Development Of Biotechnology Research Articles

Will “Tall Oaks from Little Acorns Grow”? White Oak (Quercus alba) Biology in the Anthropocene

Quercus alba L., also known as white oak, eastern white oak, or American white oak, is a quintessential North American species within the white oak section (Quercus) of the genus Quercus, subgenus Quercus. This species plays a vital role as a keystone species in eastern North American forests and plays a significant role in local and regional economies. As a long-lived woody perennial covering an extensive natural range, Q. alba’s biology is shaped by a myriad of adaptations accumulated throughout its natural history. Populations of Q. alba are crucial repositories of genetic, genomic, and evolutionary insights, capturing the essence of successful historical adaptations and ongoing responses to contemporary environmental challenges in the Anthropocene. This intersection offers an exceptional opportunity to integrate genomic knowledge with the discovery of climate-relevant traits, advancing tree improvement, forest ecology, and forest management strategies. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the current understanding of Q. alba’s biology, considering past, present, and future research perspectives. It encompasses aspects such as distribution, phylogeny, population structure, key adaptive traits to cyclical environmental conditions (including water use, reproduction, propagation, and growth), as well as the species’ resilience to biotic and abiotic stressors. Additionally, this review highlights the state-of-the-art research resources available for the Quercus genus, including Q. alba, showcasing developments in genetics, genomics, biotechnology, and phenomics tools. This overview lays the groundwork for exploring and elucidating the principles of longevity in plants, positioning Q. alba as an emerging model tree species, ideally suited for investigating the biology of climate-relevant traits.

Integrative pathway analysis with gene expression, miRNA, methylation and copy number variation for breast cancer subtypes.

Developments in biotechnologies enable multi-platform data collection for functional genomic units apart from the gene. Profiling of non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) is a valuable tool for understanding the molecular profile of the cell, both for canonical functions and malignant behavior due to complex diseases. We propose a graphical mixed-effects statistical model incorporating miRNA-gene target relationships. We implement an integrative pathway analysis that leverages measurements of miRNA activity for joint analysis with multimodal observations of gene activity including gene expression, methylation, and copy number variation. We apply our analysis to a breast cancer dataset, and consider differential activity in signaling pathways across breast tumor subtypes. We offer discussion of specific signaling pathways and the effect of miRNA integration, as well as publish an interactive data visualization to give public access to the results of our analysis.

The application of human genetic technology in the medical field urgently needs standardization

Human gene editing technology is a hot spot and focus in the development of biotechnology, but it has also caused controversies over technical risks, genetic biosecurity, ethical dignity of human society and the legality of application, causing people to worry about the application of this technology. Gene editing for reproductive purposes is generally prohibited internationally, and countries have established legal regulatory systems to regulate the application of gene editing technology according to their own conditions. China shall establish a security risk access system for gene editing technology, ensure national biosecurity, establish and improve the system of ethical norms for scientific research, improve the construction of legislative standardization, and provide legal guarantees for the research and application of gene editing technology.

Some moments in the history of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (to the 50th anniversary of the foundation)

The article briefly reviews the background and history of the creation of the Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine (IMBG), organized in July 1973, in particular the state and trends of the development of genetics and molecular biology in Ukraine in the 1960s and 1970s and further in the IMBG until 2020s Some events that preceded the creation of the IMBG, the stages of the formation of new scientific directions, the creation of scientific departments and laboratories, the main scientific achievements and achievements over the 50 years of the institute's existence are analyzed. Special attention is paid to various stages of formation and development of scientific departments, achievements of individual outstanding scientists of the institute, role of IMBG in the development of molecular biology, genetics and biotechnology.

Digital Life Norway (DLN) Initiative to foster and boost transdisciplinary biotechnology research and innovation

Digital Life Norway (DLN) Initiative to foster and boost transdisciplinary biotechnology research and innovation Meeting the rapid developments in biotechnology by fostering transdisciplinarity, including digitalisation and big data, to create convergence for innovation in a virtual centre. The Centre for Digital Life Norway (DLN) is a strategic national initiative originally conceived in 2014 by the BIOTEK2021 programme of the Research Council of Norway (RCN). It is an ambitious and large-scale initiative to foster and boost transdisciplinary biotechnology research and innovation activities, combined with a novel framework of responsible research and innovation, to solve challenges of societal importance and create value. DLN departs from the traditional organisation of research and development among Norwegian research institutions. The centre aims to untangle and resolve some of the fundamental societal challenges facing new and emerging biotechnology by emphasising technological convergence and transdisciplinarity.

