biotechnology - biotech consortium india...

Highlightsl India to ratify protocol that promotes biotech research

l Apollo Hospitals ties up with AliveCor for mobile ECG devices

l Researchers advanced genome editing techniques

l New technique to measure structurally modified proteins

l Scientists find potential medicine for treating arthritis

l A solution to make pests non-resistant to Bt gene

ISSN 0971-5622Vol. 1 No. 124 l Oct - Dec 2014

VATIS UPDATE

Biotechnology

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CONTENTSVol. 1 No. 124 Oct - Dec 2014

IN THE NEWS 4

¨ DCGI to approve clinical trial proposals for new drugs ̈ India to ratify protocol that promotes biotech research ̈ IIT-B wins national awards for biotech research ¨ Indigenous microscope that generates 3D images of objects ̈ Gates foundation to donate $500m to fight malaria ̈ NIH grants up to $70M to develop vac-cine adjuvants ̈ Researchers seek crucial tool to test Ebola ̈ FDA approves egg-free influenza vaccine for adults

MARKET NEWS 7

¨ GMS Holdings invests in Strides for a biotech project ̈ Google’s health startup forges venture with AbbVie ̈ ASLAN to enhance clinical development through Medidata ̈ CCM to benefit from Biocon’s new generic insulin facility ̈ Apollo Hospitals ties up with AliveCor for mobile ECG devices ¨ Epirus gets nod for arthritis drug in India ̈ Market for proteomics research tools facing sharp growth

GENOMICS 9

¨ Researchers advanced genome editing techniques ̈ Genetic switch could cure HIV AIDS ̈ Researchers sequenced new bacterial genome ̈ An insight study on genetic drivers of thyroid cancer ̈ IBM Watson lends analytic power to genomic medicine

PROTEOMICS 11

¨ New technique to measure structurally modified proteins ̈ Researchers study on a new DNA repair protein ̈ Scientists uncover how protein ensures reproductive suc-cess ̈ Scientists found aggregates of misfolded cellular proteins

MEDICAL BIOTECH 13

¨ Bacteria to fight dengue ̈ New technology can help early diagnosis of can-cer ̈ Scientists find potential medicine for treating arthritis ̈ Japan develops 30-min-ute test to quickly diagnose Ebola ̈ Scientists build artificial mini-stomachs using stem cells ̈ Japan carries out first iPS stem cell implant ̈ Scientists develop new blood test to determine cancer ̈ Flexible polymer can interact with nerves

AGRI BIOTECH 16

¨ A solution to make pests non-resistant to Bt gene ̈ A game changer in crop hybridisation ̈ New technology to control pest attack on crops ̈ Scientists enhance quality of cereal and bioenergy crops ̈ Some plants regenerate by duplicating their DNA

RECENT PUBLICATIONS 18

TECH EVENTS 18

4 VATIS UPDATE: Biotechnology n Oct-Dec 2014

DCGI to approve clinical trial proposals for new drugsThe Union health ministry, India, has announced that the clinical trial proposals of new drugs al-ready approved in other countries, fixed dose combinations (FDCs), subsequent new drugs, vaccines, etc. will henceforth be disposed of by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). This practically means that the pharmaceutical companies seeking permission from the Union health ministry, do not have to go through the pre-sent time-consuming process of three-tier screening system under which each and every proposal is examined first by the NDAC (pres-ently renamed as SECs), then by the Technical Committee headed by DGHS and finally by the Apex Committee headed by union health secretary. At present, all clinical trial propos-als including proposals of NCEs, GCTs, clinical trial of new drugs already approved in other coun-tries, FDCs, subsequent new drugs and vaccines are being evaluated through a three-tier system of SECs, Technical Committee and Apex Committee. Earlier in its order last year, in the matter of Swasthya Adhikar Manch, the Supreme Court of India, had ordered that all the cases of clinical trials of new chemi-cal entity should be conducted strictly in accordance with the pro-cedure prescribed in Schedule ‘Y’ of Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940 under the direct supervision of the union health secretary. This year, the Supreme Court of India in its order directed that henceforth the format seeking information from the applicants, three specific columns for risk versus benefits to the subjects,

innovation vis-a-vis existing ther-apy and unmet need to the coun-try should be inserted for the purpose of NCEs/GCTs. In view of these facts and circumstances, the DCGI then placed a proposal before the Technical Committee that it may be appropriate for the Technical Committee to consider the evaluation of the proposals of clinical trial which are related to GCTs/NCEs only and clinical trial proposals of drugs related to other than GCT/NCEs may be disposed of at CDSCO level.

Source: http://www.pharmabiz.com

India to ratify protocol that promotes biotech researchIndia is set to ratify a supplemen-tary protocol, which promotes innovation in agriculture and healthcare research and develop-ment that is safe for the environ-ment and human beings. India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has given its approval for ratify-ing the “Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur supplementary protocol on liability and redress to the Cartagena pro-tocol on bio-safety”. The proposed approach provides for an interna-tional regulatory framework in the field of liability and redress related to living modified organisms that reconciles trade and environment protection.

The Supplementary Protocol would promote sound application of biotechnology making it possi-ble to accrue benefits arising from modern biotechnology while mini-mising the risk to the environment and human health, an official said. It will promote innovation in agri-cultural and healthcare research and development that is safe for

the environment and human be-ings. The proposal will protect the interests of all Indians without dis-tinction or differentiation. The pro-posal is based on the principles of the Convention on Biological Diversity and Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, both internation-ally negotiated and binding legal instruments.

Source: http://www.bernama.com

IIT-B wins national awards for biotech researchThe Biosciences and Bioengineering departments at IIT Bombay, India, have created two innovative port-able diagnostic systems to measure blood sugar and other components. Rohit Srivastava, an associate pro-fessor, who has worked on both the projects was recently awarded the Vasvik Award, for scientific and in-dustrial research, and is now set to be awarded by the Prime Minister in December. The two projects, ‘Su Chek’ and ‘uChek’, analyze blood and urine respectively and meas-ure various parameters in the body. While Su Chek tracks blood sugar levels using a drop of blood, uChek tests urine samples for glucose, bi-lurubin, ketone, pH, and proteins. The two products were prepared by five IIT students guided by Rohit Srivastava, who has been teaching at IIT Bombay for nine years now. In the last leg of its testing pro-cess, Su Chek – has been pre-pared for the general public – aims to replace the popular Accu Chek to monitor blood sugar for person-al use. After about nine months of research, the team created Su Chek, which works on a colorimet-ric system, where a change in col-our of the blood when placed on test strip indicates glucose levels. While the final testing process is

IN THE NEWS

VATIS UPDATE: Biotechnology n Oct-Dec 2014 5

nearing completion, Su Chek is awaiting the approval from the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). Su Chek is priced at Rs. 1,000 for the unit, is lower than the average price of other similar devices available in the market which cost Rs 1,300.uChek, which works on urine sam-ple, is already available in the market, but only for pathology laboratories. The kit comes with a smartphone that has a pre-installed application. The phone stores the test results using cloud technology. The phone also captures images of the strip dipped in the urine sam-ple and displays results of about 10 components based on colour change.

Source: http://www.mumbaimirror.com

Indigenous microscope that generates 3D images of objectsThe Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), India, has launched an indigenous mi-croscope that generates 3D im-ages of objects. The ‘Broad Spectrum Confocal Microscope’ has several applications in medi-cine and materials sciences. It uses an infra-red beam, which passes through a patented pho-tonic crystal fibre made by the Central Glass and Ceramics Research Institute (CGCRI), India. “The optic fibre produces multiple wavelengths from the laser due to its surface which has very small holes. This is similar to the way a peacock’s feather scatters light. This is projected on to the target object which allows us to see a three dimensional structure of the object,” said Kamal Dasgupta, CGCRI Director.

