Abstract: The present invention provides a method for conferring tolerance to an amino acid analog of tryptophan to a plant and/or altering the tryptophan content of a plant by introducing and expressing an isolated DNA segment encoding an anthranilate synthase in the cells of the plant. Transgenic plants transformed with an isolated DNA segment encoding an anthranilate synthase, as well as seeds and progeny derived from these plants, are also provided. The present invention also provides a cDNA sequence of an alpha and a beta subunit of a maize anthranilate synthase.

Abstract: A method for producing L-amino acid, such as L-phenylalanine and L-tryptophan, is provided using bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia wherein the L-amino acid productivity of said bacterium is enhanced by enhancing an activity of protein encoded by the yddG gene.

Abstract: A method for producing an L-amino acid, such as L-phenylalanine, L-threonine is provided using bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia wherein the L-amino acid productivity of said bacterium is enhanced by enhancing an activity of protein encoded by the yedA gene.

Abstract: A bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia having an ability to produce an L-amino acid is cultured in a medium containing fructose as a main carbon source, preferably a medium containing a carbon source composed of 30 weight % or more of fructose and 70 weight % or less of glucose, to produce and accumulate the L-amino acid in the medium, and the L-amino acid is collected from the medium.

Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a tryptophan biosynthetic enzyme. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the tryptophan biosynthetic enzyme, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the tryptophan biosynthetic enzyme in a transformed host cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coupled enzymatic process for producing tryptamine derivatives from indole compounds. In the first enzyme-catalyzed reaction, indole derivatives are converted to tryptophan derivative intermediates, then the tryptophan intermediates are decarboxylated in a second enzymatic reaction in the same reaction system. In this way, tryptamine derivative products are formed from indole derivatives in a single process. The invention is also directed to novel tryptophan and tryptamine derivatives, which can be prepared by the inventive method.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for conferring tolerance to an amino acid analog of tryptophan to a plant and/or altering the tryptophan content of a plant by introducing and expressing an isolated DNA segment encoding an anthranilate synthase in the cells of the plant. Transgenic plants transformed with an isolated DNA segment encoding an anthranilate synthase, as well as human or animal food, seeds and progeny derived from these plants, are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to novel compounds comprising a ubiquitination recognition element and a protein binding element. The invention also relates to the use of said compounds for modulating the level and/or activity of a target protein. The compounds are useful for the treatment of disease such as infections, inflammatory conditions, cancer and genetic diseases. The compounds are also useful as insecticides and herbicides.

Abstract: In a method for producing a target substance by utilizing a microorganism, which comprises culturing the microorganism in a medium to produce and accumulate the target substance in the medium and collecting the target substance from the culture, there is used, as the microorganism, a mutant strain or recombinant strain of a microorganism in which maltose assimilation is controlled by an interaction between IIAGlc protein of glucose PTS and a protein involved in non-PTS uptake of maltose, and the interaction between the IIAGlc protein and the protein involved in non-PTS uptake of maltose is reduced or eliminated in the mutant strain or recombinant strain.

Abstract: Genes encoding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL) and phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) have been introduced into a host organism for the production of Para-hydroxycinnamic acid (PHCA). The introduction of these genes results in the redirection of carbon flow in the host, optimizing the flow of carbon from glucose to PHCA. The intermediates, tyrosine and cinnamic acid are also produced.

Abstract: A process is described for purifying an amino acid-containing solution by means of electrodialysis, wherein an amino acid-containing solution is employed which is obtained from the fermentation for producing at least one amino acid.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for preparing &agr;-phenylalanine ester with substantially enantiomeric purity of formulae (I) and (II) wherein Alk represents a linear or branched C1-C6 alkyl radical, characterized in that it consists in contacting a mixture of &agr;-phenylalanine ester enantiomers with a lipase, a protease or an esterase.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for conferring tolerance to an amino acid analog of tryptophan to a plant and/or altering the tryptophan content of a plant by introducing and expressing an isolated DNA segment encoding an anthranilate synthase in the cells of the plant. Transgenic plants transformed with an isolated DNA segment encoding an anthranilate synthase, as well as seeds and progeny derived from these plants, are also provided. The present invention also provides a cDNA sequence of an alpha and a beta subunit of a maize anthranilate synthase.

Abstract: Genetic elements comprising expression vectors and a gene coding for phosphoenol pyruvate synthase is utilized to enhance diversion of carbon resources into the common aromatic pathway and pathways branching therefrom. The overexpression of phosphoenol pyruvate synthase increases DAHP production to near theoretical yields.

Abstract: A bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia having an ability to produce an L-amino acid is cultured in a medium containing fructose as a main carbon source, preferably a medium containing a carbon source composed of 30 weight % or more of fructose and 70 weight % or less of glucose, to produce and accumulate the L-amino acid in the medium, and the L-amino acid is collected from the medium.

