Gene flow from transgenic wheat and barley under field conditions

The original publication can be found at www.springerlink.comIn this study the frequency and distance of gene flow from transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) to non-transgenic wheat and barley crops was investigated under local field conditions. Trials were conducted in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and in South Australia (SA). Gene flow from transgenic wheat was confirmed at frequencies of 0.012% and 0.0037% in the ACT and SA, respectively. In both trials gene flow occurred over distances of less than 12 m. Gene flow was also detected from transgenic barley at a frequency of 0.005%, over a distance of less than 12 m. The results show that under Australian field conditions, gene flow occurs at extremely low frequencies and over very short distances. Physical separation of transgenic and non-transgenic cereal crops by greater than 12 m should ensure that contamination of adjacent non-transgenic cereal crops remains less than 0.02%, well below the level permitted under Australian regulations.Keith T. Gatford, Zainuddin Basri, Jane Edlington, Julia Lloyd, Javed A. Qureshi, Richard Brettell and Geoffrey B. Finche

Insiders and outsiders in stepfamilies: Adults’ and children’s views on family boundaries

This study examines descriptions of families after separation and repartnering, with a focus on family boundaries between those considered family and those excluded from it. Adults in post-separation families may try to maintain a large number of family ties originating from various partnerships, or they may limit the recognition of their family to the members of their new household. Children, on the other hand, are encouraged to maintain contact with both parents and their relatives. Family descriptions of 48 re-partnered mothers residing in Switzerland, as well as their current partners and children, are analysed by focusing on exclusiveness and inclusiveness in written or drawn descriptions. Descriptions collected in family interviews follow a balance of social tensions among interdependent individuals by which responses of children usually match those of their mothers. Mothers' responses show a high level of exclusiveness, whereas responses of mothers' partners and children are more balanced between exclusivity and inclusivity. Inclusiveness in family after re-partnering is also connected to conditions such as family structure, mothers' education, and employment

Fungal Biotechnology in Space: Why and How?

Fungi have been companions of mankind for millennia. Mushrooms inspired our eating culture, and yeasts and filamentous fungi were developed into highly efficient cell factories during the last 100 years to produce many products utilized in different industries worldwide. What more is to come in the next 100 years? We propose here that fungi can become important cell factories for life in space, especially regarding the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger as the cutting-edge must-have for space travel in the twenty-first century and beyond. First, it is one of the most robust and efficient production systems used nowadays in industrial biotechnology. Second, it is a multipurpose cell factory that produces a diverse range of organic acids, proteins, enzymes and natural products. And third, it is a common fungal isolate of the International Space Station. A. niger could thus become an essential companion of astronauts for the autonomous production of food, enzymes and antibiotics during space travel. What needs to be done to achieve these visionary goals? In this chapter, we will discuss the opportunities of A. niger as a cell factory spanning from Earth to space. We summarize the current state of the art of A. niger biotechnology on Earth and discuss the general tools and technologies still in need of development to take a new step for mankind: space biotechnology

Investigation on side-spray fluidized bed granulation with swirling airflow

10.1208/s12249-012-9906-0AAPS PharmSciTech141211-22

Population Structure of Barley Landrace Populations and Gene-Flow with Modern Varieties

<div><p>Landraces are heterogeneous plant varieties that are reproduced by farmers as populations that are subject to both artificial and natural selection. Landraces are distinguished by farmers due to their specific traits, and different farmers often grow different populations of the same landrace. We used simple sequence repeats (SSRs) to analyse 12 barley landrace populations from Sardinia from two collections spanning 10 years. We analysed the population structure, and compared the population diversity of the landraces that were collected at field level (population). We used a representative pool of barley varieties for diversity comparisons and to analyse the effects of gene flow from modern varieties. We found that the Sardinian landraces are a distinct gene pool from those of both two-row and six-row barley varieties. There is also a low, but significant, mean level and population-dependent level of introgression from the modern varieties into the Sardinian landraces. Moreover, we show that the Sardinian landraces have the same level of gene diversity as the representative sample of modern commercial varieties grown in Italy in the last decades, even within population level. Thus, these populations represent crucial sources of germplasm that will be useful for crop improvement and for population genomics studies and association mapping, to identify genes, loci and genome regions responsible for adaptive variations. Our data also suggest that landraces are a source of valuable germplasm for sustainable agriculture in the context of future climate change, and that <i>in-situ</i> conservation strategies based on farmer use can preserve the genetic identity of landraces while allowing adaptation to local environments.</p></div