Web Portal Established to Speed up Genetic Research in Plants |
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 Scientists from University of California, Davis and partners successfully completed the first whole-genome sequence of fast-neutron-induced mutations of a model variety of rice known as Kitaake which has a short life cycle of just nine weeks. This collection will help speed up genetic research in rice and other monocots that can be used as biofuels. A web portal called KitBase was launched to allow other researchers to get information related to the mutant collection, such as sequence, mutation, and phenotypic data for each rice line.
According to Guotian Li from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the fast-neutron irradiation causes various forms of mutations that lead to different alleles of genes, which is not achieavable from other techniques. The team used just 50 plants to get the mutant collection using the technique. If they used the conventional approach, they would have needed over 16,000 plants. They were able to identify a total of 91,513 mutations which affected 32,307 genes or 58% of all genes in the rice genome. The paper is published in The Plant Cell. "This comparison clearly demonstrates the power of the sequenced mutant population for rapid genetic analysis," said Pamela Ronald from UC Davis, who is the principal author of the paper. Access the web portal KitBase for more information.
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India's B.R. Barwale Passes Away |
 Dr. B.R. Barwale, founder of Maharashtra Hybrid Seeds Company Pvt Ltd (Mahyco) has passed away on July 24, 2017 at 86. Dr. Barwale, who devoted his life for the upliftment of Indian farmers, is widely regarded as the father of the Indian seed industry, having founded Mahyco in 1964. He was awarded the prestigious World Food Prize in 1998, and in 2001, he received the Padma Bhushan from the Indian government. Dr. Barwale played an important role in bringing Bt cotton to India's farmers in 2002, through a venture with Monsanto Investments and formed Mahyco Monsanto Biotech.
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Biotechnology Praised at the Biggest Agri Expo in Uganda |
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Agricultural biotechnology was again at the center of discussion during the biggest agricultural expo in Uganda, which ran from July 17-23, 2017. Dubbed the 25th Annual Source of the Nile Agricultural Show, this year's theme was Managing the Challenges of Climate Change for Sustainable Agriculture. While officially opening the show on July 18, 2017, the President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni reiterated his continued support for biotechnology, and noted how it could address some of the challenges facing the agricultural sector. The President also used this as an opportunity to educate the public on biotechnology.
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Discovery on How CRISPR Proteins Identify Targets |
 Researchers at University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) have discovered how Cas1-Cas2, the proteins that allow the CRISPR immune system in bacteria to adapt to new viral infections, identify the site in the genome where they insert viral DNA so they can recognize it later and mount an attack. In the July 20 paper published in Science, Jennifer Doudna and her group reports capturing structures of Cas1-Cas2 in the act of inserting viral DNA into the CRISPR region. The structures revealed that a third protein, IHF, binds near the insertion site and bends the DNA into a U-shape, allowing Cas1-Cas2 to bind both parts of the DNA simultaneously. The team also discovered that the reaction requires that the target DNA bend and partly unwind, something that occurs only at the proper target.
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A biweekly update on gene editing research, regulations, and impact
produced by ISAAA Inc. |
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| A monthly update on gene drive research and development provided by ISAAA in collaboration with the Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research |
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GM APPROVAL UPDATES |
- The Philippines approved the canola event LBFLFK for food, feed, and processing.
- The Philippines approved the cotton event GFM cry1A for commercial cultivation.
- Brazil approved the wheat event HB4 for commercial cultivation.
- The Philippines approved the soybean event GMB 151 for food, feed, and processing.
- The Philippines approved the eggplant event EE-1 for cultivation
- The USA approved the canola event MON94100 for food and feed.
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| Biotech Updates is a weekly newsletter of ISAAA, a not-for-profit organization. It is distributed for free to over 22,000 subscribers worldwide to inform them about the key developments in biosciences, especially in biotechnology. Your support will help us in our mission to feed the world with knowledge. You can help by donating as little as $10. |
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