The microscope was developed along with Vinvish Technologies, India, under the New Millennium Indian Technology Initiative, an ef-fort launched by the CSIR over a decade ago to develop technolo-gies through collaborative efforts by research laboratories and tech-nology companies in India. “While similar confocal microscopes cost about Rs. 4 crore to import, these will be priced between Rs. 1.25 crore and Rs. 1.5 crore. It has taken us two years to develop this with a Rs. 2.5-crore loan from CSIR,” said Suresh Nair, at Vinvish Technologies.

“This not only fulfils our goal of Make in India but it is also world class… A dream I cherish is to make the CSIR’s 38 labs into centres of excellence that would attract students from around the world. Scientists have also agreed to devote 12 hours every year to teaching in schools and colleges,” said Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Science and Technology.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com

Gates foundation to donate $500m to fight malariaThe B i l l & Me l inda Gates Foundation, run by Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates, will donate more money to-ward its goal to stamp out malaria from the world. The announcement is considered as the latest devel-opment in Gates’ broader plan to fight tropical diseases. According to Gates, the foundation will in-crease its budget to tackle malaria by 30 percent to spend more than $200 million a year, which will be in addition to the foundation’s oth-er endowments toward the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis

and Malaria. The Gates founda-tion will also commit more than $500 million in total this year to fight various diseases, including pneumonia, and diarrheal and par-asitic diseases in poor countries.

The foundation’s plans to eradi-cate malaria, which kills more than 600,000 people each year, also in-cludes a $156 million award to the PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative, or MVI, in building new vaccines that will interrupt the cycle of the malarial parasite’s transmission. In addition to malaria, the Gates foundation pledged $50 million for research on Ebola treatments, tests and vaccines. “Some countries and groups have contributed to help contain the Ebola virus, but a larger effort is needed to stop the outbreak, which has killed about 5,000 people in eight countries this year,” Gates said.

Source: http://www.ibtimes.com

NIH grants up to $70M to develop vaccine adjuvantsThe National Institutes of Health, the United States, has forged 7 re-search agreements with academic and industry partners aimed at identifying new adjuvant candi-dates that could be used in vac-cines to boost immune responses against various pathogens. The contracts, which could total up to $70 million over 5 years, are with Boston Children’s Hospital, the United States, Vaxine PTY, Austra l ia , GlaxoSmithKl ine ’s (GSK) , the Un i ted S ta tes , Corixa Corporation, the United States, Duke Universi ty, the United States, Oregon Health & Science University, the United States, University of Kansas the United States, and University of California (UC), the United States.

In the News


Used to make vaccines more effec-tive, adjuvants can help enhance the protective effects of immuniza-tion for people who would otherwise not respond well to vaccines, such as infants, the elderly and immu-nocompromised people. Adjuvants also have the potential to help cre-ate vaccines against diseases for which no vaccines currently exist. Aluminum gels or aluminum salts, which have been used for more than 70 years in a number of vac-cines, are the only vaccine adju-vants currently licensed for use in the U.S. The three US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ap-proved alumimun-based adjuvants are alum, AS04 and AS03. Alum in found in vaccines that protect against hepatitis B and pneumo-coccal infections. AS04 is includ-ed in the HPV vaccine Cervarix, and AS03 is in an H5N1 bird flu vaccine.

Previous National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) adjuvant discovery contracts iden-tified adjuvants that trigger a small set of receptors that call the innate, or inborn, immune system, into im-mediate action to provide a non-specific defense mechanism. The new NIAID awards will be focused on looking for compounds that can activate the other immune system, called the adaptive immune sys-tem, which can provide long-term protection from infection by specific pathogens.

Source: http://www.fiercevaccines.com

Researchers seek crucial tool to test EbolaSearching for a new way to at-tack Ebola, companies and aca-demic researchers are now racing to develop faster and easier tests

for determining whether someone has the disease. Such tests might require only a few drops of blood rather than a test tube of it, and provide the answer on the spot, without having to send the sam-ple to a laboratory. The tests could be essential in West Africa, where it can take days for a sample to travel to one of the relatively few testing laboratories, leaving those suspected of having the disease in dangerous limbo. Rapid tests might also be used to screen travelers at airports, providing a more de-finitive answer than taking their temperatures. The World Health Organization is encouraging de-velopment of rapid tests, as is the federal government.

T h e U S F o o d a n d D r u g Administration (FDA) is giving emergency authorization for use of qualified Ebola tests and gave a clearance for a one-hour test developed by BioFire Defense, the United States, although that test requires more than a few drops of blood and is typically sent to a laboratory. “It would have taken years to get this product approved through the traditional process,” said Kirk Ririe, chief executive of BioFire Defense. Companies are hoping to get their tests into the field in Africa in the next few months, but it is not clear how many will be in time to make a dif-ference in the outbreak. And some health specialists caution that while one company after another is an-nouncing an Ebola test, there is lit-tle information about their accuracy.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com

FDA approves egg-free influenza vaccine for adultsProduced by Protein Sciences Corporation, the United States,

t h e U . S . F o o d a n d D r u g Administration (FDA) has ap-proved the ‘Flublok’ influenza vaccine, for all adults 18 years and older. The FDA also approved the vaccine for use in individuals 50 and older under its acceler-ated approval process of biologi-cal products regulations. Flublok is the only licensed flu vaccine on the market that is made us-ing modern recombinant technol-ogy. The vaccine is 100 percent egg-free and contains three times more active ingredients than tra-ditional flu vaccines.

“Older adults are known to be at high risk for contracting and de-veloping complications from influ-enza. Flublok has been shown to induce high antibody levels in sen-iors,” said Lisa Dunkle, at Protein Sciences. Protein Sciences spe-cializes in developing vaccines and producing protein. Flublok is a modern vaccine with particular benefits to individuals who need to avoid exposure to egg proteins, gelatin, latex, formaldehyde or an-tibiotics as Flublok is free of all of these unnecessary and avoidable components. Flublok is available nationwide at Passport Health locations nationwide and some pharmacies, clinics and doctor’s offices.

Source: http://vaccinenewsdaily.com

In the News

BioFire’s FilmArray test device can detect the disease in an hour


GMS Holdings invests in Strides for a biotech projectStrides Arcolab (Strides), India, has entered into an agreement with GMS Holdings (GMS), Jordan, regarding stake of 25.1 percent in its biotech arm, Stelis Biopharma Pvt Ltd, India, for the total invest-ment of US$ 21.90 million. Strides has already invested $16.9 million in Stelis. As per agreement Strides and GMS will invest an amount of $61.9 million taking total equity in-vestment in Stelis to $78.8 million. Stelis also has a project credit line of $40 million. With the total equity infusion of US$ 78.8 million and credit line of US$ 40 million, no further funding will be required till commercialization.

“We are extremely pleased to have GMS Holdings as our stra-tegic partner for the emerging bio-tech business. GMS Holdings has a track record of having partnered in successful businesses, with a strong presence in the MENA re-gion. This partnership will acceler-ate our emerging market strategy for the biotech business,” said Joe Thomas, Chief corporate develop-ment officer of Strides.

Source: http://www.pharmabiz.com

Google’s health startup forges venture with AbbVieGoogle’s ambitious health startup is teaming up with biotechnology drugmaker AbbVie, the United States, in a $500 million joint venture that will try to develop new ways to treat cancer and oth-er diseases such as Alzheimer’s. The alliance announced calls for Google Inc., the United States, and AbbVie Inc to each invest

$250 million in the project. An addit ional $1 bi l l ion may be poured into the project. The two companies will split all expenses and any profits generated by the venture.