Abstract: This invention describes methods for enhancing carbon flow into a pathway of a host cell to enhance the biosynthetic production of compounds therefrom, the host cells being selected based on being phenotypically Pts−/glucose+. Such host cells are capable of transporting glucose without consuming PEP, resulting in conservation of PEP which can be re-directed into the pathway in order to enhance the production of desired compounds along the pathway. Pts−/glucose+ mutants have been shown to be advantageous for the enhanced production of the aromatic amino acids.

Abstract: A process for large-scale, low cost, batch or continuous production of polyphenols using enzyme-mediated reactions and methods for recycling non-consumed reactants.

Abstract: The invention relates to an enzymatic method for reductive amination of &agr;-ketodicarboxylic acid derivatives or salts thereof using an amino acid dehydrogenase.

Abstract: A microorganism having indolmycin-producing ability and tryptophan analogue resistance is provided, and indolmycin or its salt can be produced efficiently by cultivating such microorganism in a medium to produce and accumulate indolmycin or its salt in the culture broth followed by recovering a product.

Abstract: A process for stereoselectively inverting a chiral center of a chemical compound is disclosed. The process first consists of forming a mixture of the chemical comopund, an enzymatic system, and a metal catalyst. Next, the process stereoselectively dehydrogenates a group attached to the chiral center with the enzymatic system in the presence of an oxidant to produce a dehydrogenated group, Lastly, the process hydrogenates the dehydrogenated group with the metal catalyst in the presence of a hydrogen source to stereoselectively invert the chiral center of the chemical compound.

Abstract: The present invention provides materials and methods for production of D-phenylalanine by recombinant expression in a microorganisms of a D-aminotransferase gene and optionally a dadX gene in optional combination with eliminating or reducing expression of L-transaminase genes.

Abstract: A method for producing L-phenylalanine, comprising the steps of: culturing a bacterium belonging to the genus Methylophilus which has an ability to produce L-phenylalanine and is resistant to a phenylalanine analog, in a culture medium to produce and accumulate L-phenylalanine in a culture, and recovering L-phenylalanine from the culture.

Abstract: A process for producing &agr;-amino acid from starting material comprising &agr;-amino amide enantiomers (A) and (B) is such that enantiomer (A) is converted preferentially over enantiomer (B) so that a time independent excess of at least 90%, preferably at least 98% is given. The reaction is catalysed by an amidase which may in particular be produced by specific Rhodococcus species.

Abstract: A gene coding for a mutant tyrosine repressor having increased positive regulatory activity for expression of the tyrosine phenol lyase gene compared with a tyrosine repressor not having mutation is obtained by introducing a mutation into a tyrosine repressor gene of Erwinia herbicola, introducing the gene into which the mutation is introduced into Escherichia coli expressing a lactose operon under the control of a promoter and enhancer of the tyrosine phenol lyase gene derived from Erwinia herbicola, and selecting a transformed strain having increased &bgr;-galactosidase activity.

Abstract: A method for producing halo-L-tryptophan from haloindole, comprising culturing a microorganism in a culture medium and then contacting the microorganism with (a) a mixture comprising haloindole, pyruvic acid and ammonia, or (b) a mixture comprising haloindole, a source of pyruvic acid and ammonia, until the halo-L-tryptophan is produced; and recovering the halo-L-tryptophan.

Abstract: A microorganism is utilized to fermentatively produce useful substances such as amino acids by cultivating the microorganism in a medium to allow a fermentative product to be produced and accumulated in the medium, and collecting the fermentative product, wherein the microorganism to be used is modified by introduction of at least one of a gene coding for a heat shock protein and a gene coding for a &sgr; factor which specifically functions for the heat shock protein gene to enhance expression amount of the heat shock protein in cells, whereby the microorganism is allowed to have added resistance to stress which would otherwise restrain growth of the microorganism and/or production of the fermentative product.

Abstract: A method for producing L-phenylalanine, comprising the steps of:

Abstract: The invention makes available, by means of an increased provision of intracellular metabolic intermediates, in particular of erythrose 4-phosphate, alternative processes for the microbial preparation of substances, in particular of aromatic amino acids such as L-phenylalanine, in which processes the activity of a transaldolase is increased in a microorganism producing these substances. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the activity of a transketolase or the activity of a transport protein for the PEP-independent uptake of a sugar and/or the activity of a kinase which phosporylates the relevant sugar are/is additionally increased. The invention also relates to gene structures, and to transformed cells carrying these gene structures, which make it possible to implement these processes in a particularly successful manner.

Abstract: A method for producing halo-L-tryptophan from haloindole, comprising culturing a microorganism in a culture medium and then contacting the microorganism with (a) a mixture comprising haloindole, pyruvic acid and ammonia, or (b) a mixture comprising haloindole, a source of pyruvic acid and ammonia, until the halo-L-tryptophan is produced; and recovering the halo-L-tryptophan.

