Abstract: A CPC acylase mutant of the present invention has an improved reactivity and specific activity to CPC, which can be efficiently employed for directly preparing 7-ACA from CPC by a one-step enzymatic method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a 5-substituted hydantoin racemase, which efficiently catalyzes racemization reactions at a high optimum temperature for racemization reactions, DNA coding for the racemase, and processes for producing optically active amino acids.

Abstract: Modulation of cytochrome c acetylation, e.g., with a SIR polypeptide, enables interventions that modulate lifespan regulation and cell proliferation, e.g., by modulating apoptosis and/or mitochondrial function such as respiration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of (S)— or (R)-3,3,3-trifluoro-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropionic acid and to novel microorganisms capable of utilizing the propionamide of the formula in the form of the racemate or of its optically active isomers as the sole nitrogen source.

Abstract: A method for the production of an enzyme, which comprises culturing in a medium a strain that belongs to a bacterium classified into Cytophagales or Actinomycetes, or a new bacterium Chryseobacterium sp. No. 9670 belonging to the genus Chryseobacterium, and has the ability to produce an enzyme having a property to deamidate amido groups in protein, thereby effecting production of the enzyme, and subsequently collecting the enzyme from the culture mixture and a method for the modification of protein making use of a novel enzyme which directly acts upon amido groups in protein, as well as a gene which encodes the enzyme, a recombinant vector which contains the gene, a transformant transformed with the vector and a method in which the transformant is cultured in a medium to effect production of the protein-deamidating enzyme and then the protein-deamidating enzyme is collected from the culture mixture.

Abstract: The invention relates to a Rhodococcus polynucleotide cluster which contains nucleotide sequences which encode polypeptides having the activity of a nitrile hydratase, of an auxiliary protein P15K which activates this enzyme and of a cobalt transporter, to transformed microorganisms in which the nucleotide sequences encoding these proteins are present in increased quantity, and to the use of the transformed microorganisms for preparing amides from nitriles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to flea allantoinase proteins; to flea allantoinase nucleic acid molecules, including those that encode such flea allantoinase proteins; to antibodies raised against such proteins; and to compounds that inhibit the activity of such proteins. The present invention also includes methods to obtain such proteins, nucleic acid molecules, antibodies, and inhibitory compounds. The present invention also includes therapeutic compositions comprising such inhibitory compounds, particularly those that specifically inhibit flea allantoinase activity, as well as the use of such therapeutic compositions to treat animals.

Abstract: Various methods are provided for the enzymatic production of glycolic acid from glycolonitrile. These methods include: 1) use of Acidovorax facilis 72W nitrilase mutants having improved nitrilase activity for converting glycolonitrile to glycolic acid, and 2) methods to improve catalyst stability and/or productivity. The methods to improve catalyst stability/productivity include use of reaction stabilizers, running the reactions under substantially oxygen free conditions, and controlling the concentration of substrate in the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A process is provided for producing glycolic acid from formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide. More specifically, heat-treated formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide are reacted to produce glycolonitrile having low concentrations of impurities. The glycolonitrile is subsequently converted to an aqueous solution of ammonium glycolate using an enzyme catalyst having nitrilase activity derived from Acidovorax facilis 72W (ATCC 57746). Glycolic acid is recovered in the form of the acid or salt from the aqueous ammonium glycolate solution using a variety of methods described herein.

Abstract: A recombinant microorganism is produced by introducing a DNA encoding an enzyme which hydrolyzes an amido bond of L-amino acid amide, especially L-2-alkylcysteine amide, and L-amino acid is produced by using cells or cell processed product of the obtained microorganism.

Abstract: The present invention provides genes that encode the N-acetyl-(R,S)-?-amino acid acylases. The N-acetyl-(R,S)-?-amino acid acylases were isolated and purified from bacterial cells and the nucleotide sequences were determined. A host, such as Escherichia coli, was used to construct a high-expression system for these genes. The N-acetyl-(R)-?-amino acid acylase produced by Burkholderia sp. AJ110349 (FERM BP-10366) includes, for example, the protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 8. The gene encoding this enzyme includes, for example, the DNA having the nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 7. The N-acetyl-(S)-?-amino acid acylase produced by Burkholderia sp. AJ110349 (FERM BP-10366) includes, for example, the protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ. ID. NO. 10. The gene encoding this enzyme includes, for example, the DNA having the nucleotide sequence shown inshown in SEQ. ID. NO. 9. The N-acetyl-(R)-?-amino acid acylase produced by Variovorax sp.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of (1R,4S)- or (1S,4R)-1-amino-4-(hydroxy-methyl)-2-cyclopentene of the formulae and/or of (1S,4R)- or (1R,4S)-amino alcohol derivatives of the general formulae and to novel microorganisms which are able to utilize a cyclopentene derivative of the general formula as sole nitrogen source, as sole carbon source or as sole carbon and nitrogen source.