Calico, the United States, a com-pany hatched by Google in 2013, will manage a team of scientists who will work at a research-and-development lab. AbbVie, a spin-off from Abbott Laboratories, the United States, will oversee the marketing of the drugs. The North Chicago, Illinois, company already has been working on drugs to fight Parkinson’s disease, Crohn’s and other ailments. Google set up Calico as separate business last year to pursue medical break-throughs that would enable people to live longer. Toward that end, Calico is doing extensive research to get a better understanding about how the human body ages and working on technology that could cure cancer.

Source: http://www.timesofindia .indiatimes.com

ASLAN to enhance clinical development through MedidataA S L A N P h a r m a c e u t i c a l s , Singapore, an oncology-focused biotechnology company, has se-lected Medidata’s Clinical Cloud, the United States, as an enter-prise-wide technology platform to enhance its clinical development. The adoption of the industry-leading Medidata Clinical Cloud™ supports the company’s strategy of maximizing the value of its in-licensed drug portfolio by conduct-ing high quality, efficient clinical development in Asia. With offices in Singapore and Taiwan, ASLAN licenses pre-clinical and early clinical compounds from global pharmaceutical companies and

leverages high-quality, innovative clinical centers in Asia to advance drug development.

In support of this work, ASLAN is us ing Med ida ta ’s c loud-based technology for electronic data capture and management (Medidata Rave®) and rand-omization and supply manage-ment (Medidata Balance®). “We selected the Medidata Clinical Cloud as our enterprise-wide technology platform because it is helping us bring greater speed and efficiency to clinical trials. With its broad adoption across Asia, the Medidata platform al-lows us to be more creative, ag-ile and efficient, while ensuring investigator engagement in our studies,” said Dr. Mark McHale, at ASLAN.


CCM to benefit from Biocon’s new generic insulin facilityChemical Company of Malaysia Bhd (CCM) will get access to Asia’s largest integrated generic insulin facility built by largest bi-opharmaceutical company, Biocon Ltd, India, once the factory is of-ficially opened next year in Johor, Malaysia. CCM Pharmaceuticals Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned sub-sidiary of CCM, will exclusively distribute and market ‘Insugen’, which is indigenously developed by Biocon using a proprietary fer-mentation technology, for Malaysia and Brunei markets. “The Johor operations are expected to launch by February 2015 and will have a bigger capacity than Biocon’s ex-isting facility in Bangalore, India. With an investment of at least US$160 million (US$1=RM3.34), the Johor facility is poised to ca-ter for the global requirements of

MARKET NEWS


Biocon’s range of biopharmaceu-tical products,” said Srinivasan Raman, Biocon Head of Malaysia operation.

Meanwhile, Minister in the Prime Minister ’s Department, Senator Datuk Seri Idris Jala said, “The collaborative effort between CCM and Biocon marked the first of many initiatives that was in tan-dem with Malaysia’s aspirations to enhance its generic pharmaceu-tical manufacturing capacity. As articulated through our National Key Economic Areas (NKEA) Healthcare Entry Point Project 3 (EPP3), Malaysia aims to lever-age on the impending patent ex-piry of major drugs to promote the manufacturing of generic drugs in the country, a move that will attract investments, estimated at about US$132 billion for the industry.”


Apollo Hospitals ties up with AliveCor for mobile ECG devicesApollo Hospitals, India, has tied up with the AliveCor Inc., the United States, to provide mobile electrocardiogram (ECG) devices to patients suffering from arrhyth-mias. “The heart-monitor device, approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), would be sold to patients for Rs. 12,000 to keep a tab on their heart-beat,” said Dr. Pratap C Reddy, Chairman, Apol lo Hospi ta ls . The device is smart phone-ena-bled and compatible with global standards.“It can wirelessly record, display, store and transfer hear rate and single channel electrocardiogram to a doctor remotely located,’’ said Euan Thomson, President and CEO, AliveCor. The monitor

can be connected to a central round-the-clock station for inter-pretation of data/reading of the report for a monthly subscription of Rs. 1,000 for the first three months.

Source: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com

Epirus gets nod for arthritis drug in IndiaEpirus Biopharmaceuticals Inc., the United States, has received f inal approval for ‘BOW015’ from Drug Controller General of India, to manufacture and sell ‘BOW015’, a biosimilar to Remicade of Johnson & Johnson, the United States, for treating in-flammatory diseases. Epirus and i ts commercial isat ion partner Ranbaxy Laboratories Ltd, India, expect to launch the drug, under the brand name ‘Infimab’, by the first quarter of 2015. The medi-cine is used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases includ-ing rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s Disease, ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative colitis, psoriatic arthri-tis and psoriasis.

“With these final clearances, we are now able to deliver a high quality product to patients who may not be able to afford cur-rent treatment options,” said Amit Munshi, President and CEO of Epirus. Under the terms of the agreement, Epirus will develop and supply BOW015, and Ranbaxy will register and commercialise BOW015 in India as well as in other territories in Southeast Asia, North Africa, and selected other markets, Epirus said. Ranbaxy and Epirus had signed a licens-ing agreement for BOW015 in January, 2014.

Source: http://www.business-standard.com

Market for proteomics research tools facing sharp growthAccording to a report recently re-leased to the biotech industry pre-pared by Kalorama Information, the United States, predicts sharp growth in research efforts in the field of proteomics with concurrent growth in sales of research sup-plies and equipment. The report, “Proteomics Markets for Research and IVD Applications,” indicated that the USD 5 billion market for proteomics instruments, reagents, and testing for research and diag-nostic applications was likely to grow rapidly over the next several years, despite cost pressures generally in research. Proteomics is the study of protein structure and function.

At the cellular level, investigators at-tempt to determine which proteins are expressed, when and where they are expressed, what is their structure in both active and inactive states, what roles they play in the life of the cell, and how they interact with other proteins and molecules. While many different types of tech-nologies are used to study proteins, demands for the three main technol-ogies: mass spectrometry, antibodies (or antibody capture), and knowledge bases are expected to grow sig-nificantly. “It is enormously difficult to study proteins, but hard-fought discoveries made in the research enable biomarker discovery, drug discovery, new IVDs, and personal-ized solutions,” said Bruce Carlson, of Kalorama Information. There are many manufacturers willing to assist customers with technologies, creat-ing a vibrant market. New platforms based on a wide range of proteomics technologies have already started to reach the in vitro diagnostics market.

Source: http://www.biotechdaily.com

Market News


Researchers advanced genome editing techniquesCustomized genome editing – the ability to edit desired DNA se-quences to add, delete, activate or suppress specific genes – has major potential for application in medicine, biotechnology, food and agriculture. Now, in a paper published in Molecular Cell, re-searchers from the North Carolina State University (NC State), the United States, have examined six key molecular elements that help drive this genome editing system, which is known as CRISPR-Cas. Dr. Rodolphe Barrangou, and Dr. Chase Beisel, at NC State, used CRISPR-Cas to take aim at cer-tain DNA sequences in bacteria and in human cells. CRISPR stands for ‘clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats,’ and Cas is a family of genes and corresponding proteins associated with the CRISPR sys-tem that specifically target and cut DNA in a sequence-dependent manner.

Essentially, bacteria use the sys-tem as a defense mechanism and immune system against unwanted invaders such as viruses. Now that same system is being harnessed by researchers to quickly and more precisely target certain genes for editing. The CRISPR-Cas system is spreading like wildfire among re-searchers across the globe who are searching for new ways to manipu-late genes. “The paper’s findings will allow researchers to increase the specificity and efficiency in tar-geting DNA, setting the stage for more precise genetic modifications,” said Barrangou. The collaborative effort with Caribou Biosciences, the United States, illustrates the focus of these two NC State laborato-ries on bridging the gap between

industry and academia, and the commercial potential of CRISPR technologies.

