Embrapa Researcher optimizes production of transgenic

By Leonel Rocha
Revista Época – The Centers Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology and Embrapa Coffee patented the technique called “Compositions and methods for modifying the expression of genes of interest” that promises to enhance the development of transgenic plants. The technique is based on a study of the seedling gene responsible for defining where, when and under conditions the desired characteristics will be expressed in the plant. The goal is to isolate the genes called “promoters” and make them available in a catalog to be used in production.
Currently, to develop a transgenic plant scientists typically use constitutive promoters. This means that the gene was inserted into the transgenic will be manifest in all plant parts, in all stages of development, regardless of environmental conditions. With this technique developed by researchers at Embrapa, the copy takes energy to produce a protein excessively unnecessary in the whole plant and all the time.
The new technology allows the gene that was inserted; it is expressed only when and where needed. In the case of coffee berry borer, for example, a gene for resistance to pests can be controlled by a promoter specific for the bulk product, preventing the reproduction of the beetle transmitter. In five years Embrapa expected to provide a database of promoters.

Source: Revista Época, May 18th, 2012
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Brazilian researchers develop new polymeric material

By Elton Alisson

Agência FAPESP – Substituting traditional plastic bags for biodegradable polymers is once again fueling discussion about the need to diminish the impact of discarding this type of material in the environment. This switch, however, is hampered by the high costs of a few types of polymers that are degraded in just a few years by the action of natural microorganisms and agents (biodegradable); in contrast, the decomposition of conventional polymers takes centuries ….. Read More

Source and Photo: FAPESP, May 9th, 2012
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Labex Korea Colletion

By Gilberto Silber Schmidt
Labex Korea – The new format of Labex Korea Collection provide our readers more facilities to identify and read the titles of interest without having to go through the entire page. The PDF document includes the TOP10′s for each month. This version includes the articles published in January, February and March. Enjoy

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BIOTA-FAPESP launches e-book on benthic organisms

By Fábio de Castro

Agência FAPESP – The BIOTA-FAPESP program recently released its e-book, Biodiversity and Benthic Marine Ecosystems on the Northern São Paulo Coast, Southeastern Brazil. In 550 illustrated pages, the publication presents an integrated inventory of fauna associated with marine substrates – benthic organisms – on the northern São Paulo coast. This highly diverse and complex biota includes important organisms in the biogeochemical cycles of oceans and seas.

The content is the result of the Thematic Project “Benthic Marine Biodiversity in São Paulo State,” funded by FAPESP from 2000 to 2005 and coordinated by Antonia Cecília Zacagnini Amaral, of the Department of Zoology at the Biology Institute of Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). …… >>Read More<<

Source and Photo: FAPESP, April 25th, 2012
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Study evaluates the functional properties of processed garlic

By Karina Toledo

Agência FAPESP – The flavor and therapeutic properties of garlic have been revered since antiquity, but garlic’s characteristic strong odor, which has even been thought to ward off vampires – causes many people to avoid handling raw garlic.

There are several forms of ready- to- eat garlic that obviate the need to handle the raw cloves. However, according to a study conducted by the São Paulo Agency of Agribusiness Technology (APTA), garlic can lose practically all of its functional properties during processing….. >>Read More<<

Source and Photo: FAPESP, April 25th, 2012
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Work of Brazilian researcher is featured in Nature

By Karina Toledo

Agência FAPESP – For more than 20 years, researcher Paulo Mazzafera has attempted to create a naturally caffeine-free variety of coffee that can be grown on a commercial scale. The study was featured in Nature magazine on March 15. Twice before, Mazzafera, full professor at the Vegetal Biology Department at State University of Campinas (Unicamp) Biology Institute, believed that he had reached his objective. The first was in 2004, when in partnership with Maria Bernadete Silvarolla, a researcher at the Campinas Agronomy Institute (IAC), he discovered some plants from Ethiopia that were caffeine-free through natural mutations…..>>Read More<<

Source and Photo: FAPESP, May 2nd, 2012
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Discovering new drugs requires mix of experimental and computational methodologies

By Fábio de Castro

Agência FAPESP – Sir Tom Blundell, Professor Emeritus at Cambridge University’s Biochemistry Department, has been dedicated to structural biology and bioinformatics research with a focus on applications in medicine and discovering new drugs since 1970.

