Day 2 :
Keynote Forum
Venkatesan Renugopalakrishnan
1Boston Children’s Hospital, USA 2Harvard Medical School, USA 3Northeastern University, USA
Keynote: Towards personalized precision medicine: New generation graphene protein microfluidic sensors
Time : 09:30-10:15
Biography:
Venkatesan Renugopalakrishnan has obtained his PhD in Biophysics from the State University of New York at Buffalo. His graduate studies span both Columbia and State University of New York. He is a Professor at Northeastern University and Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School where he teaches at the HMS. He is the author of more than 250 papers, Editor of three monographs and is a Member of scientific academies.
Abstract:
Serum glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride and HbA1C monitoring are all valuable tools in the health management of the aging population especially given the increase in diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Even for glucose monitoring, the challenges in obtaining sufficiently accurate and reliable measurements are so significant. None of them meet the even more stringent requirement of ISO 2012 and FDA. Because inaccurate systems bear the risk of false therapeutic decisions, rising health care costs, there is an urgent compelling need for significantly enhanced BG monitoring systems for PC applications. POC tests for other biomedically important analytes are generally even less accurate. The overall goal of the research in our laboratory and laboratories of our collaborators at Stanford, UC Berkeley, MIT and Rice is to develop new sensor platforms that will provide increased sensitivity and accuracy in point of care situations. Graphene-based platforms decorated by a probe protein enhance the sensitivity of pristine single layer grapheme multi-fold and offers a very accurate determination of critical analytes in the blood and other body fluids including saliva. The proposed system uses advanced graphene, Boron-doped graphene and carbon-nanotube-based sensors to transduce enzymatic binding into electrical signals that can be read and processed by a stand-alone system or even a cell-phone. These new biosensor chips will be housed in a plastic microfluidic system for sample acquisition, preparation and distribution to four separate biosensing chips. This approach will improve accuracy because it reduces operator errors, calibration problems and strip-to-strip variability, while increasing sensor sensitivity/specificity with the option to use redundant sensors for improved statistical confidence.
- Agricultural Biotechnology
Molecular Biotechnology
Industrail Biotechnology
Pharmaceutical Biotechnology
Chair
Youhe Gao
Beijing Normal University, China
Co-Chair
VadimViviani
Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Brazil
Session Introduction
Vadim R Viviani
Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos, Brazil
Title: Brazilian beetle luciferases: Developing a bright future for cell toxicity assays, bioimaging and environmental analysis
Time : 11:35-12:05
Biography:
Vadim R Viviani has been completed his degree in Biological Sciences from the Catholic University of Campinas (1990 ) , doctorate in biochemistry from the Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo ( 1996) , postdocs in Shizuoka- Japan University (1997-1999 ) and Harvard University (1999-2002 ) and professor ( 2014) by the Institute of Chemistry , University of São Paulo. He is an Associate Professor of Biochemistry at the Federal University of São Carlos , leads the research group " Bioluminescence and Biophotonics " (CNPq ), and guest researcher at the Nat. Inst. of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology ( Tsukuba , Japan ) and Univ. Vanderbilt ( Nashville, TN , USA ) , and president of the International Society for Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence . Investigates bioluminescence enzymes luciferases and biotechnological and environmental use.
