主要农作物转基因研究现状和展望

近15年来,大豆、水稻、玉米、小麦等主要农作物转基因研究取得了较大进展,几乎各种遗传转化方法在这些作物上都取得了成功,尤其是农杆菌介导法,不仅在难转化的双子叶作物大豆上取得了成功,而且在单子叶作物水稻、玉米、小麦上先后取得了突破。同时,将一些与重要性状改良有关的外源基因转入了主要农作物,包括抗虫、抗病、抗除草剂、抗逆、品质改良、发育调控、营养吸收等。转基因大豆、玉米、棉花、油菜在生产上得到了大面积种植,产生了极大的经济效益,2004年全球转基因作物的种植面积达到了8100万公顷。本文对大豆、玉米、水稻和小麦等主要农作物转基因研究历史和产业化现状进行了综述,并对主要农作物转基因研究中存在的问题进行了分析。     

Pyrethroids as Promising Marine Antifoulants: Laboratory and Field Studies

Due to the regulations and bans regarding the use of traditional toxic chemicals against marine fouling organisms and the practical impediments to the commercialization of natural product antifoulants, there is an urgent need for compounds that are antifouling-active, environmentally friendly, and have a potential for commercial application. In this study, a series of common, commercially available pyrethroid products, which are generally used as environmentally safe insecticides, was evaluated for antifouling activity in the laboratory using an anti-settlement test with cyprids of the barnacle Balanus albicostatus and also in a field experiment. Laboratory assay showed that all eleven pyrethroids (namely, rich d-trans-allethrin, Es-biothrin, rich d-prallethrin, S-prallethrin, tetramethrin, rich d-tetramethrin, phenothrin, cyphenothrin, permethrin, cypermethrin, and high active cypermethrin) were able to inhibit barnacle settlement (EC₅₀ range of 0.0316 to 87.00 μg/ml) without significant toxicity. Analysis of structure–activity relationships suggested that the cyano group at the α-carbon position had a significant influence on the expression of antifouling activity in pyrethroids. In the field, the antifouling activity of pyrethroids was further confirmed, with the most potent pyrethroids being cypermethrin and high active cypermethrin, which displayed efficiency comparable with that of tributyltin. In summary, our investigation indicated that these pyrethroids have a great and practical commercial potential as antifouling agents.     

The potential of South African indigenous plants for the international cut flower trade

A broad review is presented of recent developments in the commercialization of southern Africa indigenous flora for the cut flower trade, including potted flowers and foliages (“greens”). The botany, horticultural traits and potential for commercialization of several indigenous plants have been reported in several publications. The contribution of species indigenous and/or endemic to southern Africa in the development of cut flower crop plants is widely acknowledged. These include what is known in the trade as gladiolus, freesia, gerbera, ornithogalum, clivia, agapanthus, strelitzia, plumbago and protea. Despite the wealth of South African flower bulb species, relatively few have become commercially important in the international bulb industry. Trade figures on the international markets also reflect the importance of a few species of southern African origin. The development of new research tools are contributing to the commercialization of South African plants, although propagation, cultivation and post-harvest handling need to be improved. A list of commercially relevant southern African cut flowers (including those used for fresh flowers, dried flowers, foliage and potted flowers) is presented, together with a subjective evaluation of several genera and species with perceived potential for the development of new crops for the florist trade. It is concluded that research should be focused on potential markets rather than on preconceived product concepts. A special national effort is required to maximize the opportunities presented by the rich diversity of the flora and to develop an internationally competitive cut flower industry.     

Marine bioprocess engineering: the missing link to commercialization

Success of US biotechnology has been and continues to be dependent on new discoveries and their timely transformation into useful products through bioprocess engineering and a systems approach. Bioprocess engineering is an essential element of ‘generic applied’ or ‘precompetitive’ research. For marine biotechnology, like biopharmaceutical biotechnology, bioprocess engineering represents the key. The many hundreds of tantalizing bioactive compounds discovered and isolated from varied marine organisms over the past decades have led to only minimal commercialization due to the limited availability of the compounds in question. To address international competitiveness and the revitalization of key US industries, the National Science Foundation launched the Engineering Research Centers Program in the mid 1980s. The essential feature of this program is a partnership among academia, industry and the government to develop next-generation technology through cutting-edge research, relevant education and innovative technology transfer. MarBEC (Marine Bioproducts Engineering Center) is a recently established multi-disciplinary engineering-science cooperative effort of the University of Hawaii and the University of California at Berkeley. Additional partners include three federal laboratories—Argonne National Laboratory, the Edgewood Research, Development and Engineering Center and the Eastern Regional Research Center of the US Department of Agriculture—and the Bishop Museum. MarBEC's research program consists of four major thrusts: Production Systems; Marine Bioproducts and Bioresources; Separation and Conversion; and Bioproduct Formulation.     

