Reducing agent from microorganism belonging to genus bacillus and application for same

Abstract

The present invention is intended to provide a reducing agent effective for color development of meat and uses therefor. The present invention provides a reducing agent containing a heme reductase derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus Bacillus. Preferably, crushed bacterial cells of Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus natto, Bacillus thuringiensis, or Bacillus mycoides are used.

1 . A reducing agent comprising a heme reductase derived from a microorganism belonging to the genus  Bacillus.    
     
     
         2 . The reducing agent of  claim 1 , wherein the heme is the heme of metmyoglobin. 
     
     
         3 . The reducing agent of  claim 1 , wherein the heme is the heme of methemoglobin. 
     
     
         4 . The reducing agent of  claim 1 , which is composed of crushed bacterial cells of a microorganism belonging to the genus  Bacillus.    
     
     
         5 . The reducing agent of  claim 1 , wherein the microorganism belonging to the genus  Bacillus  is a microorganism selected from the group consisting of  Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus natto, Bacillus thuringiensis,  and  Bacillus mycoides.    
     
     
         6 . The reducing agent of  claim 1 , wherein the heme reductase is dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase or nitroreductase. 
     
     
         7 . The reducing agent of  claim 1 , which contains dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase and nitroreductase as the heme reductase. 
     
     
         8 . The reducing agent of  claim 6 , wherein the amino acid sequence of the dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase includes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, and the amino acid sequence of the nitroreductase includes the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12. 
     
     
         9 . The reducing agent of  claim 6 , wherein the dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase and nitroreductase are recombinant proteins. 
     
     
         10 . A color tone improver composed of the reducing agent of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         11 . A color tone improver composed of the reducing agent of  claim 1  and a substance which substitutes iron in the heme group of myoglobin with zinc. 
     
     
         12 . The color tone improver of  claim 11 , wherein the substance is ferrochelatase. 
     
     
         13 . The color tone improver of  claim 10 , which is used for improvement of the color tone of meat or processed meat. 
     
     
         14 . A color tone improver for meat or processed meat comprising dihydrolipoyl dehydrogenase and/or nitroreductase. 
     
     
         15 . The color tone improver of  claim 10 , which improves the color tone by color development action, color development acceleration action, and/or color fading preventive action. 
     
     
         16 . A medicine comprising the reducing agent of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . The medicine of  claim 16 , which is an oral preparation. 
     
     
         18 . The medicine of  claim 16 , which is a parenteral preparation. 
     
     
         19 . A method for producing a reducing agent comprising the following steps (1) and (2):
 (1) a step of culturing a microorganism belonging to the genus  Bacillus  producing a heme reductase under conditions suitable for the production of the enzyme; and   (2) a step of recovering the enzyme from the culture.   
     
     
         20 . The production method of  claim 19 , wherein the step (2) includes the following steps:
 (2-1) a step of collecting bacterial cells from the culture; and   (2-2) a step of preparing crushed bacterial cells.   
     
     
         21 . The production method of  claim 19 , wherein the heme is the heme of metmyoglobin. 
     
     
         22 . The production method of  claim 19 , wherein the heme is the heme of methemoglobin. 
     
     
         23 . The production method of  claim 19 , wherein the microorganism belonging to the genus  Bacillus  is selected from the group consisting of  Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus natto, Bacillus thuringiensis  and  Bacillus mycoides.    
     
     
         24 . A color tone improvement method, comprising subjecting meat or processed meat to the action of the color tone improver of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         25 . A color tone improvement method, comprising subjecting meat or processed meat to the action of crushed bacterial cells of a microorganism belonging to the genus  Bacillus  selected from the group consisting of  Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus natto, Bacillus thuringiensis,  and  Bacillus mycoides.    
     
     
         26 . A prophylactic or therapeutic method using the reducing agent of  claim 1  for a disease associated with or caused by one or more clinical conditions or symptoms selected from blood circulation disorder and hypoxia or hypoxemia.