Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Monitor
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
OCCASION This publication has been made available to the public on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation. DISCLAIMER This document has been produced without formal United Nations editing. The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this document do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or its economic system or degree of development. Designations such as “developed”, “industrialized” and “developing” are intended for statistical convenience and do not necessarily express a judgment about the stage reached by a particular country or area in the development process. Mention of firm names or commercial products does not constitute an endorsement by UNIDO. FAIR USE POLICY Any part of this publication may be quoted and referenced for educational and research purposes without additional permission from UNIDO. However, those who make use of quoting and referencing this publication are requested to follow the Fair Use Policy of giving due credit to UNIDO. CONTACT Please contact [email protected] for further information concerning UNIDO publications. For more information about UNIDO, please visit us at www.unido.org UNITED NATIONS INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION Vienna International Centre, P.O. Box 300, 1400 Vienna, Austria Tel: (+43-1) 26026-0 · www.unido.org · [email protected] 1.0 ".. i00~ 8 ll~.7 5 ~1111 22 .. ~ ,. .0 11111 I.I I 125 4 6 11111 · 111111. 111111. - MIC>lOCOPY RESOl IJTION TEST CHART f'JAfl(Jl'JAI HIHlFAIJ(JF ',fMJr1Mirr. ', r ANDMHl nr ~ r Hf dLF MA rr &llAI !rJfrLt 1Al'J'"I ,1rirf j',(l ff '~f ('JtArlT n~ 'I . -. -- .. -- --..... - -- ,,. -'-"' ,,,, ... .,,I '-'11Ul"\l"ILl-\l IVI~ Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Monitor Ja.r.ua.ry 1991 rT .B. Thi::; issue carries a. reprint of an article on vaccines for the Third. Worl:i 'b-J :>r. Ba.rr-J R. Bloom, ~airman of the Jepartrner.t of :·licrobiology 2.!'l<i I:'!'IMUnolo~ at the Al oert Einstein College of Mei:!.icine of Y!'.?shi va Ur-.i ·1ersi ty, ., :re•.. : Yer~, USA. The article ~.a::; first published in ~ra:turc, and is reprinted ~ith the ~ind permission of the author a:id pu".Jlisher. d This publication is distributed free of charge The a...c ~_,,....,.,,.,,....,,.,,II not an offtctal document and ha been f'9Pt'oduced without formal editing. Opinions expr1111d In H do not nec1111rlly r.n.ct the views of the United Natlont lndu9trlal Development Organization (UNIDO). Mention of the '*'* of ftrm1 Md commercial products ctoea not lmpty an endorlement by UNIDO. MatWI, reproduced In thlle PIOii may be 'quoted only with per mllllon of the joumat1 cited • the aource., Other rNdlrtal may be quoted or reprOdUCld without further pennllllon. Due acknowtedgemtnt II requ11ted. , ' , , , - i - CONTENTS A. t>OLICY, NEWS AND OTHER EVENTS Fin~ UNIDO News Phenol-fighting bugs 9 ICGEB nears autonomy Jilin 10 Global guide on safety procedures List of ICGEP 111eetings and courses New 1nethane generating bacterium 10 in 1991 BIDEC changes to JBA 10 The following collaborative research progranne 1990 grants were awarded HU.urn 10 by the ICGEB 2 Biotechnology in Malaysia 10 United Nations and other organizations' Rubber and pal• oil 10 Rattan and 1111shrooms cloned 10 ~ 3 Fellowships in biotechnology 3 The Netherlands 10 3 Tropical 110lecular biology Interuniversity postgraduate progra1111e 10 H1111an gene therapy tests 3 Dublin hosts world forum on biotechnology 4 Su.in. 11 The cost of AIDS 4 Proposal for world-wide DNA profiling Reduction and replace111ent of ani111al network 4 testing 11 Senior Advisory Group on Biotechnology established in Europe 5 The Philippines 12 Latin Alllerican Federation of Biotechnology Enterprise Associations: FELAEB 5 Bioted1nology in the Philippines 12 Agrobiotechnology in Central Alllerica 5 Food biotechnology 12 Current situation of plant biotechnology laboratories in Latin Alllerica and Trinidad and Tobaao 12 the Caribbean 5 HUGO gains 111G111ent1111 5 Trinidad and Tobago 12 European ge~ome project re-emerges 6 HU111an Gen0tne Project - data base goes lm.i!.cll KingdQ!! 