Gas-utilizing microorganisms are stably cultured regardless of variations in a supply flow rate of a substrate gas. Gas-utilizing microorganisms 9 are cultured in a culture solution 2 in a culture tank 10. A substrate gas containing CO and H.sub.2 or the like is supplied to the culture tank 10 and is dissolved in the culture solution 2. When a supply flow rate of the substrate gas or predetermined constituents of the substrate gas to the culture tank 10 becomes a predetermined value or lower, a culture solution 2a is rapidly discharged from the culture tank 10.

To provide a method for serum-free culture of human cartilage cells and a serum-free culture medium. A method for serum-free culture of cartilage cells, said method comprising: an enzymatic treatment step for treating a human cartilage cell-containing tissue with a protease; an inhibitor-treatment step for, after the enzymatic treatment step, treating the tissue with an inhibitor for the aforesaid protease; and a culture step for, after the inhibitor-treatment step, culturing the tissue in a serum-free culture medium that contains kartogenin and/or SAG, ITS, FGF2 and hydrocortisone. A serum-free culture medium for culturing cartilage cells, said serum-free culture medium containing kartogenin and/or SAG, ITS, FGF2 and hydrocortisone.

A culture container has a first inflow port and a first outflow port. The first flow path connects the first outflow port to the first inflow port. A storage container is provided within the first flow path and has a second inflow port which is connected to the first outflow port and a second outflow port which is connected to the first inflow port. A second flow path connects a first region within the first flow path, and a second region within the first flow path. A division processing portion is provided within the second flow path, performs a division process of dividing a cell aggregation flowing in from the first flow path, and allows the cells subjected to the division process to flow out into the first flow path via the second region. A medium supply portion supplies a medium to the inside of the first flow path.

According to the invention, it has been found that a particulate biomass containing an oxidation-sensitive material of value can be converted into a particularly easy-to-handle product in a gentle manner if it is subjected to a granulation with the addition of an agglomeration auxiliary.

According to the invention, it has been found that a particulate biomass containing an oxidation-sensitive material of value can be converted into a particularly easy-to-handle product in a gentle manner if it is subjected to a granulation with the addition of an agglomeration auxiliary.

The present invention provides for a bio-nematocide for repairing damage to wood and related cellulosic products caused by nematodes.

An insecticidal composition wherein the composition has an insecticidal effect based a modification of the bacteria of the genus gluconacetobacter. The Insecticidal effect show activity against Green peach aphid (Myzus persicae (Sulzer)); Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) on peaches and Citrus woolly whitefly (Aleurothrixus floccosus) on citrus.

A species of Burkholderia sp with no known pathogenicity to vertebrates but with pesticidal activity (e.g., plants, insects, fungi, weeds and nematodes) is provided. Also provided are natural products derived from a culture of said species and methods of controlling pests using said natural products.

Provided are a Corynebacterium glutamicum mutant that is resistant to high concentrations of L-glutamine, and a method of producing L-glutamine by using the mutant.

The biological functionality of living microbial spores is modified using phenotypic engineering to endow the resulting modified spores with novel functionality that extends the usefulness of the spores for a variety of practical applications including, for example, sterility testing, the release of active compounds, and cell-based biosensing systems. An embodiment entails engineering Bacillus spores to acquire synthetic new functions that enable the modified spores to sense and rapidly transduce specific germination signals in their surroundings. The newly acquired functions allow the spores to perform, for example, as self-reporters of cellular viability, self-indicating components of cell-based biosensors, and in other analytical systems. Also disclosed are methods for testing adequate sterility of a system by using engineered spores.