Abstract:
Firefly luciferases catalyze the ATP-dependent oxidation of D-luciferin, leading to the production of bioluminescence in the yellow-green region of the spectrum with high quantum yield (41-61%). Thus, they have been extensively used for decades as bioanalytical reagents to measure ATP content, biomass estimation and then as bioluminescent reporter genes to investigate cellular events and bioimaging and biosensors. However, until the nineties, only a few firefly luciferases which produced yellow-green light and were pH-sensitive were used for such bioanalytical purposes. In the past 15 years, we have cloned and characterized 10 new luciferases from Brazilian bioluminescent beetles, which elicit production of different bioluminescence colors, kinetics and pH-sensitivities. Among them Phrixotrix hirtus railroad worm luciferase is the only naturally red emitting luciferase (623 nm), Pyrearinus termitilluminans larval click beetle luciferase is the most blue-shifted (534 nm) and most efficient one (61%), and Macrolampis sp2 firefly luciferase displays a pH-sensitive bimodal spectrum (569/610 nm). With these enzymes, we have investigated the structural determinants of bioluminescence colors, pH-sensitivity and luminescent activity. Based on the acquired knowledge, we have engineered new luciferases with different bioluminescence colors from green to red (534, 550, 564, 575, 590, 605, 615, 628 nm), kinetics and pH-sensitivities, suited for specific biotechnological and environmental purposes. The red emitting luciferase of Phrixotrix and Pyrearinus termitilluminans green-emitting luciferase are currently used as multicolor reporter gene for mammalian cells assays and cell bioimaging. The luciferases of Macrolampis and Pyrearinus termittilluminans were shown to be suitable for general toxicity light off whole cell biosensors. Very recently, based on the spectral sensitivity of firefly luciferases, we have developed the first ratiometric intracellular pH and heavy metal-biosensors, being the first dual reporter system using a single luciferase gene to simultaneously monitor intracellular ATP or gene expression based on luminescent intensity (I) and intracellular pH or heavy metals based on the ratio of intensities at different wavelengths (I550/I614 nm). Finally, we have developed for the first time a totally new orange emitting luciferase departing from a non-luminescent CoA-ligase, which has potential applicability as carboxylic xenobiotics biosensor for environmental and drug toxicity assays. These luciferases and their modified genes generated patents and products, expanding the range of bioluminescence applications in cell assays and environmental analysis.
Carlos R. Prudencio
Adolfo Lutz Institute, Brazil
Title: Antigenic profile of humoral immune response against pathogens of interest in public health by nextgeneration sequencing of phage-displayed peptide libraries
Time : 12:05-12:35
Biography:
Carlos Roberto Prudencio has completed his PhD from Federal University of Uberlandia and Postdoctoral studies from University of Sao Paulo and Universidad Castilla-la Mancha, Spain. He is the Coordinator of Immunotechnology Lab of the Center of Immunology at Adolfo Lutz Institute, Secretary of Health of Sao Paulo State; a public health institute with mission focused in research, epidemiological, sanitary and environmental surveillance in Sao Paulo State. He is a Member of the Post-graduation program (CAPES) devoted to Applied Health Sciences. He has published papers in reputed journals and also has been serving as an Editorial Board Member of repute. He is the Inventor holding eight patents related to the field of biotechnology of vaccines and diagnosis with expertise in innovation management and technological transfer focused in health. His research is focused on high-throughput approaches based in phage display technology applied to study host-pathogen interactions and the discovery of targets to develop new diagnosis, drugs and vaccines of interest to public health.
Abstract:
Given the growing number of diseases caused by emerging or endemic pathogens in Brazil, like Ricketsias and Zika virus, new strategies are urgently required for the development of disease diagnostic markers and vaccines. In this context, identification and development of these markers require high-throughput screening of combinatorial libraries. Phage-display is a powerful technique for selecting unique molecules with selective affinity for a specific target from high-complexity combinatorial phage display peptide libraries. The technology was applied initially to allow identification of high-affinity peptides after in vivo and in vitro screening. By high-throughput sequencing of the pool of recombinant phage clones following in silico analyses amongst hypothetical proteins of these pathogens, all categorized sequences provided the profile of the best candidates. Thus, we heightened the powerful screening capacity of this technique adding complementary approaches based on deep sequencing to identification and characterization of antigen candidates. By combining such approaches, we maximized the selection of molecules potentially relevant for diagnostics and vaccine development for pathogens of interest to public health.
Youhe Gao
Beijing Normal University, China
Title: 4F-acts: A strategy to discovery protein interactions in situ sensitivity and specifically
Time : 12:35-13:05
Biography:
Youhe Gao is the Professor at Beijing Normal University, China. He has received his MD from Peking Union Medical College, PhD from University of Connecticut and Postdoctoral training from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard Medical School. He was the Professor of Department of Pathophysiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College from 2001-2014. His research interests include biomarker discovery in urine proteome, protein interaction and related bioinformatics.
