Discovery of Embrapa revolutionizes transgenic

Embrapa Soybean – Two technologies developed by Embrapa could revolutionize the production of genetically modified organisms. The responsible for both, already patented at INPI, is a biologist Juliana Dantas de Almeida. The research, made with soy, involving the so-called “promoters” of genes, which is defined as the manifestation of the transgenic plant. One of these genes, called “specific promoter” is capable of limiting only to plant leaf presence of the transgenic protein. The second, called “constitutive promoter” allows the expression of the transgene in the whole plant but expresses intensity lower than those found in the market today, such as the RR soybean resistant to glyphosate.

In the case of “specific promoter”, relevance is restricted gene expression in transgenic plants already today on the market have modified genes that act in all parts of the plant. The main advantage of this technology, according to Juliana, is the absence of gene in the fruit or root, which may help reduce consumer rejection, especially in Europe, GM foods.

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Embrapa’s transgenic soybean produces enzyme to combat the AIDS virus

Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology – A survey of Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology seeks the development of a variety of transgenic soybean that expressing an enzyme capable of preventing infection by the AIDS virus. Using biotechnology techniques, the legume is producing N-cianovirina enzyme with proven efficacy against the virus, which inhibit the replication of HIV by binding to their oligosaccharides (sugars).

Transgenic selection

FAPESP – In order to enhance the development of genetically modified plants in Brazil, researchers from two units of Embrapa (the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, and Coffee, both of them in Brasilia, created a technique to select specific parts of the gene called promoters. These define where, when and under what conditions the desired traits will reveal themselves in plants. The researchers coordinated by Juliana Dantas de Almeida from Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology intended to select the promoters of interest and place them in a catalog for research institutions. The application for a patent for this selected genes modification technique was submitted in April. At present, to develop a genetically modified plant, the researchers use constitutive promoters, meaning that the inserted gene will manifest itself in all parts of the plant and at all stages of its development. The new method makes it possible for the inserted gene to manifest itself only in the endosperm (nutritive tissue produced in seeds) of the fruit of the transformed plant. In the battle against diseases such as coffee berry borer, a beetle that reproduces in the grain of the fruit, for example, the attack would focus on the origin of the problem directly. The resistance gene for the disease would be controlled by a specific promoter that would only fight off the beetle and not other insects that feed on the leaves.

Source and Photo: FAPESP, June 2012
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Firestorm Erupts Over Transgenic Rice Study in Chinese Children

By  Mara Hvistendahl and Martin Enserink

ScienceInside —The cartoon that appeared last week on the Web site of the Chinese state news agency Xinhua was no laughing matter. It depicted a scientist wearing a tie emblazoned with the American flag, staring through a microscope while dropping unnaturally colored kernels of rice into a Chinese child’s mouth. It ran with a story headlined, “More shameful than the experiment are the lies.”

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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