A novel and efficient strategy for the biodegradation of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate by Fusarium culmorum.

Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a plasticizer that is used worldwide and raises concerns because of its prevalence in the environment and potential toxicity. Herein, the capability of Fusarium culmorum to degrade a high concentration (3 g/L) of DEHP as the sole carbon and energy source in solid-state fermentation (SSF) was studied. Cultures grown on glucose were used as controls. The biodegradation of DEHP by F. culmorum reached 96.9% within 312 h. This fungus produced a 3-fold higher esterase activity in DEHP-supplemented cultures than in control cultures (1288.9 and 443.2 U/L, respectively). In DEHP-supplemented cultures, nine bands with esterase activity (24.6, 31.2, 34.2, 39.5, 42.8, 62.1, 74.5, 134.5, and 214.5 kDa) were observed by zymography, which were different from those in control cultures and from those previously reported for cultures grown in submerged fermentation. This is the first study to report the DEHP biodegradation pathway by a microorganism grown in SSF. The study findings uncovered a novel biodegradation strategy by which high concentrations of DEHP could be biodegraded using two alternative pathways simultaneously. F. culmorum has an outstanding capability to efficiently degrade DEHP by inducing esterase production, representing an ecologically promising alternative for the development of environmental biotechnologies, which might help mitigate the negative impacts of environmental contamination by this phthalate. KEY POINTS: •F. culmorum has potential to tolerate and remove di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) •Solid-state fermentation is an efficient system for DEHP degradation by F. culmorum •High concentrations of DEHP induce high levels of esterase production by F. culmorum.

Phytosulfokine peptides, their receptors, and functions.

Phytosulfokines (PSKs) are a class of disulfated pentapeptides and are regarded as plant peptide hormones. PSK-α, -γ, -δ, and -ϵ are four bioactive PSKs that are reported to have roles in plant growth, development, and immunity. In this review, we summarize recent advances in PSK biosynthesis, signaling, and function. PSKs are encoded by precursor genes that are widespread in higher plants. PSKs maturation from these precursors requires a sulfation step, which is catalyzed by a tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase, as well as proteolytic cleavage by subtilisin serine proteases. PSK signaling is mediated by plasma membrane-localized receptors PSKRs that belong to the leucine-rich repeat receptor-like kinase family. Moreover, multiple biological functions can be attributed to PSKs, including promoting cell division and cell growth, regulating plant reproduction, inducing somatic embryogenesis, enhancing legume nodulation, and regulating plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stress. Finally, we propose several research directions in this field. This review provides important insights into PSKs that will facilitate biotechnological development and PSK application in agriculture.

Beyond regional endogenous and firm-centric accounts: Contextualizing multiple and multiscalar industrial branching mechanisms for the emergence of biotechnology industries in Guangzhou, China

Industrial branching proposed by evolutionary economic geographers exhibits robustness in illustrating the spatial emergence of new industries in regions. However, extant studies are primarily confined to a single type of industrial branching mechanism, such as spin-off or firm diversification, and biasedly equate them as regional endogenous and firm-centric processes, regardless of wider contextual embeddedness. Therefore, this paper seeks to take into account the contribution of multiple and multiscalar industrial branching mechanisms embedded in industrial nature and territorial contexts to emerging industries in regions, with a particular case study of biotechnology industries in Guangzhou, China. The emergence of biotechnology industries in Guangzhou during 1978–2019 is characterized by an overall fluctuating trend and recent remarkable expansion in the 2010s. The emerging process is driven by the combination of spin-off, start-up, and firm diversification, sourcing from actors across multilevel geographical scales (e.g., urban, regional, national, global). Multiple and multiscalar industrial branching mechanisms are rendered by the spatiotemporally contingent articulations among micro-level firm motivations, meso-level industrial nature, and macro-level territorial contexts, which is encapsulated in Guangzhou's strategic position in China's economic reform and opening-up in a gradual manner and Guangzhou's latecomer position in biotechnology development and industrialization. With an emphasis on moving beyond regional endogenous and firm-centric accounts, this paper aims to articulate actor-specific motivations with industrial and territorial embeddedness to gain a multilayered and context-sensitive understanding of the emergence of new industries in regions.

Patentometric analysis of the technological development of biotechnology for health in higher education institutions in Rio Grande do Sul.

