2006 Annual Report 2006 (Apr.2005 ! Mar.2006) (In the fiscal year 2005) !$--"&$ %,*( */, +,$-'#$). Teruo Ishige, President The National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (NIAS), which is the largest agricultural research institute of basic life science in Japan, was established on 1 April 2001 as an independent administrative institution of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries and a center for basic studies to develop innovative agricultural biotechnologies and new bioindustries. The Second Five-year Plan started on 1 April 2006. During the next five years, the Institute will advance the technologies developed in the First Five-year Plan. These include sequencing of the entire rice genome; sequencing of the silkworm genome and recombination of livestock and silkworm genes; and bioscience research that will help improve human nutrition and promote the creation of new bioindustries. In the Second Five-year Plan, the Institute will focus on: (1) improvement, diversity and utility of agrobiological resources - we will utilize resources that we have built up in the course of research on the genes of rice, silkworms, and pigs and will secure other genetic resources; (2) research on, and development of, innovative agricultural technologies using biological and genome information - we will study organisms with a view to their ability to adapt to their environments, differentiate, and interact with other organisms; and (3) research and development aimed at creating new biotechnology-based industries - we will develop biotechnologies to produce useful materials, such as silk-based products that can be used in everyday items and in medical practice. There is an urgent need to develop technologies in these three subject areas, because each of them is important and is expected to contribute greatly to society. The Institute will make further efforts to maximize the benefits of biotechnology. One of the major biotechnologies in which the Institute is involved is the recombination of genes in crops, insects (silkworms), and animals. This technology is based on fundamental principles related to the building blocks of life in which DNA provides the templates for building amino acids into proteins. The principles are essentially the same as those on which conventional breeding technologies and successes are based. Gene recombination and other biotechnologies are developing rapidly; however, their high level of sophistication may make them difficult for the general public to understand. In addition, the media is now reporting on the potential risks of using biotechnology. Since the development of basic gene recombination technologies in the 1970s, these technologies have been used to develop a number of drugs to help patients with diseases such as diabetes, and to improve human health. Agricultural plants developed using these new technologies are now widely cultivated in many countries and are consumed in Japan and elsewhere in foods for humans and in animal feeds. Because due consideration has been given to securing safety in both the research and development of gene-recombination technology and its application, few concerns have arisen in regard to its influence on the environment and the safety of its use in food production. Biotechnologies have great potential, and there is fierce global competition to lead in these fields. Gene-recombination technology is spreading widely because it provides opportunities to make use of scientific discoveries in many areas of biology. Advanced biotechnologies are indispensable in helping to solve problems in the areas of global food supply, the environment, and medicine. We believe that biotechnology research will contribute to the well-being of the human race. Thus there is a need for the public to gain an understanding of the importance of the wise use of biotechnology for the future good of humankind. As part of the Second Five-year Plan, all the staff at NIAS are determined to make a concerted effort to achieve more great results like the sequencing of the entire rice genome achieved under the First Five-year Plan. We thank all of those involved for their cooperation, and we look forward to your continued support, understanding, and collaboration. The buildings of NIAS in the cherry blossoms season !$#&"#&% Message from the President Organization Topics of Research in This Year Genome and Biodiversity Research Division " Positional cloning of ,/)"$! a densovirus-resistance gene in %-+(10 +-.* !!!!!!!!!! $ " The development of a genetic linkage map for azuki bean !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! % " Allele diversity and evolution of &%'' # gene generated by multiple transposable elements in foxtail millet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ' " Development of prectical method to discriminate Nagoya breed from other chicken breeds !! ) Insect and Animal Sciences Division " Intrabody technology: a novel method for domain-specific knockdown of cytosolic protein in mice !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! * " Mulberry latex defense mulberry trees from herbirous insects !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! , " %-+(10 +-.* cultured cell line (NIAS-Bm-Kel) that adjusted to serum-free media !!!!!! $% Plant Science Division " Functional analysis of phytochromes in rice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $& " Transgenic rice for allergy immunotherapy: Oral feeding of rice seeds expressing T cell epitopes suppresses clinical symptoms in a mouse model of pollen allergy !!!!! $' Research Activities Genome and Biodiversity Research Division " Genome Research Department!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $* " Genetic Diversity Department !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! %& " Genebank !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! %, Insect and Animal Sciences Division " Developmental Biology Department !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! &' " Molecular Biology and Immunology Department !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! '# " Physiology and Genetic Regulation Department !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! '' " Insect Genetics and Evolution Department !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ', " Insect Biomaterial and Technology Department !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (% " Insect Biotechnology and Sericology Department !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (' Plant Science Division " Molecular Genetics Department !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! )# " Biochemistry Department !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! )* " Plant Physiology Department !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *# " Plant Biotechnology Department!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *) " Institute of Radiation Breeding !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! +# List of Publication " Original papers 1) Western language !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! '% 2) Japanese language with English Summary !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (& " Review and Monograph (in English) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (' Main meeting related NIAS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $## Executive Members and Research Staff Members !!!!!! $#$ Members of NIAS Evaluation Comittee !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $#' Financial overview !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $#( Location and How to access !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $$# !'#"%$)"($&% President Physiology and Genetic Regulation Department Vice President(Insect and Animal Sciences) Insect Life-Cycles and Physiology Laboratory Vice President(Plant Sciences) Insect Nutrition and Matabolism Laboratory Auditor Insect Neurobiology Laboratory Department of Research Planning and Coordination Insect Behavior Laboratory Research Planning Division Research Evaluation Division Animal Gene Function Laboratory Research Coordination Section Animal Cell Biology Laboratory Office for GMO Research and Development Animal Neurophysiolory Laboratory Technology Transfer Section Animal Neuroendocrinnolory Laboratory Administration Section Insect Genetics and Evolution Department Information and Public Relation Section Insect-Plant Interactions Laboratory Field Management Section Natural Enemies Laboratory Genome Resource Center Symbiosis Laboratory QTL Genomics Research Center Center for GMO Research and Information Insect Patholory Laboratory Insect Gene Function Research Center Insect Genetics Laboratory Department of Administration Insect Molecular Evolution Laboratory General Affairs Section Insect Biomaterial and Technology Department Accounting Section Biopolymer Characterization Laboratory Facility Management Section Biomaterial Development Laboratory Biomimetic Laboratory Insect Products Utilization Laboratory $,120, )1+ ".2+.6,34.57 Insect Biotechnology and Sericology Department Insect Cell Engineering Laboratory ',4,)3*- #.6.4.21 Insect Gene Engineering Laboratory Director of Genome and Biodiversity Research Division Mass Production System Laboratory Genome Research Department New Silk Materials Laboratory Plant Genome Laboratory Sericultural Science Laboratory Animal Genome Laboratory Insect Genome Laboratory Bioinformatics Laboratry DNA Bank &/)15 (*.,1*, #.6.4.21 Genetic Diversity Department Molecular Genetics Department Molecular Biodiversity Laboratory Functional Genomics Laboratory Biosystematics Laboratory Applied Genomics Laboratory Evolutionary Dynamics Laboratory Epigenetics Laboratory Germ Cell Conservation Laboratory Gene Expression Laboratory Applied Microbiology Laboratory Gene Regulation Laboratory Adaptation Systems Laboratory Biochemistry Department Biometrics Laboratory Crystallography Laboratory Genebank Biophysics Laboratory Plant Genetic Resources Labolatory Glycobiology Laboratory Microorganism Genetic Resources Laboratory Membrane Biology Laboratory Animal Genetic Resources Laboratory Plant Physiology Department Genetic Resources Management Section Photosynthesis Laboratory Carbon Metabolism Laboratory