Source: http//www.sciencedaily.com

Genetic switch could cure HIV AIDSScientists from the French Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), the United Kingdom, have unveiled the genetic mech-anism by which they believe two men were spontaneously cured of HIV, and said the discovery may offer a new strategy in the fight against AIDS. In both asympto-matic men, the AIDS-causing virus was inactivated due to an altered HIV gene coding integrated into human cells. Their work has been published in the journal Clinical Microb io logy and In fec t ion . According to researchers, this, in turn, was likely due to stimulation of an enzyme that may in future be targeted for drug treatment to induce the same response.

“This finding represents an ave-nue for a cure,” said Didier Raoult at Inserm. Neither of the men, one diagnosed HIV positive 30 years ago and the other in 2011, have ever been ill, and the AIDS-causing virus cannot be detected with routine tests of their blood. In both, the virus was unable to rep-licate due to DNA coding changes that the researchers proposed were the result of a spontane-ous evolution between humans and the virus that is called “en-dogenization.” The approach hith-erto has been the opposite: to try and clear all traces of HIV from human cells. The team said they did not believe the two patients were unique or that the phenom-enon was new.

Source: http//www.news.discovery.com

Researchers sequenced new bacterial genomeResearchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the United States, are the first team to se-quence the entire genome of the Clostridium autoethanogenum bacterium, which is used to sus-tainably produce fuel and chemi-cals from a range of raw materials, including gases derived from biomass and industrial wastes. The ORNL work was funded by LanzaTech, the United States, a biotechnology company, with an innovative carbon recycling pro-cess. LanzaTech’s gas fermen-tation platform uses proprietary microbes for efficiently convert-ing carbon-rich waste gases and residues into useful fuels and chemicals.

S u c c e s s f u l l y s e q u e n c i n g Clostridium autoethanogenum – classified as a complex, class III microbe because of its many re-peating units of DNA bases – has been of significant interest to the biotechnology industry. “With the complete genomic sequence, we will have a better understanding of the microbe’s metabolism and mu-tations that will enable LanzaTech to make modifications to the wild-type, or naturally occurring, strain for optimizing the conversion of waste into fuel. Our ORNL lab has a lot of experience sequencing ge-nomes, and we have the analytic capability to tackle this project,” said Steve Brown at ORNL.

The research team sequenced the more than 4.3 million base pairs of DNA that make up the organ-ism’s genome using RS-II long-read sequencing technology developed by Pacific Biosciences (PacBio). Although long-read sequencing technologies still struggle with

GENOMICS


high error rates, they promise to advance the biotechnology industry by making it possible to sequence microorganisms with many repeat-ing sequences, such as Clostridium autoethanogenum, within a reason-able amount of time at reasonable cost. The project also revealed information about the genetic his-tory of Clostridium autoethanoge-num through short DNA sequences known as CRISPR systems, which retain genetic mutations such as those created during a viral infec-tion that are subsequently passed on to future generations of a microbe.

Source: http//www.sciencedaily.com

An insight study on genetic drivers of thyroid cancerInvestigators with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network, the United States, have identified new molecular subtypes that will help clinicians determine which tumors are more aggressive and which are more likely to re-spond to certain treatments. Their findings have confirmed that pap-illary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs) are driven primarily by mutations in one of two cancer-associated genes: BRAF (and a particular mutation, V600E) or RAS. The work also detailed many differenc-es between the two genetic types, particularly in signaling pathways that promote tumor development and growth. The study led by Dr. Thomas Giordano, at University of Michigan, the United States, has been published online in the journal Cell.

The researchers developed a scoring system to reflect gene expression in the two PTC types, allowing them to characterize

tumors and determine both the pathway a tumor uses to send signals and its relative aggres-siveness. Where a tumor lies on a scale – called its thyroid differentiation score – can have important treatment implications because different tumor signaling properties can mean the cancer responds differently to particular therapies. The study also showed that BRAF-driven tumors have a broader range of genetic com-plexity than previously thought, with distinct subtypes. The re-sults suggest a need for a new classification system that more accurately reflects underlying ge-netic characteristics of the can-cer. Thyroid cancer is the fastest growing cancer in the US, with more than 20,000 new PTC cases each year. Most thyroid cancers are slow-growing and treatable with surgery, hormone therapy and radioactive iodine.

Source: http//www.genome.gov

IBM Watson lends analytic power to genomic medicineWith he lp f rom the Lerner Research Institute’s Genomic Medicine Institute (LRI-GMI), the United States, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, the United States, have used IBM’s Watson Genomics Analytics, to harness the powers of big data to spot genetic indicators for certain cancers. From there, doctors can formulate individualized treatment plans based on the patient’s DNA. IBM said Watson has a unique ability to overcome the “needle in the haystack” challenge that often arises with genomic map-ping. Doctors need to be able to correlate data from genome

sequencing to reams of medical journals, new studies and clini-cal records – while also treating the patient with the best available procedures.

The Watson Genomics Analytics application is a combination of Watson’s cognitive system, deep computational biology models and IBM’s public cloud infrastructure SoftLayer. With its ability to rap-idly review massive databases and continually learn with each new patient scenario, researchers and doctors hopes that Watson will allow them to increase the number of patients who have ac-cess to the tailored care options. “The potential for leveraging the capabilities of Watson’s cognitive computing engine in personalized medicine could not be timelier. Clinicians will benefit from the knowledge and insight provided by Watson in the care of their patients,” said Dr. Charis Eng, at the LRI-GMI.

This isn’t the first foray Watson has made into healthcare. The super computer has also been utilized by the Mayo Clinic, as well as through IBM’s partner-ships with healthcare providers such as WellPoint and Memorial Sloan-Kettering. IBM even says the latest pilot initiative with the Cleveland Clinic is an extension of on-going programs with the re-nowned cancer treatment center that aim to aid in the advancement of big data in healthcare. Using Watson’s cognitive computing capabilities, Cleveland Clinic is aiming to advance a new era of cognitive computing that will aide in the acceleration of new dis-coveries and bring forward new breakthroughs in personalized medicine.

Source: http//www.zdnet.com

Genomics


New technique to measure structurally modified proteinsResearchers from Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Switzerland, and the University of Padua, Italy, they have found a way to measure the majority of structural-ly modified proteins in any biological sample, which can contain thou-sands of different proteins. They add that measurements can be made from complex protein mixtures such as those that occur in cells, without cleaning or enriching the samples. The study has been published in the journal Nature Biotechnology. For their new method, the scientists combined an “old” technique and a modern approach from proteome research. First, digestive enzymes such as proteinase K are added to the sample, which cut the proteins depending on their structure into smaller pieces known as peptides.

The fragments can then be meas-ured using a technique known as Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM). This method enables many different peptides to be specifically found out and their quantities measured. Based on the peptides found, proteins that were originally present in the sample can be determined and quantified. Until now, there has been a lack of methods that enable structurally modified proteins to be recorded quantitatively in complex biological samples, according to the research-ers, who pointed out that although there is a series of techniques to study structurally modified proteins, such as x-ray crystallography, nucle-ar magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and other spectroscopic techniques, they cannot be used to analyze com-plex biological samples.

Other procedures that researchers have used to study structural chang-es of proteins in cells also have their limits. Prior to the analysis, the

proteins of interest have to be spe-cifically marked to enable the sci-entists to observe them in samples. However, this approach is only pos-sible for a few proteins in a sample. “What makes the new method so useful is that the digestive enzymes cut the same kind of proteins that have different structures in different places, resulting in diverse frag-ments,” explained Dr. Paola Picotti, a professor ETHZ. Like a fingerprint, these fragments can be clearly as-signed to the individual structures of the protein. With the aid of the test, the scientists managed to measure the exact amount of pathogenic and nonpathogenic alpha-synuclein directly in a complex sample. The test also yielded information on the structure of the protein.