12 on-line 6 EFB elects Latvia's biotechnology complex Prescription for UK industry 12 to full inetnber~hip 6 SERC funds new interdisciplinary research Biotol: Open learning offers flexible centre on bioche111ical engineering 12 bio-irdustrial training 6 Interdisciplinary research centre in ASTH subc01111ittee seeks participants for cell biology 13 standards activities in identification Release regulations 13 of viruses, cells, plasmids, fungi Release infonnation 13 and bacteria 6 UK virus field trial 13 Bicinass Users Network 6 United States of Al!Crica 13 B. COUNTRY NEWS 7 Eight states pass biotechnology laws Australia 7 in first half of 1990 n Biotechnology options weighed 14 Sandoz forges Australian R&O link 7 US grants will match Maryland fin1s with ,,, Keeping "track" of take-all protection 7 Thailand's bio-needs New ABA President ll RAC endorses two gene therapies: r.l:nir~l~ to start after FDA okay ll Environmental biotechnology centre fonned 15 Biotechnology in Barbados 8 c. RESEARCH 15 8 l!llea rch on h!llllin of!.l.U 15 Genetic engineering experiments on plants 6 lrMlunex details hybrid biotech drug advance 15 Vs and wherefores TS Ban on field release of gene-altered lnvitron studies protein in multiplP plants eaHd 6 sclerosis 1110del Hi .. Cultivated brai~ cells 16 9 Habs used to re1110ver cancer cells from bone marrow Ill US/EC task force seeks mutual benefits 9 Biodegradable bone implants 16 European R&O falls behind 9 Growth hon10ne reverses aging, suggest Euro-invest111ents 9 scientists 16 - ii - CONT[~TS (continued) P~ge Luminescent reporter for ONA found Bacter;al treatment for bladder cancer Osteoarthritis gene found Synthetic molecule n:ay stop spread ()f HI\' Gene express£d in vivo via direct transfer Trials planned for r.ew AWS va((i~e Neurogenetic clones brain receptor, Clinical trials in rheum~toid arthriti~ n.igraine-drug template 17 patients za Genes fired from microcannons take aim Seatec of USSR to sel 1 digestase 29 at somatic-cell therapy 1T Hepatitis drug success 29 Cetus I' -2 therapy suffers double set-back 29 Res~ir:ffi_Q!L_ini_m~L~ 18 Firms report AIDS vaccine progress 29 Drug success in AIDS study 30 Insect produces fish proteins 18 Pokeweed anti-HIV? 3(1 Hice produce human urokinase protein AIDS trial expand~ 10 in milk · 18 Trial approved for saliva test 30 Biologists pioner "reverse genetics" 18 Antibiotic substance found to be active Virus insecticides a step closer 19 against HIV 30 Research Qn plant ,enes 19 livestock applicatiQns 31 Plans set for mapping plant gen~ 19 Rabies vaccine 3i Honit~ring gene transfer in plants 19 Anti-reproductive vaccine 31 New vector ~ombats Newcastle disease 31 Research Qn viral genes 19 Agricultural appli~ 31 Genetic probes sort vut the good wood fr0tn bad 19 Corn bu 1l els 31 Rice chr0110some 111.tpped 20 Bio-insecticide gets US go-ahead 31 Rice i111J1roveiner.t 20 Potatoes and peas make a meal of pests 31 Experiments to improve Alllerican cotton 20 Recombinant rice flies fr0tn UK, dives Genetically engineered wheat 20 intn Arizona field tests 32 foreign gene introduced into rape 20 A green solutiJn to the green revolution 32 Gene-sp'ced corn heralds cust0111ized crops 20 Weeding with f~ngi 33 PAP gene cloned 21 Molecule of the decade 21 food production and processing 34 Plant "soapn enzYI"@ isolated 21 Scientists report AIDS inhibition 21 Nev beer yeast developed 34 Method could produce sweeter fruits and Research instrU!!fntation 22 vegetables 34 Pathological bacteria detection 34 NHR sheds light on DNA COlllplexes 22 Pasteur's r-DNA test picks listeria Gene gun transfonis animal cells in vivo 22 perpetrator out of genus line-up 34 Undercool ing 22 Setting the standard for deteniining Industrial microbiolog1 35 capMity 22 Nitto biocatalyst for acryla.ide 35 ~ 22 Enzymes produced via genetic engineering 35 AP expands biodegrad~ble resins 35 2-D NHR applied to RNA 22 Enzyme-like catalyst~ 110ve ahead 23 Energy and envi rQnmenULti>PJ.i_c:at ions 15 Research into low 1110lecular weight c0tnpounds 23 Photobiotechnology offers fuel nf French group prepares copper COlllplexes the future that resemble "insid.?-out" DNA 2l Hirro-organis111o; to degrade pnll•1l-1n•-. ,, Antibodies bind metal ions 21 Bacteria-blend for C!)tllple• w~~te "DNA fingerprir.ting" standards needed 2~ Rock crunching snails turn the de~rr• urrPn Genome mappers test their system Z·I (arbon/membrane te(hnology boo>t~ Building artificial chr0tnosomes in yeast 211 biodegradability 16 DNA sequencing made simple 25 Nitrogen emissions f70tn bioman burninq H D. APPLICATIONS ............................ 25 Pharmaceutical and 11Cdical applications 25 Bugs attack organic sulphur 17 Recovery of 1110lybdenum, scandiuftl by Hab diagnostic for myocardial infarction 25 inicrobial action 17 foetal test breakthrough 26 Gene triU111Ph 36 E. PA TENT~ AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY l ~SIJf t; !A Some success with autologous gene therapy 26 Drug mo l ecu 1es "fused" 26 Hoore case judgement on removed bndy ti ~~ue 18 Trials of growth factors show pr0111ise in Gen•tic fungicide 18 cancer 27 Bionematicides patent 18 N~v drug is tough on tU1110urs 27 Nev biodrug process patent 1A Nuclear matrix prot~ins yield first Nev provisions r•garding d•posit of monoclonal breast-tU110ur marker 27 111i c ro-organ i sms in China .1A - iii - CONTENTS (continued! !'_~ Page New Zealand patent law under review 38 First world-wide guide to biotechnology US Biotechbology Patent Protection Bill 39 marketing Sequence data in patent appl:cations 3g Plant biotechnology Australian law finds balance 39 Chinese Hedicil Journal.