Biotechnology offers solutions and opportunities to meet various societal demands, thereby contributing to significant scientific advancements. This study aimed to characterize the technological development of biotechnology in the healthcare sector in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, from 2016 to 2022 by analyzing patents filed by and granted to public and private Higher Education institutions. For data collection, a quantitative exploratory approach was employed using statistical methods and a patent analysis of institutions in the patent database of the Brazilian National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI), focusing on patents related to the healthcare field. Data were collected in October, November, and December. A total of 580 patent records were collected from the INPI, belonging to Sections A and C of the International Patent Classification (IPC) related to educational institutions. Furthermore, this study highlighted that higher education institutions have a higher number of patents in the healthcare field. These results provide an understanding of the strategic areas for technological development in biotechnology in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Recent advances of nanoparticles on bone tissue engineering and bone cells.

With the development of biotechnology, biomaterials have been rapidly developed and shown great potential in bone regeneration therapy and bone tissue engineering. Nanoparticles have attracted the attention of researches and have applied in various fields especially in the biomedical field as the special physicochemical properties. Nanoparticles were found to regulate bone remodeling depending on their size, shape, composition, and charge. Therefore, in-depth research was necessary to provide the basic support to select the most suitable nanoparticles for bone relate diseases treatment. This article reviews the current development of nanoparticles in bone tissue engineering, focusing on drug delivery, gene delivery, and cell labeling. In addition, the research progress on the interaction of nanoparticles with bone cells, focusing on osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and the underlying mechanism were also reviewed. Finally, the current challenges and future research directions are discussed. Thus, detailed study of nanoparticles may reveal new therapeutic strategies to improve the effectiveness of bone regeneration therapy or other bone diseases.

Introduction of innovative solutions to ensure the preservation of the country’s natural ecosystems

In the context of increasing anthropogenic impact on the environment, the preservation of Russia’s natural ecosystems is of paramount importance. Degradation of biogeocenoses, loss of biodiversity, pollution of water resources and atmospheric air, climate change - these challenges require the immediate search and implementation of innovative solutions. Research into innovation opportunities should cover a wide range of areas, i.e. include the development and application of new methods for monitoring the state of ecosystems, the introduction of technologies for treating wastewater and air emissions, the development of renewable energy sources, biotechnologies and methods for reclamation of disturbed lands. Particular attention should be paid to exploring the potential of using digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, big data and the Internet of things, to optimize natural resource management and predict environmental risks. The introduction of innovative solutions in the field of environmental protection requires an integrated approach, including scientific research, development of a regulatory framework, economic incentive mechanisms and educational work with the population. Only this approach will ensure the preservation of Russia’s natural ecosystems for future generations.

Biotechnology factors influence on formation of curd cheese quality indicators

Considering the growing interest of the Russian society in fermented dairy products, in particular, cream cheese enriched with probiotic cultures and biologically active substances (BAS), it is relevant to conduct research aimed at scientifically justifying the choice of biotechnology of curd production as a raw material for cream cheese by studying the influence of biotechnological and technological factors on the formation of properties of the used curd. The generally accepted methods of qualitative prediction were used. The study of consumer opinion revealed the demand of Russian buyers for curd products enriched with BAS and probiotic cultures. The analysis of the regulatory documentation allowed us to form a set of mandatory requirements for the quality of curd cheese and the curd used, as well as a list of raw materials, biotechnological and technological factors required in the technology of curd cheese production. The study of the influence of each type of biotechnological and technological factors on the properties of the finished product has shown that in the biotechnology of enriched cream cheese it is necessary to use starter from pure cultures of lactococci or a mixture of lactococci and thermophilic lactic acid streptococci, acid method of coagulation of milk protein, whey separation by separation or ultrafiltration, introduction of BAS and flavoring fillers with cream in a separate method of normalization, as well as to exclude the use of milkclotting enzyme, and also to eliminate the use of milk-clotting enzymes. The results obtained are the basis for the development of new biotechnologies of curd cheese enriched with BAS and/or probiotic cultures.

Molecular aspects of copper homeostasis in fungi.

Copper homeostasis in fungi is a tightly regulated process crucial for cellular functions. Fungi acquire copper from their environment, with transporters facilitating its uptake into the cell. Once inside, copper is utilized in various metabolic pathways, including respiration and antioxidant defense. However, excessive copper can be toxic by promoting cell damage mainly due to oxidative stress and metal displacements. Fungi employ intricate regulatory mechanisms to maintain optimal copper levels. These involve transcription factors that control the expression of genes involved in copper transport, storage, and detoxification. Additionally, chaperone proteins assist in copper trafficking within the cell, ensuring its delivery to specific targets. Furthermore, efflux pumps help remove excess copper from the cell. Altogether, these mechanisms enable fungi to balance copper levels, ensuring proper cellular function while preventing toxicity. Understanding copper homeostasis in fungi is not only essential for fungal biology but also holds implications for various applications, including biotechnology and antifungal drug development.

