(1) A modified sarcosine oxidase with improved stability in the acidic
range compared to a wild-type sarcosine oxidase. (2) A sarcosine oxidase
gene encoding a modified sarcosine oxidase of the following (a), (b), or
(c): (a) protein composed of the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ
ID NO: 1 (b) protein composed of an amino acid sequence wherein one or
some amino acid(s) are deleted, substituted, or added from the amino acid
sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and which has sarcosine oxidase
activity (c) protein composed of an amino acid sequence which shows 80%
or more homology to the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1,
and which has sarcosine oxidase activity According to the present
invention, sarcosine oxidases, in particular sarcosine oxidases which
show optimal pH and high activity in the slightly acidic range and have
improved stability can be prepared efficiently, thus making the invention
industrially useful.