Abstract: The invention relates to the isolation, sequencing, and recombinant expression of genes encoding either a nitrile hydratase (NHase) or amidase (Am) from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D, where the NHase is useful for catalyzing the hydration of nitriles to the corresponding amides, and the amidase is useful for hydrolysis of amides to the corresponding carboxylic acids. Also provided are transformed host cells containing polynucleotides for expressing the nitrile hydratase or amidase enzymes from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D.

Abstract: This invention relates to nitrilase mutants having improved nitrilase activity for converting 3-hydroxynitriles to 3-hydroxycarboxylic acids. More specifically, the Acidovorax facilis 72W (ATCC 55746) nitrilase gene was mutated using error-prone PCR and site-directed mutagenesis to create nitrilase enzymes having improved nitrilase activity for converting 3-hydroxynitriles (e.g., 3-hydroxybutyronitrile or 3-hydroxyvaleronitrile) to the corresponding 3-hydroxycarboxylic acids. A process using these improved mutants to produce the 3-hydroxycarboxylic acids is also provided.

Abstract: The soporific activity of cis-9,10-octadecenoamide and other soporific fatty acid primary amides is neutralized by hydrolysis in the presence of fatty-acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Hydrolysis of cis-9,10-octadecenoamide by FAAH leads to the formation of oleic acid, a compound without soporific activity. FAAH has be isolated and the gene encoding FAAH has been cloned, sequenced, and used to express recombinant FAAH. Inhibitors of FAAH are disclosed to block the hydrolase activity.

Abstract: The invention relates to the isolation, sequencing, and recombinant expression of genes encoding either a nitrile hydratase (NHase) or amidase (Am) from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D, where the NHase is useful for catalyzing the hydration of nitriles to the corresponding amides, and the amidase is useful for hydrolysis of amides to the corresponding carboxylic acids. Also provided are transformed host cells containing polynucleotides for expressing the nitrile hydratase or amidase enzymes from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D.

Abstract: The invention relates to a Rhodococcus polynucleotide cluster which contains nucleotide sequences which encode polypeptides having the activity of a nitrile hydratase, of an auxiliary protein P15K which activates this enzyme and of a cobalt transporter, to transformed microorganisms in which the nucleotide sequences encoding these proteins are present in increased quantity, and to the use of the transformed microorganisms for preparing amides from nitriles.

Abstract: The invention relates to the isolation, sequencing, and recombinant expression of genes encoding either a nitrile hydratase (NHase) or amidase (Am) from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D, where the NHase is useful for catalyzing the hydration of nitrites to the corresponding amides, and the amidase is useful for hydrolysis of amides to the corresponding carboxylic acids. Also provided are transformed host cells containing polynucleotides for expressing the nitrile hydratase or amidase enzymes from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D.

Abstract: Various methods are provided for the enzymatic production of glycolic acid from glycolonitrile. These methods include: 1) use of Acidovorax facilis 72W nitrilase mutants having improved nitrilase activity for converting glycolonitrile to glycolic acid, and 2) methods to improve catalyst stability and/or productivity. The methods to improve catalyst stability/productivity include use of reaction stabilizers, running the reactions under substantially oxygen free conditions, and controlling the concentration of substrate in the reaction mixture.

