Patent ID: 7223587

Claim:
A method of producing glutamic acid or glutamine, said method comprising: (i) inducing lysozyme sensitivity of a microorganism, which belongs to a genus Corynebacterium , which has an ability to produce glutamic acid or glutamine, and which is insensitive to lysozyme, by (a) inactivating a protein comprising SEQ ID NO: 2, or (b) inactivating a protein encoded by a DNA hybridizing with a DNA, that has a complementary nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, at 65° C. in the presence of 0.7 to 1.0 M sodium chloride and encoding a protein which cause lysozyme insensitivity in said microorganism, wherein the hybridization further includes a step of washing under the condition of 65° C. by the use of solution containing 15 to 300 mM sodium chloride and 1.5 to 30 mM sodium citrate and thus causing lysozyme sensitivity in said microorganism to produce a lysozyme-sensitive microorganism, wherein said inducing is not caused by a random mutation but caused by gene disruption, introduction of a transposon, introduction of an antisense gene, homologous recombination or homologous insertion; (ii) culturing said lysozyme-sensitive microorganism of (i); (iii) producing and accumulating glutamic acid or glutamine in said culture; and (iv) collecting said glutamic acid or glutamine from said culture.