Biotechnology Research and Innovation最新文献

Citrus cropping is widely distributed as an important economic activity worldwide. Amongst the major producers are Brazil, China, United States, Mexico and some European countries. Brazil is the largest sweet orange producer accounting for more than three-quarters of the orange juice exports around the world, followed by China and the United States (Foreign Agricultural Service/USDA, 2019). Although juice is the main commodity in many countries producing citrus, by-products like essential oils, molasses, dried pulp, pectin, blend syrup and others are also part of the citrus trade chain. Since citriculture is threatened by several pathogens and its control is mainly based on regular chemical applications both during plant development and post-harvest, management becomes a non-environmentally friendly strategy. Meanwhile, consumers are searching for sustainable products of great quality and high aggregated value pressuring the agricultural industry to crop in a sustainable manner. In this scenario, citriculture also needs innovative solutions to meet such demand. Although classic breeding programs succeeded over time, citrus narrow genetic base and long evaluation periods turns it difficult to demand faster solutions for emerging problems. Biotechnology rises as a source of innovative solutions since new varieties can be developed for specific problems. In this context, the use of biotechnology approaches involving genetic engineering that allow the development of more resistant varieties are the focus of many research groups. Here we show how biotechnology has been used to develop citrus plants more resistant to the main phytopathogens that impact citrus production.

Water deficit is one of the most important stresses affecting the maize crop. Whilst the development of osmotic stress tolerant maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes is an effective approach for reducing yield losses, understanding of the basic mechanisms of response and tolerance is limited. Under normal conditions, autophagy works at baseline levels to maintain cellular homeostasis. However, under abiotic stress conditions, this process intensifies to remove damaged or unwanted cytoplasmic materials or to recycle materials to provide anabolic substrates and metabolites to cells. This process is mediated by ATG genes (AuTophaGy-related genes). Autophagosome expansion and maturation is mediated by ATG8 and ATG12 ubiquitin-like conjugation systems. In this sense, the aim of this study was to characterize the regulation and transcriptional profile of the ZmATG8 gene and isoforms, together with the ZmATG12 gene, in maize landrace seedlings under osmotic stress conditions. A difference in transcript profile was observed between two studied landraces, with higher transcript accumulation in landrace Argentino Amarelo, which was more affected by osmotic stress. Under the stress conditions, all ZmATG genes studied showed an increase in transcript accumulation in shoot tissues in this landrace. In contrast, for landrace Taquarão a reduction in gene expression was detected, with the exception of ZmATG8b. For root tissues under stress, landrace Argentino Amarelo showed an increase in transcript accumulation for the ZmATG genes, with the exception of ZmATG8b, whilst for landrace Taquarão an increase in expression of ZmATG8e and ZmATG12 was observed, with a reduced expression of ZmATG8c. The ZmATG genes presented cis-regulatory elements involved in osmotic stress response via abscisic acid (ABA)-dependent and ABA-independent signaling. As such, it is suggested that the known transcription factors involved in the osmotic stress signaling response may act in the regulation of ZmATG genes. This work provides evidence of autophagy transcriptional signaling in response to osmotic stress in maize.

Multidrug resistant bacteria infections have motivated the search for new therapeutics. The synergic effect of conventional antibiotics and lipopeptides of the pelgipeptin family was evaluated by the Checkerboard method. Results indicate that the association of Pelgipeptin B and C or chloramphenicol has a synergic effect against a multidrug resistant bacteria strain; which may be may be due to the variations on hydrophobicity and mechanisms of action of the molecules tested.

