Table of Content

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• Current Biotechnology
  Volume 2 Issue 2 25 March 2012
• The Prospect of Sweet Sorghum in Bioenergy Industry
• TANG San-yuan1, XI Zai-xing2, XIE Qi1*
• 2012, 2(2):  81-86.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.
• Abstract ( ) PDF (477KB)( )
In order to cope with the global energy crisis and greenhouse gas emissions which are highly likely to be responsible for the accelerating global warming and its catastrophic consequences, the scientists in many countries are committed to the exploration, development and utilization of clean and renewable energy. Considering the national food security, the energy plants had to be chosen from nonmainly consumable grain crops that they can grow in margin lands. Sweet sorghum is concerned as one of the most promising ethanol feedstocks because it has many important traits: high sugar content similar to that of sugar cane, high biomass yield, short growth cycle, drought resistance, and the ability to grow on marginal land areas. Owing to the increasing of the proportion of sweet sorghum as fuel ethanol feedstock, many countries take it as complementary of sugar cane. As the development of bioenergy, sweet sorghum is expected to play an important role in the future by its own advantages.
• Biotechnology-derived Corn: New Tools Made by Gene Stacking for Insect Resistance Management
• LI Yue-jin
• 2012, 2(2):  87-91.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.
• Abstract ( ) PDF (392KB)( )
SmartStax is a new biotechnology-derived corn product. It combines the VT Triple Pro®  technology of Monsanto Company and the Herculex technology of Dow Chemical Company, with a total of eight different insect-resistant and herbicide-tolerant genes. It serves as an excellent example of applying gene stacking technologies to provide new tools for comprehensive insect resistance management. This article will briefly review the gene stacking or trait stacking technologies applied in the product, as well as some basic concepts of the integrated insect resistance management.
• Progress on Functional Genes of Brevibacillus brevis and its Application
• MA Gui-mei1,2, CHE Jian-mei1, LIU Bo1*, SHI Huai1, CHEN Zheng1
• 2012, 2(2):  92-97.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.03
• Abstract ( ) PDF (483KB)( )
Brevibacillus brevis is widely distributed. In different growth stages, the colony morphology would present diversity. At present, the whole genomic sequences of two B. brevis strains were sequenced, only a number of functional genes of B. brevis have been studied, such as bdb gene which encoded thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase,aldB gene which encoded α-acetolactate decarboxylase,xylB gene which encoded alkaline xylanase and the synthesis of cell wall genes. Genes expressed in tyrocidine synthesis process and its required enzymes have also been studied. B. brevis was used in lots of fields, such as biological control, as host bacteria for extracellular production of foreign proteins, and microbial degradation etc, it wonld have broad application prospects.
• Research Progress on CbrA-CbrB Two-component System in Pseudomonas
• DAI Shu-xian, HAN Yun-lei, YAN Yong-liang, LIN Min, PING Shu-zhen*
• 2012, 2(2):  98-103.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.
• Abstract ( ) PDF (578KB)( )
A two-component system,CbrA-CbrB(catabolic regulation),was discovered as an signal-transduction system. CbrA-CbrB forms networks with other regulation systems that involve more than one system, especially couples with the NtrB-NtrC(nitrogen assimilation), and shows dependencies and hierarchies,which makes it easily adapt very complex processes and plays an important role in the process of microbial adaptation to the environment. In this article,we have tried to bring together information to give a broad perspective of CbrA-CbrB proteins’structure and function and the possible mechanism in Pseudomonas.
• Progress in Aphid Resistance Engineering
• MIAO Meng-meng, WANG Xu-jing, TANG Qiao-ling, WANG Zhi-xing*
• 2012, 2(2):  104-109.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.
• Abstract ( ) PDF (481KB)( )
Aphid is a very common crop pests. Due to its wide host range, it results in serious harm. Scientists try them best to find out the effective method for aphid control. It is a perfect measure to control aphid damage by using genetic engineering to cultivate aphid-resistant cultivars. In resent years, specific and broad spectrum aphid resistant genes were cloned. These genes were transferred into different crops and analyzed the efficiency of aphid resistance. In this paper, the progress the aphid resistance engineering research in recent years were reviewed.
• Advances on Research of Adeno-associated Virus Vectors
• ZHAO Li-qin1,2, XI Bin2*, PENG Hua-song1*
• 2012, 2(2):  110-115.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.
• Abstract ( ) PDF (863KB)( )
Vectors used to carry foreign genes play an important role in gene therapy,among which, the adeno-associated virus(AAV) has many advantages, such as nonpathogenicity, low immunogenicity, stable and long-term expression and multiple-tissue-type infection, ect. AAV is one of the hottest and most hopeful vectors in current days and has been extensively used in clinical research. With the research and development of AAV vector, the new vector systems will play a more important role in gene therapy. This review describes the recent development of AAV vector including the serum type, the new vector systems, the production processes and the scale up, the AAV-mediated clinical trials, the problems remained and the possible solutions. With the development of AAV vector, new vector system will play more important role in gene therapy.
