胶原在生物医学领域的应用

胶原是动物体中最丰富的蛋白资源，由于胶原具有很低的免疫原性，与多种宿主细胞及组织有着良好的相互作用，因而可广泛地用于制备胶原基医用材料及医用装置。本文介绍了胶原作为医用材料的生物学优势，胶原基生物材料在医疗领域的使用，以及胶原基生物材料的制备和注意事项。     

重在创造力培养的生物技术专业英语教学实践

针对生物技术专业英语教学的现状和特点,综合运用当代教育心理学的学习理论和创造思维理论,通过教学实践,对本科和研究生生物技术专业英语的教学方法进行了多方面探讨,提出了强调问题解决学习方式的整合教学策略。     

Synthetic Biology: A New Tool for the Trade

Protein–protein interactions are fundamental to many biological processes. Yet, the weak and transient noncovalent bonds that characterize most protein–protein interactions found in nature impose limits on many bioengineering experiments. Here, a new class of genetically encodable peptide–protein pairs—isopeptag‐N/pilin‐N, isopeptag/pilin‐C, and SpyTag/SpyCatcher—that interact through autocatalytic intermolecular isopeptide bond formation is described. Reactions between peptide–protein pairs are specific, robust, orthogonal, and able to proceed under most biologically relevant conditions both in vitro and in vivo. As fusion constructs, they provide a handle on molecules of interest, both organic and inorganic, that can be grasped with an iron grip. Such stable interactions provide robust post‐translational control over biological processes and open new opportunities in synthetic biology for engineering programmable and self‐assembling protein nanoarchitectures.     

Detailed Structure–Function Correlations of Bacillus subtilis Acetolactate Synthase

Isobutanol is deemed to be a next‐generation biofuel and a renewable platform chemical. 1 Non‐natural biosynthetic pathways for isobutanol production have been implemented in cell‐based and in vitro systems with Bacillus subtilis acetolactate synthase (AlsS) as key biocatalyst. 2 – 6 AlsS catalyzes the condensation of two pyruvate molecules to acetolactate with thiamine diphosphate and Mg²⁺ as cofactors. AlsS also catalyzes the conversion of 2‐ketoisovalerate into isobutyraldehyde, the immediate precursor of isobutanol. Our phylogenetic analysis suggests that the ALS enzyme family forms a distinct subgroup of ThDP‐dependent enzymes. To unravel catalytically relevant structure‐function relationships, we solved the AlsS crystal structure at 2.3 Å in the presence of ThDP, Mg²⁺ and in a transition state with a 2‐lactyl moiety bound to ThDP. We supplemented our structural data by point mutations in the active site to identify catalytically important residues.     

认识“环境敏感型”生物大分子

生物技术在现代生活中扮演着越来越重要的角色。本文着重分析了＂环境敏感型＂大分子及大分子体系在特定环境条件下发生的一些特定的物理和化学性质的变化机理以及利用控制大分子构象得到对特定外界因素敏感的大分子或大分子体系。目的是认识＂环境敏感型＂大分子或大分子体系在生物技术产品的分离纯化上的具体应用。     

综合设计性实验模式在食品生物技术课程中的应用实践

设计和实施综合性实验是提高学生综合、创新、创造能力的重要途径,也是新时期实践教学发展的必由之路。文章以"果酒的发酵"为例,探讨了综合设计性实验教学模式在食品生物技术课程中的应用实践,以期为相关专业课的实践教学提供参考。     

Value‐added products from underutilized fish species

Fish is a rich source of easily digestible protein that also provides polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals for human nutrition. Nonetheless, a large proportion of total landed fish remains unused due to inherent problems related to unattractive color, flavor, texture, small size, and high fat content. Most of these underutilized fish belong to the abundantly available pelagic species, which are landed as bycatch, and some are unconventional species such as krill. Although some species are used industrially for fish meal manufacture, a need for their conservation and utilization for human consumption has been recognized in order to prevent post‐harvest fishery losses. Recovery of flesh by mechanical deboning and development of value‐added products are probably the most promising approaches. This article discusses various possibilities for product development using mince from low‐cost fishery resources. These include surimi and surimi‐based products, sausages, fermented products, protein concentrates and hydrolysates, extruded products, and biotechnological possibilities. The dual advantages of this approach, namely, finding ways for better utilization of low‐value fish species and providing protein‐rich convenience foods, have been pointed out. However, the key to the success of this approach depends largely on the market strategies utilized.     

Innovative technology to meet the demands of the white biotechnology revolution of chemical production

The rapid introduction of bio-production methods in areas where production methods based on fossil fuel raw materials have been dominant for half a century is documented in policy papers by large political organizations as well as in the media.The present review seeks to describe the means by which a technological revolution termed “white biotechnology” for production of commodity chemicals has proved its credibility.Obviously, the rapid advances in biology has been crucial for the development of industrial biotechnology towards a position where even its cheap products such as bio-fuels can compete with fossil fuels, and where new families of intermediates for production of polymers and pharmaceuticals are emerging.An equally important development is that of a model framework for bio-processes by which the physiological processes in living cells can be described accurately by the use of sophisticated models, supported by accurate data obtained in experimental equipment that did not exist a few years ago.The need to update the chemical engineering education to meet the needs of the bio- industry is also evident. Much of the progress of the bio-industry has up to now been based on fundamental understanding of the processes as created by the research of chemical engineers. These professionals will also have a key role to play in future developments if certain measures are taken by universities to update the educational programs. These modifications will in no way be in conflict with the basic concepts of the chemical engineering education, but they will modify some of the traditional teaching methods and will bring attention to topics that for a long time were considered somewhat peripheral to the mainstream of chemical engineering education.     

Capacity Building in Agricultural Biotechnology in Turkey

Turkey, situated at the junction of two continents, benefits both from its rich Asian legacy and its proximity to neighboring European countries. Although the level of socioeconomic development places the country clearly in the group of developing countries, Turkey has been a candidate country for admission to the European Union (EU) since 1999. As a result, the conditions for capacity building in agricultural biotechnology include elements from both the industrialized and developing countries. Because of its favorable climate and time-tested farming traditions dating back to ancient Mesopotamia, the country possesses one of the richest floras in the world. This review attempts to illuminate the role and importance of local actors in introducing modern biotechnology to the Turkish agricultural system. Agricultural biotechnology, specifically plant biotechnology, has a high priority in the Turkish government's program. Public-funded research and education in this field is given due priority, but research by the private sector is relatively poorly funded. The ongoing field trials with genetically modified seeds are conducted mostly by multinational companies whose aim it is to commercialize the genetically modified organisms (GMOs) as soon as legislation concerning biotechnology is implemented. The attitude of the big farm owners to genetically modified crops is positive because they expect economic advantages from these crops. On the other hand, public awareness about genetically modified food is quite low, and neither the consumer organizations nor the media represent a particular power in this area. Thus, the power centers in agricultural biotechnology are the government and the multinational biotech companies. The local industry, the consumers, and the media have relatively less input. Moreover, communication between groups is fairly poor, and this contributes to a growing gap between the strong and the weak actors. Turkey has already decided to implement the EU regulation in contained use and the deliberate release of GMOs, which has been shaped in the European sociopolitical environment where the consumers and their organizations represent a powerful force, and where the power constellation between the actors is quite different. Nevertheless, it can be argued, that this route might still be the right choice for Turkey during the phase of introducing this high-tech method of production to its agriculture.