NOVELTY - A mannanase polypeptide derived from pacific abalone, exhibiting activity including galactomannan degradation and release of reducing sugar, specificity with degradation of Locust bean gum (galactomannan), konjak mannan (glucomannan) and ivory-palm mannan (linear beta-1,4-mannan), molecular weight of approximately 39000 Dalton (based on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis), optimum temperature of 35-53degreesC, optimum pH of 6.5-8.5; and an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 3 at N-terminal amino acid sequence, is new.    USE - For hydrolyzing mannan and for producing protoplast of plant or seaweed (all claimed). For producing high mannooligosaccharide of added value used as food additive, pharmaceutical raw material and raw material in fertilizers, soil conditioner, dye and impression agent of tooth profile for dentures, for screening compound that promotes or inhibits binding to mannan and mannose-containing sugar chain degradation activity, and in field of fishery for degradation of unused red algae or red algae waste material, producing red algae extract or red algae concentrate, and processing waste material accompanying fish processing.    ADVANTAGE - The high quality mannanase is be produced in large quantities, cost-effectively and rapidly, by gene recombinant technology using microorganisms such as Escherichia coli.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Mannanase polypeptide derived from pacific abalone:    (a) exhibits enzyme activity including galactomannan degradation and release of reducing sugar; substrate specificity (degrades locust bean gum (galactomannan), konjak mannan (glucomannan) and ivory-palm mannan (linear beta-1,4-mannan), and does not degrade xylan, agarose, carboxymethylcellulose and dextran); molecular weight of approximately 39000 Daltons (based on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis); optimum temperature of 35-53degreesC; optimum pH of 6.5-8.5; amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 3 at N-terminal amino acid sequence; and heat stability (retains 90% of enzyme activity when heated for 30 minutes at 40degreesC in pH 7.0); and    (b) comprises amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2, 9 or 16; an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2 or 9 in which one or more amino acids are substituted, deleted or added; or an amino acid sequence having homology higher than at least 50%, preferably higher than 60% and most preferably at least 98% or more with respect to amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2 or 9.    INDEPENDENT CLAIMS are included for:    (1) mannanase polynucleotide encoding mannanase polypeptide, chosen from polynucleotide that hybridizes under stringent conditions with nucleotide sequence having base sequence complementary to SEQ ID No. 1 or 10, or nucleotide sequence comprising continuous bases (10 or more or 15 or more of DNA of SEQ ID No. 1 or 10), and polynucleotide having 50% or more, preferably 60% or more, and most preferably 95% or more homology with respect to SEQ ID No. 10;    (2) recombinant vector (V1) comprising the mannanase polynucleotide;    (3) transformed host cell (I) obtained by introducing the mannanase polynucleotide or the recombinant vector (V1) to the host cell;    (4) preparation of mannanase polypeptide;    (5) composition comprising mannanase polypeptide, mannanase polynucleotide, the recombinant vector (V1) and/or the transformed host cell (I);    (6) use of all or the portion of sequence chosen from SEQ ID No. 1-16 for synthesis of recombinant mannanase protein or the mannanase polypeptide production;    (7) fragment of mannanase polypeptide or mannanase polynucleotide;    (8) method of producing protoplast of seaweed or plant, involves obtaining seaweed cell or plant cell from seaweed or plant, and subjecting cell to processing by the mannanase polypeptide; and    (9) method for hydrolyzing mannan, involves acquiring product hydrolyzed by the mannanase protein or polypeptide by processing mannanase containing substrate.