Biorefineries Flashcards
Biggest biotech crops?
Soy and Maize
Biggest biotech countries
US 75 mil hectares
Brazil 53 mil
Argentina 23 mil
Role of agrobacterium?
Natures genetic engineer integrating TDNA into own plants host DNA. Induced by plant root phenolics
What was the main aim of the calgene-florigene company?
To produce blue rose from gene isolated from petunia.
Where does blue colour come from in plants and what specific gene is necessary to make this compound?
From an anthocyanin called delphinidin - not normally produced in carnations and roses. flavonoid 3’ 5’hydroxylase gene
What two qualities of a rose line is important for attempting this blue colour?
High flavenoid content and anthocyanin 5- aromatic acyltransferase and high pH - to shift away from red colour
What did the purple carnations show?
Insertion of one gene is not enough for blue colour - need as much aas 3 genes.
How can a transgenic plant have four species in it?
1) maize - actual corn plant
2) Agrobaccterium - responsible for insertion of t plasmid
3) Bacillus insect resistance (bt)
4) streptomyces -source of pat gene for glufosinate resistance
What is codon optimization?
uses synonymous codon changes to increase protein production without actually changing bases
How does Round-Up Ready work?
Artificial chemical glyphosate that targets are phosphate synthase in plants and kills them.
Transgenic plants are then made resistant to this by introducing gene from agrobacterium that makes a tolerant form of that phosphate synthase.
They also get a gene from an ochrobactrum strain that results in the breakdown of glyphosate
What is CRISPR-Cas9?
Cas-9 refers to enzyme that recognises CRISPR clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats. It can then cut that specific section and also enzyme BE3 can rewrite nucleotide sequence!!
Example of CRISPR-Cas9 work?
modify proline of ALS gene to make watermelons herbicide resistant.
Effects of a lack of Vitamin A and ways to increase this in rice?
600000 deaths a year 500000 blindness increase beta carotene levels (vitamin A precursor)
Compare the 2 golden rice constructs
Both have left and right border
Both have a glutelin promotor (ensures the enzymes are expressed in endosperm)
Both have SSUcrtl -small subunit transferred to subunit effectively and crtl phyotene desaturase
1 has phytoene synthase from daffodil 2 from wheat
htp->pmi 1 has selection by hpt (antibiotic) 2 has selection by whether it can grow on mannose (consumer choice)
What was the tech behind the FLAVR SAVER tomato
RNAi gene silencing
Why is seafood healthy to eat?
Rich in Omega 3
What is Omega 3 and what health benefits does it carry?
long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (3 refers to where double bond occurs) - decreases risk of cardiovascular and inflammatory diseases
How many enzymatic steps are involved in the production of omega 3?
7
What elements make up the gene construct for this modification?
7 genes for enzymes, left and right border, number of different promotors (designed for seed only), selectable markers, regulatory elements
Most common form of pharming?
In vitro - grow with plant cell cultures in bioreactors then purify product (protein or drug) instead of in the field in proper plants with seeds.
Benefits of pharming over donors or animal
lower cost than animals, worldwide capacity, low contamination, inexpensive storage however slight extra glycosylation is required unlike animals.
Example of pharming 1?
gauchers disease - rare genetic disease accumulates glucocerebroside instead of lipids. made with carrot cell suspension cost of treatment $150000 p/y
Example of pharming 2?
Ebola uses zmapp three monoclonal antibodies and grown in plant culture. Not enough testing right now
Benefits of edible vaccines?
More stable than those kept in the fridge. Plants can produce antigen that provokes immune response.
What are biodegradable plastics normally derived from?
cyanobacteria, algae, plants
Two egs of plant derived green plastics?
Starch and polyhydroxyalkanoates
Three products of biorefinery?
fuel, materials (paint), chemicals
