A method for determining the amount of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), in whichif requiredthe erythrocytes in a sample are haemolysed, the haemoglobin that is then releasedif requiredis contacted with a proteolytic agent and the glycated haemoglobin degradation products obtained in this way or otherwise are quantified is disclosed. In order to provide such a process and reagents employable therein that has/have the property of sufficient stability of the chemical compounds that are essential to the reaction, for the stabilization of the haemoglobin which is unfolded at a very low pH in the range from 1 to 3, at least one suitable stabilizer is present in the haemolysis solution. Where a leuco dye is used in connection with the determination of the amount of HbA1c, it is proposed that the latter be stabilized with particular phosphine compounds and/or thio compounds, and, in particular embodiments, the requisite proteolytic agent is to be provided in the form of an inactivated protease which is then only reactivated in situ.

Fructosyl amino acid oxidase is provided, which has an amino acid sequence as shown in SEQID. No. 1 or fructosyl amino acid oxidase having a homology of more than 80% with this amino acid sequence, on a corresponding site of an amino acid selected from following (a) to (f), having one or more amino acid residues conducting a substitution, obtained fructosyl amino acid oxidase having a higher thermostability: (a) 59-site glutamic acid, (b) 98-site glutamic acid, (c) 225-site glycine, (d) 277-site lysine, (e) 285-site glutamic acid, and (f) 355-site aspartic acid. The method for preparing the above oxidase and the test kit containing the enzyme for determining glycated albumin are also provided.

The present invention provides a protein comprising an amino acid sequence in which arginine at position 61 of a protein comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 is substituted to an amino acid selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, serine, threonine, proline, cysteine, methionine, asparagine, glutamine, and aspartic acid; and a method for measuring a glycated hemoglobin in a sample, wherein the method comprises reacting a glycated hemoglobin in a sample with a protease to produce a glycated hexapeptide, then reacting the produced glycated hexapeptide with the aforementioned protein, and measuring a substance produced or consumed by the reaction.

A method for determining the amount of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), in whichif requiredthe erythrocytes in a sample are haemolysed, the haemoglobin that is then releasedif requiredis contacted with a proteolytic agent and the glycated haemoglobin degradation products obtained in this way or otherwise are quantified is disclosed. In order to provide such a process and reagents employable therein that has/have the property of sufficient stability of the chemical compounds that are essential to the reaction, the provision of the requisite proteolytic agent in the form of an inactivated protease is proposed, which is then only reactivated in situ. For the stabilization of the haemoglobin, which is unfolded at a very low pH in the range from 1 to 3, at least one suitable stabilizer should be present in the haemolysis solution, and, where a leuco dye is used in connection with the determination of the amount of HbA1c, it is proposed that the latter be stabilized with particular phosphine compounds and/or thio compounds.

A method for determining the amount of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), in whichif requiredthe erythrocytes in a sample are haemolysed, the haemoglobin that is then releasedif requiredis contacted with a proteolytic agent and the glycated haemoglobin degradation products obtained in this way or otherwise are quantified is disclosed. In order to provide such a process and reagents employable therein that has/have the property of sufficient stability of the chemical compounds that are essential to the reaction, for the stabilization of the haemoglobin which is unfolded at a very low pH in the range from 1 to 3, at least one suitable stabilizer is present in the haemolysis solution. Where a leuco dye is used in connection with the determination of the amount of HbA1c, it is proposed that the latter be stabilized with particular phosphine compounds and/or thio compounds, and, in particular embodiments, the requisite proteolytic agent is to be provided in the form of an inactivated protease which is then only reactivated in situ.

Provided is a glycated hemoglobin oxidase with small measurement error or without deviation of the measured value from the true value regarding a sample containing glycated abnormal hemoglobin. Provided are a glycated hemoglobin oxidase comprising an amino acid sequence in which the amino acid at the position corresponding to position 113, 109, 106, or 102 of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 is substituted with an amino acid other than a positively-charged amino acid, such as glutamic acid, alanine, or aspartic acid as well as a method and a reagent kit for measurement of glycated hemoglobin using such glycated hemoglobin oxidase. The glycated hemoglobin is capable of reacting with various genotypes and enables highly accurate measurement of glycated hemoglobin in a sample containing glycated abnormal hemoglobin.