Abstract: A completely novel glutaminase is provided: (a) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2, or (b) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 2 by deletion, substitution or addition of one or more amino acids, and possessing glutaminase activity. This protein is a novel glutaminase possessing excellent thermostability and the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a family of bacterial acyl glucosaminylinositol amidases with amidase activity against S-conjugate amides, particularly mycothiol-derived S-conjugate amides. The invention amidases are characterized by a highly conserved 20 amino acid N-terminal region and four highly conserved histidine-containing regions and by having amidase activity, particularly amide hydrolase activity. The invention further provides methods for using the invention amidases in drug screening assays to determine compounds with antibiotic activity or compounds that inhibit activity or production of endogenous acyl glucosaminyl inositol amidase in bacteria. The invention further provides methods for detoxifying a toxic substance by contacting the toxic substance with an invention amidase, for example, by expression of the amidase under environmental conditions in a bacterium.

Abstract: Glutaminase is purified from an Aspergillus oryzae, its partial amino acid sequence is determined, a partial sequence of glutaminase gene is obtained by PCR based on the obtained information, and DNA fragments containing glutaminase gene from Aspergillus oryzae genomic library and cDNA library, and Aspergillus nidulans genomic library by hybridization using the partial sequence as a probe.

Abstract: The invention relates to the isolation, sequencing, and recombinant expression of genes encoding either a nitrile hydratase (NHase) or amidase (Am) from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D, where the NHase is useful for catalyzing the hydration of nitriles to the corresponding amides, and the amidase is useful for hydrolysis of amides to the corresponding carboxylic acids. Also provided are transformed host cells containing polynucleotides for expressing the nitrile hydratase or amidase enzymes from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D.

Abstract: Reagents that regulate human aminopeptidase N and reagents which bind to human aminopeptidase N gene products can play a role in preventing, ameliorating, or correcting dysfunctions or diseases including, but not limited to, cancer, a CNS disorder or COPD.

Abstract: The invention concerns novel isolated natural or synthetic polynucleotides and polypeptides coded by said polynucleotides, involved in the synthesis of diketopiperazine derivatives, vectors comprising said polynucleotides, micro-organisms transformed with said polynucleotides, uses of said polynucleotides and said polypeptides, as well as methods for the synthesis of diketopiperazine derivatives, including cyclodipeptides and diketopiperazine derivatives 3- and 6- substituted by ?,?-unsaturated amino acid side chains.

Abstract: A polypeptide possessing a sphingolipid ceramide deacylase activity; a nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide; a recombinant DNA comprising the nucleic acid; a carrier for introducing into a cell, carrying the nucleic acid or the recombinant DNA; a transformant harboring the nucleic acid or the recombinant DNA; an oligonucleotide probe or primer for the nucleic acid; a method for detecting the nucleic acid using the probe or the primer and a kit usable therefor; an antibody or a fragment thereof against the polypeptide; and a method for detecting the polypeptide using the antibody or a fragment thereof and a kit usable therefor. According to the present invention, there can be applied to engineering of sphingolipids, and to treatments for diseases such as diseases of nervous system (for instance, neurodegenerative diseases and the like), leukemia and wounds.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of (S)- or (R)-3,3,3-trifluoro-2-hydroxy-2-methylpropionic acid and to novel microorganisms capable of utilizing the propionamide of the formula in the form of the racemate or of its optically active isomers as the sole nitrogen source.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an amidase enzyme, nucleic acids encoding the amidase, as well as methods of employing the nucleic acids and/or amidase to produce, for example, enantiomericallyenriched compounds such as D-amino acids.

Abstract: A novel rec-L-N-carbamoylase from Arthrobacter aurescens and its method of use for producing L-amino acids. The recombinantly produced L-carbamoylase is unexpectedly stable, so that an industrial method of producing L-amino acids can be established with it, in contrast to previously known L-carbamoylases.

Abstract: The invention provides a glutaryl 7-ACA amidase from Pseudomonas diminuta strain BS-203, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of 7-?-(4-carboxybutanamido)-cephalosporanic acid to 7-aminocephalosporanic acid and glutaric acid. The invention also provides nucleic acid sequences, vectors, and host cells useful in the production of this amidase. The glutaryl 7-ACA amidase can be used for the preparation of 7-aminocephalosporanic acid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel D-aminoacylase, as well as method for producing a D-amino acid using the same. In order to achieve the above objective, the present inventors have succeeded in purifying heat-stable D-aminoacylase from microorganisms belonging to the genus Streptomyces by combining various purification methods. Furthermore, the present inventors found that the purified heat-stable D-aminoacylase is useful in industrial production of D-amino acids. By utilizing the heat-stable D-aminoacylase, it is possible to readily and efficiently produce the corresponding D-amino acids from N-acetyl-DL-amino acids (for example, N-acetyl-DL-methionine, N-acetyl-DL-valine, N-acetyl-DL-tryptophan, N-acetyl-DL-phenylalanine, N-acetyl-DL-alanine, N-acetyl-DL-leucine, and so on).

