Japan Tobacco Inc.

Ichiro Terada

Takeshi Yamamoto

Hisashi Kodama

Motoko Nakashizuka

Yasushi Sugano

&bgr;-galactoside-&agr;2, 6-sialyltransferase gene

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).

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Osaka, Japan

Ichiro Terada