Integrated Mini-Pillar Platform for Wireless Real-Time Cell Monitoring.

Cell culture as the cornerstone of biotechnology remains a labor-intensive process requiring continuous manual oversight and substantial time investment. In this work, we propose an integrated mini-pillar platform for insitu monitoring of multiple cellular metabolism processes, which achieves media anchoring and cell culture through an arrayed mini-pillar chip. The assembly of polyaniline (PANI)/dendritic gold-modified microelectrode biosensors exhibits high sensitivity (63.55 mV/pH) and excellent interference resistance, enabling real-time acquisition of biosensing signals. We successfully employed such integrated devices to real-time measuring pH variations in multiple cells and real-time monitoring of cell metabolism under drug interventions and to facilitate insitu assisted cultivation of 3-dimensional (3D) cell spheroids. This mini-pillar array-based cell culture platform exhibits excellent biosensing sensitivity and real-time monitoring capability, offering considerable potential for the advancement of biotechnology and medical drug development.

Technological advancements in viral vector designing and optimization for therapeutic applications.

Viral vector engineering is critical to the advancement of several sectors of biotechnology, gene therapy, and vaccine development. These vectors were produced from viruses, were employed to deliver therapeutic genes or to alter biological processes. The potential for viral vectors to improve the precision, safety, and efficiency of therapeutic interventions has boosted their demand. The dynamic interplay between technological advancements and computational tools in establishing the landscape of viral vector engineering and vector optimization for therapeutic reasons is discussed in this chapter. It also emphasizes the importance of in silico techniques in maximizing vector potential for therapeutics and many phases of viral vector engineering, from genomic analysis to computer modelling and advancements to improve precise gene delivery. High-throughput screening propels the expedited process of vector selection, and computational techniques to analyze complex omics data to further enhance vector capabilities have been discussed. As in silico models reveal insights into off-target effects and integration sites, vector safety (biodistribution and toxicity) remains a crucial part and bridges the gap between preclinical and clinical investigations. Despite the limitations, this chapter depicts a future in which technology and computing merge to catapult viral vector therapy into an era of boundless possibilities.

Gene sequence analysis model construction based on k-mer statistics.

With the rapid development of biotechnology, gene sequencing methods are gradually improved. The structure of gene sequences is also more complex. However, the traditional sequence alignment method is difficult to deal with the complex gene sequence alignment work. In order to improve the efficiency of gene sequence analysis, D2 series method of k-mer statistics is selected to build the model of gene sequence alignment analysis. According to the structure of the foreground sequence, the sequence to be aligned can be cut by different lengths and divided into multiple subsequences. Finally, according to the selected subsequences, the maximum dissimilarity in the alignment results is determined as the statistical result. At the same time, the research also designed an application system for the sequence alignment analysis of the model. The experimental results showed that the statistical power of the sequence alignment analysis model was directly proportional to the sequence coverage and cutting length, and inversely proportional to the K value and module length. At the same time, the model was applied to the system designed in this paper. The maximum storage capacity of the system was 71 GB, the maximum disk capacity was 135 GB, and the running time was less than 2.0s. Therefore, the k-mer statistic sequence alignment model and system proposed in this study have considerable application value in gene alignment analysis.

Sensitive detection of genetically modified maize based on a CRISPR/Cas12a system.

With the vigorous development of biotechnology, genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have become more and more common. In order to effectively supervise and administrate them, the rapid and accurate detection of GMOs is urgently demanded. Here, GMO gene-specific sensing methods based on colorimetry and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) were proposed based on the lateral branch cleavage function of the CRISPR/Cas12a system. Two transgenes, pCaMV35S and M810 Cry1Ab, were chosen as targets for transgenic crops. By using these methods, we performed transgenic detection on five types of maize leaves and successfully distinguished transgenic from non-transgenic samples. The colorimetric method is rapid, economical and available for field detection. The SERS approach, giving a higher sensitivity to 100 fM, is more suitable for laboratory application scenarios. This study explores practical transgenic detection approaches and will be valuable for the supervision of GMOs.