Over time, Blundell realized the growing financial difficulties that large companies in the pharmaceutical and agrochemicals areas faced when attempting to develop new products. The need to make discovering new molecules cheaper in the last two decades prompted Blundell to seek a new approach: “the discovery of new drugs based on fragments.”

The strategy consists of identifying small chemical fragments that link well-defined biological targets, utilizing computational methods to enlarge them and combine them, producing lead compounds with greater efficiency than methods based on screening large molecules.

In 1999, Blundell, his colleague Chris Abell and businessman Harren Jhoti founded Astex Therapeutics, a company that began to successfully apply the new approach to drug discovery.

The use of structural biology in diverse applications of the fragment-based approach to designing new drugs was the topic of the conference presented by Blundell on April 1st in Campinas (SP) at the opening of the course on Advanced Topics in Computational Biology – Agrochemical & Drug Design.

Coordinated by Goran Neschich of Embrapa Informática Agropecuária’s Computational Biology Research Group (GPBC), the event was held under the auspices of the São Paulo Advanced School of Sciences, a program funded by FAPESP… >>Read More<<

Source and Photo: FAPESP, May 2nd, 2012

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Status of biogas technologies and policies in South Korea

Yong-Sung Kima, Young-Man Yoonb, Chang-Hyun Kimb, Jens Giersdorfa

Science Direct – To date, there are about 49 biogas plants in South Korea that are generally recognized as economically and technically unsuccessful due to lack of knowhow, deficient technologies and policies. There is a need to analyze the status of biogas technology and policy in South Korea from the point of view of an external biogas expert, since biogas technology in South Korea has not yet been analyzed by foreign biogas experts so far. For analyzing site investigation, literature research and interviews are performed. It was found that there are several lacks of conceptual design of biogas technology, such as plant dimension, energy balance, operation knowhow. Technical and financial support for the development of biogas technology was insufficient so far. There are some policies to support biogas technologies, however financial support from different ministries seemed not to have been used efficiently. Some policies are planned excessively so that they cannot be realized on time. Based on the general policy called “Green Growth”, the Korean government plans to establish a biogas market in South Korea in order to recover energy from organic waste. For this purpose, R&D efforts should be intensified for consulting and education in national and international networks for the transfer of knowhow and technologies. Definition of the existing restrictions on the development of biogas technology is required. By developing a biogas roadmap, the creation of a biogas market could be promoted efficiently in South Korea…. >>Read More<<

Source: Science Direct, April 3rd, 2012
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Dutch Government Ok’s Publication of H5N1 Study

By Martin Enserink
Science – Fouchier had been fiercely opposed to applying for an export license, which he says is an inappropriate tool to control the flow of scientific information. He eventually filed for the permit while disputing the obligation to do so.
Fouchier says he’s “glad but not surprised” by the decision. “It would have been strange” if the government had held up publication after NSABB and an expert panel at the World Health Organization recommended publication, says Fouchier. The Rotterdam lab will not break out the champagne until the paper actually comes out, he says. “Then we’ll throw a party.” …… >>Read More<<

Source: Science, April 27th, 2012.
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Secret Briefing HelpedSway H5N1 Flu Papers Decision

By David Malakoffon
Science – A classified briefing from U.S. intelligence officials helped persuade a majority of members of a government advisory board that the benefits of publishing two controversial H5N1 avian influenza studies outweighed the risks, according to testimony presented yesterday at a U.S. Senate hearing.

The late March briefing to the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) left “the impression that the risk of misuse did not appreciably increase with full publication and there is a high likelihood of undesirable political consequences to not publishing,” microbiologist Paul Keim of Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, acting chair of NSABB, told the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs…. >>Read More<<

Source: Science, April 27th, 2012
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