Abstract: Method for the preparation of an enantiomerically enriched acylated amine wherein a phenylacetic acid derivative is brought into contact with a mixture of enantiomers of an amine H2NCR1R2R3, in which R1, R2, R3 are not equal to each other and each independently stand for H, CN, a whether or not substituted (cyclo)alkyl, ary-, alkylaryl or arylalkyl group, whether or not cyclic heteroalkyl or heteroaryl group with one or more N, O or S atoms or in which R1 and R2 (and R3) together with the C-atom to which they have been bound form a (bi)cyclic group that optionally contains one or more N, O of S atoms, in the presence of a Pen-G acylase derived from Alcaligenes faecalis. And method for the preparation of enantiomerically enriched amine of formula H2NCR1R2R3, in which R1, R2, R3 are as defined above, wherein an acylated amine is brought into contact with a Pen-G acylase originating from Alcaligenes faecalis.

Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus peptide deformylase has been crystallized, and the three-dimensional x-ray crystal structure has been solved to 1.9 ? resolution. The x-ray crystal structure is useful for solving the structure of other molecules or molecular complexes, and designing modifiers of peptide deformylase activity.

Abstract: The invention is a process for continuously producing an amide compound by reacting a microorganism fungus body containing nitrile hydratase or a processed product of the microorganism fungus body with a nitrile compound in an aqueous medium, characterized in that after contacting said fungus body or said processed product of said fungus body with said nitrile compound in said aqueous medium, a reaction solution thus obtained is further subjected to reaction under conditions having a plug flow region, and according to the invention, an amide compound aqueous solution of a high concentration a high purity can be easily obtained in an extremely high conversion rate of a nitrile compound without a condensation process.

Abstract: The soporific activity of cis-9,10-octadecenoamide and other soporific fatty acid primary amides is neutralized by hydrolysis in the presence of fatty-acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Hydrolysis of cis-9,10-octadecenoamide by FAAH leads to the formation of oleic acid, a compound without soporific activity. FAAH has be isolated and the gene encoding FAAH has been cloned, sequenced, and used to express recombinant FAAH. Inhibitors of FAAH are disclosed to block the hydrolase activity.

Abstract: Methods of growing crystals of free, antibiotic complexed, or ribosomal substrate complexed large ribosomal subunits, coordinates defining the three-dimensional atomic structure thereof and methods of utilizing such coordinates for rational design or identification of antibiotics or large ribosomal subunits having desired characteristics are disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel process for the preparation of (1R,4S)- or (1S,4R)-1-amino-4-(hydroxymethyl)-2-cyclopentene of the formulae 1

Abstract: A neutral/alkaline ceramidase derived from a mammal; an antibody specifically binding thereto; a probe and primer which are capable of specifically hybridizing thereto; a method for producing the ceramidase by a genetic engineering means; a method for detecting the ceramidase or the gene; and a method of controlling an amount of a ceramide in a cell and/or in a tissue. The present invention is useful as a reagent for lipid engineering for analyzing a structure, functions, and the like of a ceramide, and in its applications to diseases associated with the ceramide metabolism.

Abstract: Glutaminase is purified from an Aspergillus oryzae, its partial amino acid sequence is determined, a partial sequence of glutaminase gene is obtained by PCR based on the obtained information, and DNA fragments containing glutaminase gene from Aspergillus oryzae genomic library and cDNA library, and Aspergillus nidulans genomic library hybridization using the partial sequence as a probe.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel sphingolipid ceramide N-deacylase (SCDase) having a wide substrate specificity; a method for enzymatically producing a lysosphingolipid or a sphingolipid derivative using the SCDase which is useful in the fields of medicine, carbohydrate engineering, cell engineering, and the like; the lysosphingolipid or sphingolipid derivative obtained by this production method; a gene which encodes a polypeptide having an SCDase activity useful in sphingolipid technology; a method for industrially producing a polypeptide having an SCDase deacylase activity and a recombinant polypeptide thereof using a transformant to which the gene is introduced; a probe or primer which hybridizes to the gene; and an antibody or a fragment thereof which specifically binds to the polypeptide.