Source: http://www.genengnews.com

Researchers study on a new DNA repair proteinMutations in the gene that encodes BRCA2 are well known for raising the risk of breast cancer and other cancers. Although the protein was known to be involved in DNA repair, its shape and mechanism have been unclear, making it impossible to target with therapies. Now researchers at Imperial College, the United Kingdom, and the Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, purified the protein and used electron microscopy to re-veal its structure and how it interacts with other proteins and DNA. The re-sults have been published in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology. The study was led by Professor Xiaodong Zhang at Imperial College and Dr. Stephen West at the London Research Institute.

Around one in 1000 people in the UK have a mutation in the BRCA2 gene. The lifetime risk of breast

cancer for women with BRCA2 mu-tations is 40 to 85 percent, depend-ing on the mutation, compared with around 12 per cent for the general population. Many women who test positive for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mu-tations choose to undergo surgery to reduce their risk of breast can-cer. Mutations can also raise the risk of other cancers, such as ovarian, prostate and pancreatic cancer. The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes encode proteins involved in DNA repair. The DNA in our cells undergoes damage thousands of times a day, caused by toxic chemicals, metabolic by-products and ultraviolet radiation. Repair mechanisms correct most of this damage, but unrepaired damage can lead to cancer.

“This study improves our under-standing of a fundamental cause of cancer. It’s our first view of how the protein looks and how it works, and it gives us a platform to design new experiments to probe its mechanism in greater detail,” said Professor Zhang. The study found that BRCA2 proteins work in pairs – which the researchers found surprising since BRCA2 is one of the largest pro-teins in the cell. BRCA2 works in partnership with another protein called RAD51. BRCA2 helps RAD51 molecules to assemble on strands of broken DNA and form filaments. The RAD51 filaments then search for matching strands of DNA in or-der to repair the break. The findings showed that each pair of BRCA2 proteins binds two sets of RAD51 that run in opposite directions.

Source: http://www3.imperial.ac.uk

Scientists uncover how protein ensures reproductive successAn international team of re-searchers from Kyoto University’s

PROTEOMICS


Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) and Tohoku University, Japan, and Imperial College, the United Kingdom, has discovered how a single protein, called PP4, oversees the process-ing of DNA during sperm and egg generation for successful fertiliza-tion. This protein’s activity becomes even more paramount during aging. The study, published in the journal PLOS Genetics, may one day help scientists to understand the mecha-nisms underlying age-related fertil-ity declines in humans.

While a typical adult human cell contains 46 DNA strands, or chro-mosomes, that carry our complete genetic information, reproductive cells such as sperm and eggs re-ceive half of this number during a highly intricate process known as “meiosis.” How chromosomes are mixed, matched and distributed into reproductive cells accurately is es-sential for successful fertilization and the development of diverse new life. However, errors in the system can lead to infertility. To understand which proteins help meiosis run smoothly, the researchers used a tiny worm known as Caenorhabditis elegans to look into the role of PP4. Then they genetically engineered the worm so that PP4 was functionally disabled, and then observed the consequenc-es of its absence on chromosome regulation during meiosis.

The researchers used a super-resolution microscope, which takes pictures at twice the level of detail compared to a normal microscope. “We found that when PP4 was missing, chromosomes failed to as-semble correctly and DNA recombi-nation, an important step for genetic diversity, did not occur. The resulting eggs were defective, and the em-bryos inside could not survive after fertilization,” said Aya Sato-Carlton, a researcher from iCeMS. Surprisingly, the effects of defective PP4 became

even worse as the worms aged, in-dicating an age-related dependence. Because the PP4 DNA of worms is over 90% identical with that of hu-mans, it is possible that the protein plays a similar role in all animals as a universal regulator of meiosis, par-ticularly as an organism ages.

Source: http://www.phys.org

Scientists found aggregates of misfolded cellular proteinsScientists at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research (SIMR), the United States, have made a sur-prising finding about the aggregates of misfolded cellular proteins that have been linked to aging-related disorders such as Parkinson’s dis-ease. Using 3-D time-lapse movies to track the fate of misfolded pro-teins in yeast cells, the researchers determined that about 90 percent of aggregates form on the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), a location of protein synthesis in the cell. It had been thought that misfolded proteins spontaneously clump together in the cytosol, the fluid component of a cell’s interior. The results have been published in the online issue of the journal Cell.

Using budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisae, a frequently used labo-ratory model in aging research, Scientists experimentally used heat and other forms of stress to induce misfolded proteins to clump together. They also found that the aggregation of misfolded proteins on the ER surface depends on the active synthesis of proteins by ribo-somes. These molecular machines translate the cell’s recipes for pro-teins. Guided by the recipe, the ribosome generates a linear poly-peptide chain, the initial form of a protein.

The newly synthesized polypep-tide folds into a distinctive three-dimensional structure resulting in a protein with a functional shape. Proteins that fail to fold correctly cannot perform their biological functions and are potentially toxic to cells. Thus, the aggregation of misfolded or unfolded proteins may help protect the cell and prevent their transfer to daughter cells dur-ing cell division. In addition to de-termining that protein aggregation is regulated and requires active translation, scientists revealed that the mitochondria, the cell’s power-houses, play a key role in the mobil-ity of these protein aggregates. The study was supported by the SIMR, the American Heart Association, and the National Institutes of Health, the United States.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org

Proteomics

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Bacteria to fight dengueScientists in Brazil have released a batch of mosquitoes containing bacteria that are capable of reduc-ing the ability of mosquitoes to infect people with dengue, as part of field trials conducted among dengue-af-fected communities. The supporters of the project are the Foundation for National Institute of Health, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Brazilian government. The Wolbachia method of eradicating dengue is being used by Eliminate Dengue, a not-for-profit international collaboration of researchers, in which Wolbachia infection is transferred to dengue causing mosquitoes. The infected mosquitoes, in turn, pass the infection on to the next genera-tion through their eggs. Thus, these mosquitoes lose the ability to spread dengue infection to humans.

This bacterium which is found in 70% of insects is not naturally pre-sent in dengue-causing mosqui-toes, until scientists found a way to infect them with it. Wolbachia is harmless to humans. In 2011 field trials in Australia, the infection was successfully transferred into Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, where it has the potential to suppress dengue and other arboviruses, and the infec-tion was subsequently spread into two natural populations in Cairns, Queensland. The researchers in Brazil plan to release Wolbachia mosquitoes in Rio de Janeiro once a week for three to four months, with the aim of establishing Wolbachia in the local mosquito population.

The scientists in this consortium have shown that their approach reduces dengue transmission when the bac-teria is introduced in mosquitoes in lab, and now are conducting field trials in Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, Vietnam, Columbia and China. World Health Organization (WHO)

estimates there may be 50-100 mil-lion dengue infections worldwide every year, while 40% of the world population are vulnerable to it. Such attempts to biologically attack the dengue-carrying mosquito are being made by other companies as well.

Source: http//www.livemint.com

New technology can help early diagnosis of cancerScientists from the University of Kansas, the United States, have developed a miniaturized biomedi-cal testing device for exosomes that can help in early diagnosis of can-cer. Dubbed as the “lab-on-a-chip,” the device promises faster result times, reduced costs, minimal sam-ple demands and better sensitivity of analysis of lung cancer when com-pared with the conventional bench-top instruments now used to examine the tiny biomarkers. Exosomes could lead to less invasive, earlier detection of cancer, and sharply boost patients’ odds of survival. “Exosomes are mi-nuscule membrane vesicles or sacs released from most, cell types, includ-ing cancer cells,” said Yong Zeng, at the University of Kansas.