Through solid-state fermentation, the endophytic fungus Diaporthe sp. biotransformed the compound R-(+)-limonene, a great quantity of which is present in orange waste. The fermented orange waste was evaluated to determine its antioxidant potential. Mass spectrometry identified several biotransformation products, which were quantified by gas chromatography. The fermentation process yielded compounds such as limonene-1,2-diol, α-terpineol, (−)-carvone, α-tocopherol, dihydrocarveol and valencene, most of which have already been associated with antioxidant activity. The highest concentration of limonene-1,2-diol produced was 3.02 g/kg of dry substrate and 0.72 g/kg of α-terpineol. The DPPH, ORAC and CUPRAC methods were employed to analyze the antioxidant activity comparing the orange waste and the fermented orange waste. According to the results obtained using the DPPH method, the fermented media extract represented 20.17% of antioxidant activity, compared to 12.1% of the orange waste extract, while from the ORAC method analysis the results were 24,011.39 μmolTE/g, obtained from the fermented extract in comparison to 5226.45 μmolTE/g from the orange waste. The results from the CUPRAC method analysis were 538.05 mg TE/g of dry extract, from the fermented extract in comparison to 168.27 TE/g of dry extract, from the orange waste. These results prove that the fermentation process increased the antioxidant potential of the orange waste.

Cotton (Gossypium spp. L.) is the largest source of natural fibers in the world, with a planted area of more than 33 million hectares in 2019. Biotic stress caused by a variety of pathogens and pests has considerable negative impacts on cotton, and control measures increase global production costs. Among the most important diseases affecting cotton are bacteria and fungi that infect leaves, stems, roots and fruits. In addition, viruses, nematodes, insects and mites cause considerable losses. Here, we summarize the diversity of biotic stresses affecting the cotton crop and highlight present and future biotechnological solutions for disease control, including transgenes, RNAi, gene editing and bioagents. We demonstrate that “Ag Biotech” solutions help keep the cotton industry sustainable in cotton-producing countries.

This work consists of a pilot study in which brain signals captured by electroencephalography (EEG) of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are evaluated during the interaction with a social robot. Social skills and interaction of children with ASD with the robot are proposed and assessed, using quantitative scale and images recorded by video cameras. During interaction with the robot, results show high activation of alpha and beta rhythms in brain regions important to social skills. Quantitative scales indicate a positive children–robot interaction and point out the social robot as a potential tool to stimulate social skills and facilitate the interaction with other people.

We have studied how start-up companies operating within key enabling technologies, KETs, manage formal and informal intellectual property (IP) protection for generating value. Six key aspects helping executives to create effective IP strategies for start-ups in these highly complex technologies have been identified. 15 start-ups defined as nanotechnology companies have been interviewed with open questions regarding value generated through protecting innovations. The start-ups operate in southern Sweden which currently is a KET heavy hub.

Our findings indicate six key aspects to help executives within KETs, specially within the nanotechnology start-up sector, to create effective IP strategies. First, it is important to map the technological environment and the commercial market. Most of the interviewed nanotechnology start-ups expressed that they want to increase in market share however, only four out of fifteen start-ups actually had set strategies for mapping the commercial market. Neglecting to focus on commercial market demands and merely on the innovation itself can present a future hindrance for nanotechnology start-ups. Second, it is beneficial for nanotechnology start-ups to consider and determine which actual values are important in order for them to thrive, and thereafter strategically plan formal and informal IP accordingly. Third, protecting different aspects of an innovation with different types of IP is beneficial for nanotechnology start-ups to effectively generate value. Important factors to consider when choosing how to protect different aspects of innovations are, what the market needs, the possibility to work around the solution, as well as risk of reverse engineering the innovation. Fourth, due to the complexity within nanotechnology, start-ups may benefit from treating aspects of an innovation that are difficult to reverse engineer as trade secrets. Such aspects include e.g. know-how related to the production process and other underlying know-how which add to the product's uniqueness but which not directly derivable from the product itself. Notably, only five out of fifteen nanotechnology start-ups have set strategies for how to manage their trade secrets. Fifth, to generate value, it is beneficial to formally protect aspects of an innovation that fulfill market demands as well as aspects that competitors likely would need to develop their products. Thus, aspects which are associated with sales arguments or which could form the basis for licensing agreements are beneficial to protect by patents for nanotechnology start-ups. All the studied nanotechnology start-ups have patents, but surprisingly only seven out of fifteen start-ups stated have patented aspects that generate commercial value on their market. Sixth, it is important for nanotechnology start-ups to have a plan for how the rights attained actually should generat