Abstract: Glutaminase is purified from an Aspergillus oryzae, its partial amino acid sequence is determined, a partial sequence of glutaminase gene is obtained by PCR based on the obtained information, and DNA fragments containing glutaminase gene from Aspergillus oryzae genomic library and cDNA library, and Aspergillus nidulans genomic library by hybridization using the partial sequence as a probe.

Abstract: The invention relates to the isolation, sequencing, and recombinant expression of genes encoding either a nitrile hydratase (NHase) or amidase (Am) from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D, where the NHase is useful for catalyzing the hydration of certain nitriles to the corresponding amides, and the amidase is useful for hydrolysis of certain amides to the corresponding carboxylic acids. Also provided are transformed host cells containing polynucleotides for expressing the nitrile hydratase or amidase enzymes from Comamonas testosteroni 5-MGAM-4D.

Abstract: This invention relates to a nucleic acid encoding a variant human DDAH protein and to said variant DDAH protein as well as a method for screening a subject to determine if said subject is a carrier of a variant gene that encodes said variant DDAH protein. Further this invention relates to a method for detecting or diagnosing a risk of, or predisposition to, cardiovascular disease and diabetes in a subject, for selecting treatment in a subject and for selecting subjects for studies testing cardiovascular and diabetes drugs, a method for the treatment of type 2 diabetes as well as to transgenic animals.

Abstract: Staphylococcus aureus peptide deformylase has been crystallized, and the three-dimensional x-ray crystal structure has been solved to 1.9 Å resolution. The x-ray crystal structure is useful for solving the structure of other molecules or molecular complexes, and designing modifiers of peptide deformylase activity.

Abstract: Recombinant microbial strains are provided that express nitrilase enzyme and are useful as biocatalysts for the hydrolysis of nitrile-containing substrates. The recombinant cells are transformed with a foreign gene isolated from Acidovorax facilis 72W encoding a thermostable nitrilase enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of nitrile-containing substrates to carboxylic acids under mild reaction conditions. The nucleotide sequence of the nitrilase gene and the deduced amino acid sequence encoded by the nitrilase gene are provided.

Abstract: A method for the production of an enzyme, which comprises culturing in a medium a strain that belongs to a bacterium classified into Cytophagales or Actinomycetes, or a new bacterium Chryseobacterium sp. No. 9670 belonging to the genus Chryseobacterium, and has the ability to produce an enzyme having a property to deamidate amido groups in protein, thereby effecting production of the enzyme, and subsequently collecting the enzyme from the culture mixture and a method for the modification of protein making use of a novel enzyme which directly acts upon amido groups in protein, as well as a gene which encodes the enzyme, a recombinant vector which contains the gene, a transformant transformed with the vector and a method in which the transformant is cultured in a medium to effect production of the protein-deamidating enzyme and then the protein-deamidating enzyme is collected from the culture mixture.

Abstract: The present invention provides the D-aminoacylase-encoding gene derived from Hypomyces mycophilus, a filamentous fungus, the polypeptide encoded by the gene, and the homologues thereof. The D-aminoacylase of the present invention is capable of producing D-tryptophan from N-acetyl-D-tryptophan. D-tryptophan is useful as a medicinal raw material or the like.

Abstract: A hydrolyzing/dehydration condensing enzyme having the physical and chemical properties (1) to (3): (1) function and substrate specificity: the enzyme catalyzes a hydrolyzing or dehydration condensing reaction of an amide bond; (2) an optimal temperature range of about 55° C.; and (3) an optimal pH range of 6-8.

Abstract: A three-dimensional structure is described of a complex of isopenicillin N synthase (IPNS) with Fe and its substrate ACV. This structure is used to design modified enzymes IPNS, DAOCS, DACS, DAOC/DACS and other related enzymes of the penicillin and cephalosporin biosynthesis pathway, which modified enzymes may accept unnatural substrates or improve production efficiency or produce improved products. Specific modifications of specific amino acid residues are proposed and exemplified.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of identifying herbicides and to the use of inhibitors of plant peptide deformylase as broad spectrum herbicides.