Also referred to as “microfluidics” tech-nology, it was inspired by revolution-ary semiconductor electronics and has been under intensive development since the 1990s and essentially, it al-lows precise manipulation of minus-cule fluid volumes down to one trillionth of a liter or less to carry out multiple laboratory functions, such as sample purification, running of chemical and biological reactions, and analytical measurement. The prototype lab-on-a-chip has been made of a widely used silicone rubber called polydimethylsi-loxane and uses a technique called “on-chip immunoisolation.”

Source: http//zeenews.india.com

Scientists find potential medicine for treating arthritisScientists at Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), India, have discovered a new chemical compound in a Himalayan plant which has the potential to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other au-toimmune diseases. IIIM scientists isolated a natural product from the plant Bergenia ciliata and then through medicinal chemistry, cre-ated a chemical with potent anti-arthritic activity. This discovery has been published by the American Chemical Society in its journal.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common age-related chronic disease, characterised mainly by in-flammation of the lining of the joints. Statistical data shows people with RA are two times more likely to die than people of the same age without RA.

The medicinal plant from which this compound was discovered, Bergenia ciliate, has been used for centuries in the Ayurvedic medicine to treat kidney and bladder stones, piles, and pulmonary affections.

Taking queue from the available tra-ditional knowledge, scientists synthe-sised a compound, IS-01246, which displayed positive results both in in-vitro as well as in-vivo inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis models.

Source: http//www.hindustantimes.com

Japan develops 30-minute test to quickly diagnose EbolaEiken Chemical Co., Japan, along with scientists from Nagasaki University, Japan, have developed a new test that could detect the Ebola virus in 30 minutes, with the

MEDICAL BIOTECH


help of a technology they claim is faster and cheaper than the current method being used in West Africa. More than 1,550 people have so far died from the current Ebola outbreak and over 3,000 have been infected. The new testing method, which can be conducted with a “small, battery-powered warmer,” making it ideal for use in places without an ade-quate power source, the scientists claimed. The current test requires dedicated equipment and a sta-ble supply of electricity. “The new method is simpler than the current one and can be used in countries where expensive testing equipment is not available,” said Jiro Yasuda, a professor at Nagasaki University.

Yasuda and his team at the univer-sity have reportedly created what they called a “primer,” which mag-nifies only those genes specific to Ebola found in a blood sample or any other fluid in the body. If Ebola is present, the action of the prim-ers distinguishes DNA specific to the deadly virus in 30 minutes. Currently, a technique called poly-merase chain reaction, or PCR, is being used to detect the Ebola virus. The PCR method takes up to two hours as doctors need to heat and cool the blood samples repeatedly to complete the procedure. “The new method only needs a small, battery-powered warmer and the entire sys-tem costs just tens of thousands of yen [hundreds of dollars], which de-veloping countries should be able to afford,” said Yasuda.

The deadly virus, which is trans-mitted through contact with infected bodily fluids, has spread across five countries including Senegal, Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. As of now, there is no cure for the disease, but ZMapp, an experimen-tal drug, has been used on patients, including two American aid workers who were recently discharged after being treated for Ebola. The drug reportedly has cured a group of 18

monkeys infected with Ebola. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the testing of a new vaccine on human subjects.

Source: http//www.ibtimes.com

Scientists build artificial mini-stomachs using stem cellsScientists from the United States, have built the world’s first ‘mini-stomachs’ consisting of tiny clus-ters of human gastric tissue using stem cells. Called gastric orga-noids, they are made up of buds of cells that are “a miniature ver-sion of the stomach” say the re-searchers, who also add the finding could spur new research into can-cer, ulcers and diabetes. They were made from pluripotent stem cells, which were coaxed into develop-ing into gastric cells. The study has been published in the journal Nature. “Up until now, there’s been no good way to study stomach dis-eases in humans,” said Jim Wells, a researcher at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the United States.

The human stomach is very different than the stomach of other animals. The different cells and their struc-ture and arrangement in our stom-ach tissues in a dish were virtually identical to that that we would find in the stomach normally. Pluripotent stem cells have excited huge inter-est as a dreamed-of source for transplant tissue grown in a lab. Sources for them include stem cells derived from early-stage embryos and adult cells reprogrammed to their juvenile state, called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS). But many problems have been en-countered, such as the challenge of getting cells to “differentiate,” or become cells for specific organs.

This new research entailed identifying the chemical steps that occur during embryonic development, when cells differentiate into the specific types that form the stomach. These steps were then replicated in a Petri dish so that pluripotent stem cells developed into endoderm cells, the building blocks of the respiratory and gastro-intestinal tracts. They were then biochemi-cally nudged into becoming cells of the antrum, the stomach region that secretes mucus and hormones. Still at a preliminary stage, the organoids are a long way from being replace-ment tissue or a fully-fledged stom-ach. According to the scientists, they provided a testbed for studying dis-eases such as cancer, diabetes and obesity. Early tests on mice suggest they could one day be a ‘patch’ for holes caused by peptic ulcers.

Source: http//www.news.discovery.com

Japan carries out first iPS stem cell implantResearchers from Riken, Japan, and the Institute of Biomedical Research and Innovation Hospital, Japan, have conducted the world’s first surgery to implant induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells in a human body in a ma-jor boost to regenerative medicine. A patient in her 70s with age-relat-ed macular degeneration (AMD), a common condition that can lead to blindness in older people, had im-planted a sheet of retinal cells that had been created from iPS cells. It is the first time in the world that iPS cells have been transplanted into a human body. The research team used iPS cells – which have the po-tential to develop into any cell in the body – that had originally come from the skin of the patient.

Until the discovery of iPS several years ago, the only way to obtain stem cells was to harvest them from human embryos. The surgery is

Medical Biotech


Medical Biotech

experimental, but if it is successful, doctors hope it will stop the dete-rioration in vision that comes with AMD. The patient – one of six ex-pected to take part in the trial – is to be monitored for four years to deter-mine how the implants perform and whether they become cancerous.

AMD, a condition that is incurable at present, affects mostly middle-aged and older people and can lead to blindness. About 700,000 people in Japan alone have been diagnosed. Stem cell research has excited many with the potential they believe it offers. Stem cells are un-differentiated cells that can develop into any part of the body. Work done in 2006 by Shinya Yamanaka at Kyoto University, Japan, last year, generated stem cells from adult skin tissue.

Source: http//www.taipeitimes.com

Scientists develop new blood test to determine cancerScientists at the University of Bradford, the United Kingdom, have developed a new blood test that can determine if an individual has can-cer. According to the research team, the lymphocyte genome sensitivity (LGS) test could not only detect some cancers earlier than ever be-fore, but it may eventually eliminate the need for some types of biopsies, as well as identify those more likely to develop cancer in the future. The study (“Sensitivity and specificity of the empirical lymphocyte genome sensitivity assay: implications for improving cancer diagnostics”) has been published in the FASEB Journal.

To develop this test, Dr. Diana Anderson, and colleagues took blood samples from a group of people that included healthy in-dividuals, cancer patients, and

people believed to be at a higher risk than normal to develop can-cer. Lymphocytes in these samples were examined in a comet test, by embedding the cells in agar on a microscope slide. In this test, dam-age to the DNA of the cells was caused by treatment with ultraviolet (UVA) light. This damage was ob-served in the form of DNA pieces being pulled within the agar in an electric field toward the positive end of the field. This caused a comet-like tail, and the longer the tail, the more DNA damage.

Different thicknesses of the agar were applied to the slides. In healthy people, as different thick-nesses were added, DNA-damaged tail responses returned to normal levels. In cancer patients, DNA-damaged tail responses remained high, and in those people who might develop precancerous diseases, tail responses were in between. This means that people with cancer have DNA which is more easily damaged by UVA than do other people, so the test shows the sensitivity to dam-age of all the genome in a cell. The LGS test has been used to examine blood samples from cancer patients with melanoma, colon cancer, and lung cancer, and all gave the same outcomes.