Abstract: The present invention provides a catalyst system and a process for stereoselectively inverting a chiral center of a chemical compound. The catalyst system of the present invention comprises (i) a catalytic amount of a metal catalyst; (ii) an enzyme capable of oxidizing a chemical compound at a chiral center, or microorganism cells capable of producing an enzyme which is capable of oxidizing a chemical compound at a chiral center; (iii) an oxidant; and (iv) a hydrogen source. The process of the present invention comprises treating a chemical compound having a chiral center with the catalyst system of this invention.

Abstract: A microbial process for the preparation of D(-)-N-carbamoylphenylglycine from DL-5-phenylhydantoin which comprises culturing the strain pseudomonas sp. having Accession No. NCIM 5070 (ATCC 55940) and deposited in National Collection of Industrial Microorganisms (NCIM), National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) (India), having hydantoinase activity, in a medium for 16-20 hours, separating the cells by centrifugation, treating the solid cells obtained with DL-5-phenylhydantoin in buffer, at a temperature in the range of about 25-30° C. for a period of about 2-6 hours, acidifying the mixture to obtain solid D(-)-N-carbamoylphenylglycine, and separating the product by filtration.

Abstract: The use of strains of the genus Microbacterium for the production of organic acids or amino acids by the enzymatic conversion of a fumaric acid to the organic acid or amino acid desired, as well as methods for such use and the conversion solution produced by such use and the methods of the present invention are disclosed. The uses and the methods of the present invention provide the L-isomer form of the desired organic acid or amino acid produced thereby in the absence of the D-isomer form of the desired organic acid or amino acid. Also disclosed are reactants solutions which include the strain of the genus Microbacterium and the L-isomer form of either the organic acid or the amino acid.

Abstract: A tryptophan producing strain of microorganism is selected from E. coli and Corynebacteria and is tryptophan feedback resistant and serine feedback resistant. The serine feedback resistance is by a mutation in a serA allele, where the mutated serA allele codes for a protein which has a Ki value for serine between 0.1 mM and 50 mM. The tryptophan feedback resistance is by a trpE allele which codes for a protein which has a Ki value for tryptophan between 0.1 mM and 20 mM. A process for preparing this microorganism and a process for using this microorganism are disclosed.

Abstract: A process for producing L-homophenylalanine comprises the step of reacting 2-oxo-4-phenylbutyric acid with a L-amino acid in the presence of tyrosine aminotransferase in a reaction solution to produce L-homophenylalanine.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing an L-amino acid which comprises culturing in a nutrient medium a microorganism which is capable of producing the L-amino acid and which can not grow in a synthetic medium containing said L-amino acid as the sole nitrogen source in an amount of 5 mg/ml or below, allowing the L-amino acid to accumulate in the culture, and recovering the L-amino acid from the culture.

Abstract: Processes for stereoselective enzymatic conversion of certain keto carboxylic acid derivatives to form the corresponding alkylamino acid compounds are described. The invention also concerns an engineered yeast host cell containing recombinant nucleic acid capable of expressing a phenylalanine dehydrogenase, as well as an engineered host cell containing recombinant nucleic acid capable of expressing a phenylalanine dehydrogenase enzyme and nucleic acid capable of expressing a formate dehydrogenase enzyme.

Abstract: 2-Aminopropane is used as the amine donor in the stereoselective synthesis of a chiral amine from a ketone with a transaminase. In a typical embodiment, (S)-1-methoxy-2-aminopropane is prepared by bringing methoxyacetone into contact with a transaminase in the presence of 2-aminopropane as an amine donor until a substantial amount of methoxyacetone is converted to (S)-1-methoxy-2-aminopropane and 2-aminopropane is converted to acetone. In a second embodiment, L-alanine is prepared by bringing pyruvic acid into contact with a transaminase in the presence of 2-aminopropane as an amine donor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for conferring tolerance to an amino acid analog of tryptophan to a plant and/or altering the tryptophan content of a plant by introducing and expressing an isolated DNA segment encoding an anthranilate synthase in the cells of the plant. Transgenic plants transformed with an isolated DNA segment encoding an anthranilate synthase, as well as seeds and progeny derived from these plants, are also provided. The present invention also provides a cDNA sequence of an alpha and a beta subunit of a maize anthranilate synthase.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for obtaining optically active L-.alpha.-aminocarboxylic acids from the corresponding racemic D,L,.alpha.-aminocarboxylic acids. The following steps are involved: (a) the D,L,.alpha.-aminocarboxylic acids are acetylated; (b) the N-acetyl-L-.alpha.-aminocarboxylic acid present in the mixture of N-acetyl-D,L,.alpha.-aminocarboxylic acids thus obtained is broken down enzymatically into the L-.alpha.-aminocarboxylic acid; (c) the L-.alpha.-aminocarboxylic acid is separated from the mixture, a quantity of a solution of N-acetyl-D(L)-.alpha.-aminocarboxylic acids and a quantity of acetate equivalent to the L-.alpha.-aminocarboxylic acid being retained; and (d) the N-acetyl-D(L)-.alpha.-aminocarboxylic acid is racemized and recycled for enzymatic breakdown. Known extraction processes involving steps (a) to (d) have the disadvantage of producing large quantities of salt.

