Abstract: A partial peptide of a preproglucagon peptide comprising at least the amino acid sequence at positions 92-97 of a preproglucagon peptide is used as an effective ingredient of an antidiabetic drug.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for purifying human activin by cation exchange chromatography and chaotropic ion concentration gradient elution.

Abstract: A protein or a variant thereof, which has a binding activity to IRR and the following characteristics and an insulin receptor-related receptor are allowed to bind in the presence of a test substance, and inhibition of the binding is measured to search for an agonist or antagonist of IRR ligand.

Abstract: A method for industrially producing human activin A which comprises refolding a modified human activin A produced by a microorganism into natural-form human activin A having a biological activity. This method comprises the steps of: (a) solubilizing the modified human activin A with a modifier and then protecting the thiol groups with glutathione and/or sodium sulfite; and (b) dialyzing the protected modified human activin A with a refolding buffer, containing taurodexoycholic acid or its salts and then adding a thiol compound thereto conduct a disulfide bond interchange reaction.

Abstract: A method for processing a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, or a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, or a peptide or derivatives thereof having a crosslinked structure, which entails contacting glutamine and lysine residues in a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, a peptide or derivatives thereof with a transglutaminase obtained from Bacillus subtilus to form intermolecular or intramolecular, crosslinked .epsilon.(.delta.-Glu)-Lys bonds between or in the molecules of the protein, non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, peptide or derivatives thereof, wherein the transglutaminase has the physicochemical properties described herein.

Abstract: A physiologically active polypeptide, BUF-3, having the ability to differentiate and maturate human leukemia cells into normal cells and of accelerating the formation of erythroblasts is disclosed. The polypeptide has a molecular weight of 16.+-.1 Kd as determined by SDS-electrophoresis in the presence of 1% mercaptoethanol, or 25.+-.1 Kd, as determined by SDS-electrophoresis in the absence of mercaptoethanol.

Abstract: The present invention relates to (1) a transglutaminase (hereinafter referred to as TG) isolated from a Bacilli such as those of Bacillus subtilis, (2) a fraction having transglutaminase activity, and (3) a method for producing a protein, a non-proteinaceous amino acid polymer, a peptide or derivatives thereof having a crosslinked structure, by crosslinking the glutamine and lysine residues in the same with the TG or the fraction having TG activity to thereby form intermolecular or intramolecular, crosslinked .epsilon.-(.gamma.-Glu)-Lys bonds. The present invention also relates to (4) a DNA coding for a TG derived from a Bacilli such as Bacillus subtilis, (5) a vector comprising said DNA coding for the TG, (6) a cell transformed with the vector, and (7) a method for producing a Bacillus-derived transglutaminase by incubating the transformant.

Abstract: Disclosed is a gel of microbially-produced cellulose, characterized in that the microbially-produced cellulose is modified by (1) physically or chemically bonding an animal cell adhesive protein to the cellulose, and/or (2) substituting hydrogen atoms of at least parts of hydroxyl groups of the cellulose with a positively or negatively charged organic group. This gel is valuable as a carrier for mass culture of animal cells or as a medical vulnerary cover.

Abstract: Wound healing agents (especially a cicatricial contracture preventing agent, a wound protective or coating agent and a hemostatic agent) containing transglutaminaseas an active ingredient, which are novel and excellent wound healing agents with which cicatricial contracture prevention, wound protection or coating and blood stanching can be made simply and easily.

Abstract: Pharmaceutical compositions containing the polypeptides BUF-3, BUF-4 and BUF-5 have hypoglycemic activity. BUF-3 is a homodimer of monomer A shown in FIG. 1. The monomer has a molecular weight of 16.+-.1 kd. BUF-4 is a heterodimer of monomer A and monomer B (FIG. 2). These products can be produced by cell culture of malignant leukemia cells or by recombinant DNA engineering.

Abstract: The polypeptides BUF-4 and BUF-5 may be used to treat osteoporosis, cancer, and anemia, and pharmaceutical compositions containing BUF-4 and/or BUF-5 are disclosed.