Source: http//www.genengnews.com

Flexible polymer can interact with nervesResearchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the United States, have demonstrat-ed a highly flexible neural probe made entirely of polymers that can both optically stimulate and record neural activity in a mouse spinal cord – a step toward developing prosthetic devices that can restore functionality to damaged nerves. The study has been published in Advanced Functional Materials.

Graduate student Chi (Alice) Lu, who designed and implanted the probe, is the lead author of the study.

Although optogenetics, a method that makes mammalian nerve cells sensitive to light via genetic modifi-cation, has been applied extensive-ly in investigation of brain function over the past decade, spinal-cord research has lagged. Earlier re-searchers demonstrated inhibition of motor functions using optoge-netics, and now the collaboration between the two groups yielded a device suitable for spinal optical excitation of muscle activity, while giving the researchers an electrical readout. “Working in a spinal cord is significantly more difficult than in the brain because it experiences more movements. The radius of the mouse spinal cord is about 1 mm, and it is very soft, so it took some time to figure out how to de-sign a device that would perform the stimulation and recording with-out damaging that tissue,” said Lu.

The fiber was drawn from a tem-plate nearly 1.5 inches thick to its final diameter comparable to that of a human hair. It is flexible enough to be tied in a knot. The probe con-sists of a transparent polycarbon-ate optical core; parallel conductive polyethylene electrodes for record-ing neuronal electrical activity; and cyclic olefin copolymer acting both as electrical insulation and opti-cal cladding. The flexible probe maintains its optical and electri-cal functions when bent by up to 270 degrees at very small radii of curvature, albeit with somewhat di-minished light-carrying capacity at those conditions. The device per-formed well after repeated bending and straightening, holding up un-der stresses expected from normal body movements.

Source: http//www.mumbaimirror.com


A solution to make pests non-resistant to Bt geneCentral Institute for Cotton Research (CICR), India, has wrote to the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), an apex body in the Ministry of Environment and Forests, India, to allow sale of ref-uge in bag (RIB) cottonseeds that will have Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) variety along with non-Bt. A process such as RIB will ensure that pests present on a farm growing geneti-cally modified (GM) crop like cotton and corn do not develop resistance to the Bt gene that destroys them. “We have conducted tests of RIB seeds for the last three years and the results are promising. We have prepared the data on the results,” said KR Kranthi, director of the re-search institute. While the Bt variety will make up 95 percent of the RIB cottonseeds, the non-Bt one will comprise the rest.

While cultivating GM crops, it is mandatory for farmers to grow ref-uge or a non-GM trait of the same crop in 5 percent of the area. In India, while selling Bt cottonseeds, seed companies provide the non-Bt refuge seeds along with them in a separate packet. The objective of the RIB concept is to make growers comply with norms for growing ge-netically modified crop and, in turn, make the process simpler. Growing a refuge crop in the field of a Bt crop is based on the law of genetics. If a pest develops resistance to the Bt gene, then the non-Bt plant grown on the same farm will help tackle the problem. The principle is simple: the pest from the Bt plant will mate with a similar one from the non-Bt plant and develop a progeny that will not be resistant to the Bt gene.

DuPont Pioneer, the United States, came out with such a concept for Bt

corn first, while Monsanto, the United States, has developed a similar con-cept for Bt cotton. “US companies have been developing the RIB con-cept for a number of years now. In India, we proposed it to the CICR and are awaiting further details from them,” said a Monsanto spokes-person. “During a meeting among stakeholders of Bt cotton, Monsanto floated the idea. We at the CICR told them that we would also like to test the RIB process,” said Kranthi.


A game changer in crop hybridisationBio-tech firm Monsanto, the United States, had developed a fully com-puterised machine which can chip seeds of crops such as maize, soyabean, cotton, wheat and prov-ing to be game changer of genet-ics and hybridisation globally. The machine, called seed chipper and aided by robots, is helping to exam-ine the genetical make-up of crops in a shorter period of time that it is resulting in seed and bio-technology companies to come up with new seed varieties at a faster clip. This is how the chipper works: seeds taken from plants are poured into a fun-nel in the machine, which are then passed through a computer to find out the exact location of the embryo to ensure that it doesn’t get damaged during the chipping process.

The robotic arm then ensures that the seed is placed perfectly for a chip, which then goes straight into a chamber of tray that can hold 96 such samples. Each tray is barcoded and then put in a shelf by a robot, which later picks the samples for testing of their DNAs (Deoxyribonucleic acids), RNAs (Ribonucleic acids) and other such traits. The results of the tests are then examined and the seeds from which a planter’s preferred

traits are found are then identified, injected on to a seed with another preferred train and sown for getting a new variety of the plant. Monsanto holds the patent for the machine and is using it to capacity in its research and development activities. Though other companies have also come up with similar findings, Monsanto claims they haven’t tasted the suc-cess that it has so far.

The chipper chops a small faction of a crop’s seed without damaging its embryo so that the seed can be planted on the field. Not just that, it can also help examine almost all seeds a plant produces to find out various genes and traits present in different seeds. Earlier, plant breed-ers had to grow a crop on a farm and then had to examine their leaves to find out its various features. In such experiments, only five per cent of the crop was found to have the desirable characteristics. The rest had to be destroyed. This also limited research and development in that the activities could be done only when the crop grew. In India, Monsanto is using the chipper at its Bangalore centre for testing maize, soyabean and wheat.


New technology to control pest attack on cropsBiotechnological firms, Monsanto, the United States, and Syngenta, Switzerland, have come up with a new crop technology called ribonu-cleic acid interference (RNAi) that will help control insects and pests in a range of crops by disabling their genes. The technology, which zeroes in on a genetic sequence unique to a species, will also help protect bees, which are pollinators for one-third of crops in the world. RNA, considered a sort of messenger in cells, is a ge-netic code in every living being for

AGRI BIOTECH


a specific function within a cell for survival. RNAi, works by interfering with the genetic code or message that RNA carries to protein factories within a cell. A plant cannot produce a particular protein if does not re-ceive any instruction from the RNA code. For example, the interference process can be used to disable an enzyme in a cell.

In soyabean, the technology can be used to specifically target proteins which control plant pigmentation or oil composition. A process found in 1990s, RNAi is now increasingly be-ing used in plants. It is a process which scientists claim can kill pests without harming the beneficial ones. RNAi is different from the genetically modified (GM) technology, in which a gene is injected to kill the pest. In the case of RNAi, the technology is specifically targeted to disable the working of a particular cell’s function-ing. Currently, RNAi is being tested in the form of a spray combination on plants. Monsanto has come up with its own version of RNAi, called BioDirect which is awaiting clearance from US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for commercial use will hit the market within a year.

BioDirect is a combination of herbi-cides and RNA that is sprayed on a plant. The spray binds with RNA in the plant and carries out the speci-fied function. DuPont Pioneer has also developed RNAi technology for potato and corn but further details were not available. The rootworm is one of the most devastating spe-cies in North America. At least 30 million acres of the 80 million in the US are reported to be infested with rootworm. The Colarado bee-tle is a serious pest in potato and has developed resistance to many insecticides and pesticides. RNAi, if accepted, can usher in a sea change in crop genetics.


Scientists enhance quality of cereal and bioenergy cropsA team of scientists led by Dr. Thomas Brutnell, at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, the United States, have developed a new way of identifying genes that are important for photosynthesis in maize, and in rice. Their research helps to prioritize candidate genes that can be used for crop improve-ment and revealed new pathways and information about how plants fix carbon. The findings have been published in Nature Biotechnology, also made public a mathematical model enabling access to datasets comparing C4 photosynthesis traits in plants like maize to C3 photosyn-thesis in plants like rice.