安全型转基因植物培育技术研究进展

由于关系到转基因植物的产业化前景,安全型转基因植物培育越来越受到公众的关注。在植物遗传转化体系中,绝大多数选择标记基因来源于细菌,对人类健康和环境安全存在潜在风险,因此无选择标记转基因植物培育受到科研工作者的高度重视。本文综述了安全型转基因植物的培育途径,包括共转化系统、位点特异性重组系统、转座子系统、同源重组系统、不依赖于组织培养的简易转化技术及再生相关基因利用等技术,探讨了各种途径的优缺点,以期推动安全型转基因植物培育和转基因植物产业化进程。     

Unsustainable collection and unfair trade? Uncovering and assessing assumptions regarding Central Himalayan medicinal plant conservation

The trade in medicinal plants for herbal remedies is large and probably increasing. The trade has attracted the attention of scientists and development planners interested in the impact on plant populations and the potential to improve rural livelihoods through community based management and conservation. This has resulted in a large number of publications and development activities, ranging from small NGO projects to new government policies. Through a review of 119 references from Nepal, 4 common assumptions regarding the medicinal plant collection and trade have been identified: I. The commercial medicinal plant resource base is becoming ever more degraded as a consequence of collection; II. The medicinal plants are an open-access resource; III. Cultivation can contribute to conservation of commercially collected medicinal plant species; and IV. Medicinal plant harvesters are cheated by middlemen. The frequency of the assumptions is documented, their empirical support is evaluated, and the consequences of their presence for conservation and rural livelihoods are discussed. It is concluded that the empirical backing for the assumptions is weak, and that some reviewed references use logically flawed argumentation. It is argued that the assumptions are leading to misguided conservation efforts, and an inclusive approach to conservation of commercial central Himalayan medicinal plant species is briefly outlined. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Cry基因家族的专利分布研究

从苏云金芽孢杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis)提取的Cry基因,是目前国内外开发应用最为广泛的抗虫基因,具有巨大的潜在经济价值。自上世纪80年代以来,美欧日等发达国家加速利用知识产权在Cry基因技术领域布阵设防,建立了严密的知识产权攻防体系,掌控着相关产业发展的主动权。通过检索搜集全球范围内的Cry基因专利信息,分析研究了Cry基因家族的专利分布状况,借此对我国在制定技术研发和产业化策略时,有效规避知识产权陷阱提供决策依据。     

安全转基因植物培育技术研究进展

由于关系到转基因植物的产业化前景,安全型转基因植物培育越来越受到公众的关注。在植物遗传转化体系中,绝大多数选择标记基因来源于细菌,对人类健康和环境安全存在潜在风险,因此无选择标记转基因植物培育受到科研工作者的高度重视。本文综述了安全型转基因植物的培育途径,包括共转化系统、位点特异性重组系统、转座子系统、同源重组系统、不依赖于组织培养的简易转化技术及再生相关基因利用等技术,探讨了各种途径的优缺点,以期推动安全型转基因植物培育和转基因植物产业化进程。     

Advances in plant molecular farming

Plant molecular farming (PMF) is a new branch of plant biotechnology, where plants are engineered to produce recombinant pharmaceutical and industrial proteins in large quantities. As an emerging subdivision of the biopharmaceutical industry, PMF is still trying to gain comparable social acceptance as the already established production systems that produce these high valued proteins in microbial, yeast, or mammalian expression systems. This article reviews the various cost-effective technologies and strategies, which are being developed to improve yield and quality of the plant-derived pharmaceuticals, thereby making plant-based production system suitable alternatives to the existing systems. It also attempts to overview the different novel plant-derived pharmaceuticals and non-pharmaceutical protein products that are at various stages of clinical development or commercialization. It then discusses the biosafety and regulatory issues, which are crucial (if strictly adhered to) to eliminating potential health and environmental risks, which in turn is necessary to earning favorable public perception, thus ensuring the success of the industry.