Recent advancements in pesticide mitigation using engineered Escherichia coli strains

Pesticides have considerably increased agricultural output, but their overuse presents serious threats to human health, food safety, and the environment. Alarmingly, only around 1% of pesticides used reach their intended pests, with the remainder polluting soil, water, and air. This causes broad environmental contamination and negative consequences on non-target animals, including people. Top pesticide-consuming countries, including China, the United States, and Brazil, confront considerable issues due to residual pesticide buildup. Recent biotechnology developments provide intriguing pesticide mitigation strategies. Engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains have developed as very efficient bioremediation agents. These genetically engineered microbes are intended to convert hazardous chemicals into harmless metabolites. E. coli strains are tailored for increased expression of pesticide-degrading genes using modern genetic and metabolic engineering, dramatically enhancing their ability to break down hazardous chemicals. Studies have shown that modified E. coli may degrade persistent pesticides such as Paraoxon and p-nitrophenol (PNP), turning them to harmless molecules. These bacteria may reach great densities, making them ideal for large-scale detoxifying operations. Furthermore, recombinant DNA technology enables the development of E. coli strains with several copies of degradation genes, which improves their bioremediation capacities. Despite these advances, obstacles persist, including biosafety issues and the need for regulatory supervision. Ongoing research is critical for addressing these concerns and developing safer, more sustainable agriculture techniques. Engineered E. coli strains represent a substantial advancement in pesticide mitigation, providing a feasible approach for reducing environmental pollution and protecting human health.

ADP-Hep-Induced Liquid Phase Condensation of TIFA-TRAF6 Activates ALPK1/TIFA-Dependent Innate Immune Responses.

The ALPK1 (alpha-kinase 1)-TIFA (TRAF-interacting protein with fork head-associated domain)-TRAF6 signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in regulating inflammatory processes, with TIFA and TRAF6 serving as key molecules in this cascade. Despite its significance, the functional mechanism of TIFA-TRAF6 remains incompletely understood. In this study, we unveil that TIFA undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) induced by ALPK1 in response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-β-D-manno-heptose (ADP-Hep) recognition. The phase separation of TIFA is primarily driven by ALPK1, the pT9-FHA domain, and the intrinsically disordered region segment. Simultaneously, TRAF6 exhibits phase separation during ADP-Hep-induced inflammation, a phenomenon observed consistently across various inflammatory signal pathways. Moreover, TRAF6 is recruited within the TIFA condensates, facilitating lysine (K) 63-linked polyubiquitin chain synthesis. The subsequent recruitment, enrichment, and activation of downstream effectors within these condensates contribute to robust inflammatory signal transduction. Utilizing a novel chemical probe (compound 22), our analysis demonstrates that the activation of the ALPK1-TIFA-TRAF6 signaling pathway in response to small molecules necessitates the phase separation of TIFA. In summary, our findings reveal TIFA as a sensor for upstream signals, initiating the LLPS of itself and downstream proteins. This process results in the formation of membraneless condensates within the ALPK1-TIFA-TRAF6 pathway, suggesting potential applications in therapeutic biotechnology development.

TPP crosslinking influence on the effect of sprayed dried microparticles based on industry waste sourced-chitosan over crop pathogens

The use of fishing industry waste residues for biotechnological developments is blossoming in the last decade to improve the management of marine resources while reducing the environmental impact of the fisheries sector. Chitosan (CS), is a natural and nontoxic biopolymer that exerts great antimicrobial properties and is being considered as GRAS by the United States Food and Drug Administration. In this study, we aimed to produce at a gram scale high molecular weight CS microparticles (CS-MP) from a low quality commercial raw material intended to develop an environmental friendly antimicrobial. Thus, we aimed to test the effect of sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) used as a crosslinker on the antimicrobial performance of the CS-MP. Hence, we synthesized CS using shrimp fishing industry waste from Argentinean Patagonia at a pilot scale in order to be able to provide a cost-effective second life to the industry waste. By varying the ratio polymer/crosslinker, we studied its influence on the final physicochemical properties as well as their performance against representative crop pathogens: Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC 3000 and Fusarium solani f. sp. eumartii. Our results showed a correlation between the surface charge exhibited by CS-MPs and their antimicrobial properties, through an imbalance on fungal membrane permeability. Thus, given the difference in the CS-MPs performance, it is clear that the electrostatic interaction of the particles with the negatively charged surface of the microorganism plays a key role in determining their ultimate activity. The CS-MPs exhibited great potential against crop pathogens providing a second life to fishing industry waste by developing an eco-friendly plant protectant from a valuable synergy of the national industry and academics.