C4 crops including maize, sorghum, switch grass and sugarcane are able to withstand drought, heat, nitrogen and carbon dioxide (CO2) limitations better than C3 crops, such as rice, wheat, barley and oats, due to their ability to efficiently make use of car-bon dioxide and water that make carbohydrates we eat and cell wall polysaccharides; the sugars that are important to producing next-gener-ation biofuels. The Danforth Center has expanded their portfolio over the years by studying model C4 grasses to improve the quality, yield and biomass of emerging bioenergy feedstocks such as miscanthus and switchgrass and that can be applied to improve food security and major cereal crops.

Source: http://www.eurekalert.org

Some plants regenerate by duplicating their DNAResearchers from the University of Illinois (U of I), the United

States, have found that when munched by grazing animals (or mauled by scientists in the lab), some herbaceous plants over-compensate – producing more plant matter and becoming more fertile than they otherwise would. Scientists say they now know how these plants accomplish this feat of regeneration. Their study is the first to show that a plant’s abil-ity to dramatically rebound after being cut down relies on a pro-cess called genome duplication, in which individual cells make mul-tiple copies of all of their genetic content. The findings have been published in the journal Molecular Ecology. “Genome duplication is not new to science; researchers have known about the phenom-enon for decades. But few have pondered its purpose,” said pro-fessor Ken Paige at U of I.

In a 2011 study, researchers dem-onstrated that plants that engage in rampant genome duplication also rebound more vigorously after being damaged. They sus-pected that genome duplication was giving the plants the boost they needed to overcome adver-sity. That study and the new one focused on Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant in the mustard family that of-ten is used as a laboratory subject. Some Arabidopsis plants engage in genome duplication and others don’t. Those that do can accumu-late dozens of copies of all of their chromosomes in individual cells. Researchers this time crossed Arabidopsis plants that had the ability to duplicate their genomes with those that lacked this ability and enhanced Arabidopsis plant’s ability to duplicate its genome. As expected, the altered plant gained the ability to vigorously rebound af-ter being damaged.

Source: http://www.phys.org

Agri Biotech


20155-6 Jan International Conference on Bangkok, Advances in Healthcare & Thailand Life Sciences – ICAHL E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.grdsweb.org

9-10 Jan International Conference of Dhaka, Biotechnology in Health and Bangladesh Agriculture (ICBHA) 2015 Contact: Professor Dr. Manjurul Karim (Conference Secretariat) E-mail: [email protected]

Web: http://www.gnobbconference.org

10-11 Jan 2015 International Conference on Dubai, Environment and Bio-Engineering UAE (ICEBE 2015) Contact: Ms. Mickie Gong

(CBEES Senior Editor) Asia-Pacific Chemical, Biological & Environmental Engineering Society (APCBEES) Tel: +852-3500-0137 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.icebe.org

30-31 Jan International Conference on Recent Ujjain, Trends in Agriculture, Veterinary & India Life Sciences 2015 Contact: Dr. Ratnakar D B Director (Academics), International Multidisciplinary Research Foundation Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, Tel: + 91-9618777011 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.icavls2015.wix.com

2-3 Feb 2nd International Conference on Singapore Intelligent Agriculture (ICOIA 2015) Contact: Ms. Emma Wang

Conference Secretary International Academy of Computer Technology (IACT) 3308 N Mayfield Ave, San Bernardino, CA 92405, USA Tel: +1-661-888-4278 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.icoia.org

6-8 Feb 2nd International Conference on Pune, India Biotechnology and Bioinformatics (ICBB-2015) Contact: Dr. Sheo Mohan Singh Director, International Center for Stem Cells, Cancer and Biotechnology (ICSCCB), Pune, India E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.icbb.in

16-18 Mar World Bio Summit & Expo Dubai, UAE Contact: OMICS Group Conferences 2360, Corporate Circle, Suite 400 Henderson, NV 89074-7722, USA Tel: +1-888-843-8169

Fax: +1-650-618-1417 E-mail: [email protected] Web: http://www.biosummit.conferenceseries.net

TECH EVENTSRECENT PUBLICATIONS

GM agricultural technologies for Africa: A state of affairsThis report collects current information on the status of biotechnology in Africa – with an emphasis on genetically modified (GM) crops – and assesses the opportunities offered by and constraints on adoption. The authors provide information about the region’s limited financial, technical, regulatory, and legal capacities while addition-ally focusing on the role of trade concerns and conflicting information as limiting factors that affect adoption. The authors have identified several initiatives that could help overcome these obstacles, such as increasing public investments in agricultural biotechnology research and development; developing an effective and broad-based communications strategy. The recommendations are useful to policymakers, development specialists, and others who are concerned about the potential role that biotechnology could play in Africa as an additional tool for sustainable agriculture development.Contact: IFPRI Headquarters, 2033 K St, NW, Washington, DC 20006-1002, USA. Tel: +1-202-862-5600; Fax: +1-202-467-4439; E-mail: [email protected]

Animal Health Leaders Embrace Biotech R&DThe presence of biotechs in the animal health industry is growing. The companies working in this burgeoning industry are using biologic processes to develop large-molecule drugs and vaccines for both livestock and pets, and to improve techniques for research, development, and manufacturing. In addition to using biotech know-how to scrutinize disease pathways, animal health companies are increasingly taking biotech advances that have revolution-ized human health and adapting them for veterinary use. Contact: [email protected]

Biosimilars: A Global Perspective of a New Market Opportunities, Threats and Critical Strategies 2014This book is not just a nice-to-have report chock full of facts and figures. It’s an armamentarium of information needed to participate, get ahead of the competition, and defend hard-fought-for turf. In addition to an updated list of approved biosimilars, company and deal profiles, pipeline updates of >700 products or product candidates and 25 global markets examined, the report includes com-petitive and defensive strategies, marketing advice and insight on the science of biosimilars.Contact: BioWorldTM, 115 Perimeter Center Place, Suite 1100, Atlanta, GA 30346 U.S.A.

BCIL

BIOTECHNOLOGY CLUB MEMBERSHIP

APPLICATION FORM

Name: .................................................................................................................................Designation: .......................................................................................................................Organisation: ......................................................................................................................Address: .............................................................................................................................City: .......................................... Pin Code: ........................... Country: .............................Telephone: ........................................................ E-mail: ....................................................

CODE CATEGORY Annual (Rs.) Life (Rs.)I Individuals 5,000 50,000R Research Institutions 8,000 80,000U Universities 8,000 80,000C Corporate Member 10,000 100,000

(Emails will be sent to 4 registered ids and 4 hard copies will also be provided in case of Institutions, Universities and Organisations)

I/We enclose a Demand Draft No. ............................for Rs. ....................... payable to Biotech Consortium India Limited, New Delhi for enrolment as a Biotechnology Club member.

Please send the completed form along with payment to:The Manager

Biotech Consortium India Limited

Anuvrat Bhawan, 5th Floor, 210, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya MargNew Delhi 110 002, India

*Application Form can be downloaded from our website: www.bcil.nic.in

BCIL BIOTECHNOLOGY CLUB

FACILITIES TO MEMBERS

� Free supply of BCIL periodicals:

○ Biotech News updates (Weekly)○ The South Asia Biosafety Program (SABP) Newsletter (Monthly)○ Biotech Bulletin (Bi Monthly)○ Vatis Update on Biotechnology (Quarterly)○ Biosafety Newsletter (Quarterly)

� Quick Updates○ Policy Updates○ Information on Funding Schemes○ Technologies Available for Licensing○ Information on Fellowships & Awards○ Articles/Reports alerts○ Other important announcements and developments related to biotechsector

� Advance notice and privileged participation in events organized by BCIL.� Web-pages for Biotech Club Members (Organisations) (to be launched within 2-3 months with

a “new” BCIL website)� Directory Services – India Biotech Database (to be launched within 2-3 months with a “new”

BCIL website)

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