Japan Tobacco Inc.

Fuji Flavor Co., Ltd.

Hisashi Kodama

Ichiro Terada

Takeshi Yamamoto

Yasuhiro Kajihara

Motoko Nakashizuka

Takashi Ebata

Mikio Ono

Akio Ohnishi

Masahiro Kohno

Hironobu Hashimoto

Keiko Mochizuki

Yasushi Sugano

Described is a method of production of saccharides containing sialic acid, wherein .beta.-galactoside-.alpha.-2,6-sialyltransferase is used for linking sialic acid to the 6-position of a galactose residue in a sugar chain of a glycoconjugate or the 6-position of a galactose residue in a free sugar chain, or to the 6-position of a monosaccharide having a hydroxyl group on carbon at the 6-position and being capable of forming an oligosaccharide or a glycoconjugate.

Method of the production of saccharides containing sialic acid

The present inventions relate to novel .alpha.-agarase which selectively hydrolyzes the 1,3-bond of an oligosaccharide derived from agarose; a process for producing oligosaccharides and/or monosaccharides, characterized by that a .beta.-agarase which acts on both polysaccharides and oligosaccharides derived from agarose and an .alpha.-agarase which acts specifically on oligosaccharides derived from agarose are allowed to react with a substrate which contains agarose or an oligosaccharide derived from agarose; and a process for producing oligosaccharides and/or monosaccharides, characterized by that the above .alpha.-agarase is allowed to react with a substrate which contains an oligosaccharide derived from agarose.

.alpha.-agarase and production process of oligosaccharides and

A .beta.-galactoside-.alpha.-2,6-sialyltransferase derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Photobacterium has ben disclosed, having the following physicochemical properties: (1) action and specificity: transferring sialic acid from cytidine monophosphate-sialic acid to the 6-position of a galactose residue in a sugar chain of a glycoconjugate or in a free sugar chain, or to the 6-position of a monosaccharide having a hydroxyl group on carbon at the 6-position and being capable of forming a glycoconjugate. (2) optimum pH: 5 to 6; (3) optimum temperature: 30.degree. C.; and (4) molecular weight: 64,000.+-.5,000 (determined by gel filtration).

.beta.-galactoside-.alpha.-2, 6-sialyltransferase, and a process for

Sialic acid derivative and method of manufacturing it

An inhibitor of the biosynthesis of sugar chains containing sialic acid that is excellent in the suppression of inflammation or allergy, which comprises as an active ingredient a sugar compound of the formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted aliphatic hydrocarbon group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, a peptide residue or a glycoprotein, and R.sup.2 is a hydrogen atom, a sulfhydryl group, an acyloxy group, an acylthio group, an aryloxy group, an alkyloxy group or a glycothio residue. The inhibitor of the biosynthesis of sugar chains containing sialic acid may be used as a therapeutic agent for inflammation caused by sugar chains containing sialic acid.

Sugar compounds for inhibition of the biosynthesis of sugar chains

A 2,3-dihydro-2,3,5-trimethyl-4H-pyran-4-one derivative represented by general formula: ##STR1## where R is ##STR2## --CH(OCH.sub.3).sub.2, --CH(OC.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2, --CHO, --CH.sub.2 OH, --CH.dbd.CH.sub.2, .dbd.CHCH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, --CH.dbd.CHCH.sub.3 or ##STR3## The derivative is useful as a sex attractant for drugstore beetles.

2,3-dihydro-2,3,5-trimethyl-4H-pyran-4-one derivative and sex attractant

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Hisashi Kodama