L-glutamine or L-glutamic acid from the medium.

Abstract: According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium, wherein the activity of (1) a protein having the amino acid sequence shown by any one of SEQ ID NO:1 to 3, or (2) a protein having a homology of 80% or more to the amino acid sequence shown by any one of SEQ ID NO:1 to 3, and having substantially the same activity as the activity of a protein having the amino acid sequence shown by any one of SEQ ID NO:1 to 3, has been reduced or lost, and wherein the activity of (3) a protein having the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO:4, or (4) a protein having a homology of 80% or more to the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO:4, and having substantially the same activity as the activity of a protein having the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO:4, has been reduced or lost, and a process for producing L-glutamine using the microorganism and the like.

Abstract: A polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of a glutamine synthetase 2 derived from a microorganism belonging to a coryneform bacterium, wherein the coryneform bacterium producing the polypeptide has L-glutamine productivity, a DNA encoding the polypeptide, a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA, a microorganism comprising the DNA or the recombinant DNA, and a process for producing L-glutamine using the microorganism are provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protein comprising the amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 3 (except for proteins of the amino acid sequences as shown in SEQ ID NOS: 4 to 6), and a process for industrially advantageously producing a compound that inhibits HMG-CoA reductase and has an action to decrease serum cholesterol, using DNA encoding the protein comprising the amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 3 (except for DNA encoding the protein comprising the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 4).

Abstract: According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a microorganism belonging to the genus Corynebacterium, wherein the activity of (1) a protein having the amino acid sequence shown by any one of SEQ ID NO:1 to 3, or (2) a protein having a homology of 80% or more to the amino acid sequence shown by any one of SEQ ID NO:1 to 3, and having substantially the same activity as the activity of a protein having the amino acid sequence shown by any one of SEQ ID NO:1 to 3, has been reduced or lost, and wherein the activity of (3) a protein having the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO:4, or (4) a protein having a homology of 80% or more to the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO:4, and having substantially the same activity as the activity of a protein having the amino acid sequence shown by SEQ ID NO:4, has been reduced or lost, and a process for producing L-glutamine using the microorganism and the like.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a protein derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Bacillus, which has an activity of hydroxylating a compound represented by the formula (I-a): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, or an alkali metal, and R2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or a ring-closed lactone form thereof; a DNA encoding the protein; and a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for producing glutathione or ?-glutamylcysteine by culturing in a medium a microorganism with a higher activity of a protein having an activity to transport intracellular glutathione to the outside of cells, and a higher activity of a protein involved in glutathione or ?-glutamylcysteine biosynthesis, compared with that of the parent strain, forming and accumulating glutathione or ?-glutamylcysteine in the medium, and recovering the glutathione or ?-glutamylcysteine from the culture.

Abstract: A polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence in which one or more amino acids are deleted, substituted or added in the amino acid sequence of a glutamine synthetase 2 derived from a microorganism belonging to a coryneform bacterium, wherein the coryneform bacterium producing the polypeptide has L-glutamine productivity, a DNA encoding the polypeptide, a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA, a microorganism comprising the DNA or the recombinant DNA, and a process for producing L-glutamine using the microorganism are provided.

Abstract: The invention provides a microorganism having an ability to produce a protein having a dipeptide synthesizing activity and in which an activity of the protein to transport a dipeptide in a microbial cell to the outside of the microbial cell is higher than that of a parental strain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protein comprising the amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 3 (except for proteins of the amino acid sequences as shown in SEQ ID NOS: 4 to 6), and a process for industrially advantageously producing a compound that inhibits HMG-CoA reductase and has an action to decrease serum cholesterol, using DNA encoding the protein comprising the amino acid sequence as shown in any one of SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 3 (except for DNA encoding the protein comprising the amino acid sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 4).

Abstract: The present invention provides a protein having low-substrate-specific amino acid racemase activity; DNA encoding the protein; a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA; a transformant carrying the recombinant DNA; a process for producing the protein by using the transformant; and a process for producing a racemic amino acid which comprises allowing a culture of the transformant or a treated matter thereof as an enzyme source and an amino acid to be present in an aqueous medium to racemize the amino acid in the aqueous medium, and recovering the racemic amino acid from the aqueous medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protein having low-substrate-specific amino acid racemase activity; DNA encoding the protein; a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA; a transformant carrying the recombinant DNA; a process for producing the protein by using the transformant; and a process for producing a racemic amino acid which comprises allowing a culture of the transformant or a treated matter thereof as an enzyme source and an amino acid to be present in an aqueous medium to racemize the amino acid in the aqueous medium, and recovering the racemic amino acid from the aqueous medium.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a protein derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Bacillus, which has an activity of hydroxylating a compound represented by the formula (I-a): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, or an alkali metal, and R2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or a ring-closed lactone form thereof; a DNA encoding the protein; and a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a protein derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Bacillus, which has an activity of hydroxylating a compound represented by the formula (I-a): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, or an alkali metal, and R2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or a substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or a ring-closed lactone form thereof; a DNA encoding the protein; and a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA.

Abstract: The present invention relates to processes for producing compounds by using a protein derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Bacillus, which has an activity of hydroxylating a compound represented by the formula (I-a): wherein R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, or an alkali metal, and R2 represents a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl or substituted or unsubstituted aryl, or a ring-closed lactone from thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protein having low-substrate-specific amino acid racemase activity; DNA encoding the protein; a recombinant DNA comprising the DNA; a transformant carrying the recombinant DNA; a process for producing the protein by using the transformant; and a process for producing a racemic amino acid which comprises allowing a culture of the transformant or a treated matter thereof as an enzyme source and an amino acid to be present in an aqueous medium to racemize the amino acid in the aqueous medium, and recovering the racemic amino acid from the aqueous medium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing a dipeptide which comprises: allowing an enzyme source and a diketopiperazine wherein one or two kinds of ?-amino acids are condensed with each other to be present in an aqueous medium, said enzyme source being a culture of a microorganism having the ability to produce a dipeptide from a diketopiperazine wherein two kinds of ?-amino acids are condensed with each other or a treated matter of the culture; allowing the dipeptide to form and accumulate in the aqueous medium; and recovering the dipeptide from the aqueous medium (provided that the case in which the diketopiperazine is a diketopiperazine wherein aspartic acid and phenylalanine are condensed with each other and the dipeptide is aspartylphenylalanine is excluded).