• Progress in Analytical Methods of Vitamins in Foods
• ZHANG Tai-chang, MENG Meng, SONG Pei, TIAN Xi, XUE Hu-yin, ZHANG Yu, YIN Yong-mei*, XI Ri-mo*
• 2012, 2(2):  116-123.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.
• Abstract ( ) PDF (520KB)( )
The results between a variety of analytical methods of vitamins are different. Therefore, it is urgent to find a standard method which is convenient, fast and accurate. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of various analytical techniques for the analysis of vitamins at home and abroad in recent years, including microbiological method, chemiluminescence, high performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method and immunoassay method, etc. The principles, fields of applicability and the advantage or disadvantage of various methods were discussed. The problems at present and the emphasis of analysis of vitamins are put forward in light of the potentiality of technical novelty.
• Cloning and Expression of an α-Glucosidase Gene from Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Biochemical Characterization of the Recombinant Enzyme
• LI Shu-tao, FAN Pan, CHENG Jing-wei, YANG Xue-peng*
• 2012, 2(2):  124-129.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.
• Abstract ( ) PDF (739KB)( )
A putative glycosidase family 3 gene (Leum _0289) was amplified from Leuconostoc mesentcroides ATCC 8293 genomic DNA and sub-cloned into the vector pET28a(+) to obtain a recombinant plasmid pET28a-Glu. The gene is composed of 2 226 bp nucleotides which encodes 742 amino acid residues with calculated molecular mass of 75 kDa. The enzyme assay results showed that the protein can not hydrolyze maltose, sucrose, cellobiose, lactose and gentiobiose except p-nitrohenyl-α-glucopyranoside substrate. The protein was then designated α-glucosidase. The optimum temperature and pH was 40℃ and 6.5, respectively. The enzyme is activated by Fe2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, but inhibited by Cu2+ and Zn2+.
• Study on the Scavenging Abilities of Bifidobacterium breve A04 to Reactive Free Radicals
• JIANG Zhi-jie1,2, LI Ping-lan1, GAO Chun2, YU Li2
• 2012, 2(2):  130-133,138.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.09
• Abstract ( ) PDF (669KB)( )
The inhibitory effect of Bifidobacterium breve A04 and its intracellular cell-free extracts on DPPH and lipid free radicals in vitro was evaluated with chemical colorimetry. Chemiluminescent method was used to detect the protective effects on the DNA damage. And the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging ability of B. breve A04 and intracellular cell-free extracts was investigated with electron spin resonance (ESR) technique. The results showed that B. breve A04 and its intracellular cell-free extracts possessed a good scavenging potency on ROS and free radicals.
• The Antibacterial Acitivity of 2,5-Diamino-1,4-benzoquinones
• 2012, 2(2):  134-138.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.10
• Abstract ( ) PDF (460KB)( )
The Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Aureus staphylococcus were choosed as strains to measure the impact on the growth inhibition of the synthesized ten 1,4-benzoquinone derivatives by dilution and measurement the size of inhibition zone. The experimental data showed that the higher concentrations of quinones, the higher of inhibitory degree was. Under the same condition of the DMSO solution of these quinones, the bactericidal effect on Escherichia coli and Aureus staphylococcus are better than Bacillus subtilis. The Escherichia coli has slightly higher sensitivity to these quinones than Aureus staphylococcus.

• Canada Agricultural Biotechnology Annual
• Mihai Lupescu, Robin Gray*
• 2012, 2(2):  139-147.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.11
• Abstract ( ) PDF (535KB)( )
Canadian planting of biotech crops is forecast at about 8 million hectares in 2011, up from about 6.9 million hectares in 2010. The main biotech crops remain canola, corn, soybeans, and, most recently a small amount of sugar beets. Canada remains one of a handful of countries which has approved stacked traits, or planting up to three traits in one crop. On the animal side, guidance from the three regulatory agencies in Canada may be issued within 2012 on the issue of whether the offspring or products of clones fall under Canadas novel food act.
• Brazil Agricultural Biotechnology Annual
• Joao F. Silva, Julie Morin*
• 2012, 2(2):  148-152.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.2095-2341.2012.02.12
• Abstract ( ) PDF (377KB)( )
Brazil is the second largest producer of plant biotech crops in the world. Area planted with biotech crops is estimated to increase by 16 percent in the upcoming 2011/2012 crop year. The increase is mostly attributed to higher use of biotech corn due to the increase in approvals of new biotech corn events in Brazil and higher availability of subsidized credit for farmers. Post has also updated other sections of the report to reflect new information from trade and government sources.