Abstract: The production of a melanin-like compound by introducing an inactivated virus into a culture of bacteria is disclosed. After introduction, the inactivated virus causes a phenotypic change in the bacteria. When introduced into a media containing tyrosine, these modified bacteria produce a melanin-like compound, pyomelanin. The bacteria will continue to produce pyomelanin until they are removed from the tyrosine source.

Abstract: A microbial process for the preparation of D(-)-N-carbamoylphenylglycine from DL-5-phenylhydantoin which comprises culturing the strain pseudomonas sp. having Accession No. NCIM 5070 (ATCC 55940) and deposited in National Collection of Industrial microorganisms (NCIM), National Chemical laboratory (NCL) (India), having hydantoinase activity, in a medium for 16-20 hours, separating the cells by centrifugation, treating the solid cells obtained with DL-5-phenylhydantoin in buffer, at a temperature in the range of about 25-30.degree. C. for a period of about 2-6 hours, acidifying the mixture to obtain solid D(-)-N-carbamoylphenylglycine, and separating the product by filtration.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing acylated amino esters and a process for preparing optically active amino esters from racemic amino esters with a carboxylic ester as acylating agent, whose acid component has a halogen, nitrogen, oxygen or sulfur atom neighboring the carbonyl carbon atom, in the presence of a hydrolase selected from the group of amidase, protease, esterase and lipase, and subsequent separation of the enantioselectively acylated amino ester from the non-acylated other enantiomer of the amino ester.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical formulation of a taxane antineoplastic agent, particularly paclitaxel or docetaxel or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and N-methylpyrrolidin-2-one (NMP). The formulation may include other excipients and/or diluents, and is suitable for administration to patients with cancer.

Abstract: D-amino acid with high optical purity represented by formula (1-A) and/or formula (1-B), ##STR1## wherein R represents H or OH, ##STR2## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 each represents H or OH, and amine represented by formula (2-A) and/or formula (2-B) ##STR3## wherein R represents H or OH, ##STR4## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 each represents H or OH, can be produced economically in an industrial scale by contacting a mixture of enantiomers of amino acid represented by the above formula (1-A) and/or formula (1-B) with a microorganism capable of selectively degrading L-amino acid or with at least one of the treated products of the microorganism.

Abstract: Genetic elements comprising expression vectors and a gene coding for phosphoenol pyruvate synthase is utilized to enhance diversion of carbon resources into the common aromatic pathway and pathways branching therefrom. The overexpression of phosphoenol pyruvate synthase increases DAHP production to near theoretical yields.

Abstract: A biocatalytic process to produce optically active phenylalanine analogs from arylacrylic acids is disclosed in which Rhodotorula graminis yeast containing phenylalanine ammonia-lyase introduces a molecule of ammonia stereoselectively onto the double bond of a 3-substituted acrylic acid. The substituent at the 3-position of the 3-substituted acrylic acid includes, for example, aromatic rings such as substituted phenyl groups, five member aromatic heterocyclics, and six member aromatic heterocyclics.

Abstract: An improved recombinant DNA plasmid composed of a DNA vector and other DNA fragments containing the tryptophan operon from E. coli, the aroG gene from E. coli and the serA gene from E. coli is shown. The plasmid is transformed into a microorganism belonging to Escherichia coli, and the microorganisms are cultured in a medium and the L-tryptophan accumulated in the culture is recovered.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing an L-amino acid which comprises culturing in a nutrient medium a microorganism which is capable of producing the L-amino acid and which can not grow in a synthetic medium containing said L-amino acid as the sole nitrogen source in an amount of 5 mg/ml or below, allowing the L-amino acid to accumulate in the culture, and recovering the L-amino acid from the culture.

Abstract: The method for producing D-tryptophan with high optical purity and high yield is provided, which comprises contacting a mixture of D,L-tryptophan with organisms which produce tryptophanase to degrade L-tryptophan selectively, thereby increasing the content of D-tryptophan in D,L-tryptophan.

Abstract: Genetic elements comprising expression vectors and a gene coding for phosphoenol pyruvate synthase is utilized to enhance diversion of carbon resources into the common aromatic pathway and pathways branching therefrom. The overexpression of phosphoenol pyruvate synthase increases DAHP production to near theoretical yields.