Abstract:
Fast fixation is necessary to study real time protein-protein interactions under physiological conditions. Fast formaldehyde cross linking can fix transient and weak protein interactions, thereby reducing the number of false negatives but producing great complexity. To reduce this complexity, immunoaffinity purification can fish out complexes that include particular target proteins, but affinity based co-purification has a limited capacity to eliminate non specific binding to beads and/or antibodies. To filter out these complexes, SDS-PAGE is used to disrupt non-covalent bonds, thereby eliminating uncross linked complexes and simultaneously providing molecular weight information for identification. We described a 4F-acts strategy to help improve real time ligands discovery based on formaldehyde cross linking, immunoprecipitation and SDS-PAGE separation: Fast Fix, Fish, and Filter, using albumin interactome as an example. The use of gel excision without staining makes this strategy comprehensive and sensitive. The target protein must be identified in the same slice as its ligands. The ligands must be identified in slices for the experimental group but not in the corresponding control slices. Only proteins that appear in the range of molecular weights equal to or greater than the sum of the proteins’ theoretical molecular weights, together with the target are considered ligands. In this study, 5 s of cross linking with 10% formaldehyde was achieved in human blood. The use of this strategy identified 35 ligands for albumin. Comparison with four major previous studies of the albuminome revealed that 68.57% of the 35 ligands identified in our study were identified in these other studies. Fast cross linking was achieved. The 4F-acts strategy can be used to identify real time in situ interactions without prior intervention and to comprehensively identify ligands of particular target proteins with fewer false positives.
Bianca Ayres
Lund University, Sweden
Title: Supported liquid membrane for in situ removal of quiral amines produced by biocatalysis in cascade reactions
Time : 14:50-15:20
Biography:
Bianca Ayres is Biochemical Engineer, has completed her PhD in 2014 from University of Campinas, in São Paulo, Brazil. She has completed Post-doctoral studies from Lund University in Sweden. She has published papers about biocatalysis using renewable resources to produce biopolymers of acrylic and propionic acid with sugars. The application of SLM has been investigated in bioprocess coupling enzymes acting in cascade reactions.
Abstract:
The technology of SLM has been explored since 1990s, and it is widely applied for water treatment, and ink systems on printers. Even though, there are many investigations for optimization to removal of key substances in several processes. The application of SLM technology in bioprocess for chiral amines is reported as vanguard group here, in Sweden. The application of this technology for removal of chiral amines was firstly reported regards the higher production of amines within the process with omega transaminase. In the present work, we thoroughly discuss the factors influencing the performance of the SLM system and considerations for its successful use. The hollow fibres inside the membrane contactor is discussed regards to the composition of the polymeric material, lifetime for stability, flow rate of phases, pore size and wall thickness. Moreover, the system is further improved by implementing continuous control of the reactor pH using the amine donor substrate, and temperature of the phases passing through the SLM unit to maintain the extraction performance, allowing the accumulation of 1.0 M (121 g/l) product in the stripping phase during operation for 91 h. This result means improvement of 3-fold in productivity, compared to the process without SLM.
Renu Pandey
Indian Agricultural Research Institute, India
Title: Root proteome analysis of soybean under phosphorus starvation reveals the genotypic variation in organic acid exudation potential
Time : 15:20-15:50
Biography:
Renu Pandey has completed her PhD (2001) from ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi and Postdoctoral training in Molecular Biology from Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, USA. She is working as a Senior Scientist in the Division of Plant Physiology on understanding the basic mechanisms of phosphorus uptake and utilization in crops at physiological and molecular levels. Influence of climate change on phosphorus nutrition is also her area of interest. She has published 40 papers in reputed journals and serving as a Treasurer in Indian Nitrogen Group-Society for Conservation of Nature and Editor of Indian Society for Plant Physiology.
Abstract:
Experiments were performed to evaluate a diverse soybean panel for total carbon exudation potential employing shoot labeling with 14CO2. Traits contributed to maximum genotypic variability were total 14C exudation, P uptake and total dry weight. The proportion of organic acids was highest among root exuded compounds induced by low P stress. Efficient soybean genotypes exhibited superior growth and P acquisition efficiency under low soil P availability attributed to its higher root exudation potential aiding in mining fixed soil P. To understand the molecular mechanism governing differentially regulating root exudation potential in contrasting genotypes, root proteome analysis at low P stress was carried out. Among the total proteins visualized by 2D-gel electrophoresis, 105 (32%) were differentially expressed between sufficient and low P levels. A total of 44 (14%) proteins were down regulated by more than two-fold under low P while 61 (15%) proteins were up-regulated by more than two-fold at low P. Several key enzymes in organic acid synthesis and glycolytic bypass pathways were differentially regulated under low P stress in the P efficient soybean genotype, EC-232019. Alterations at the metabolite and protein level of EC-232019 suggest the cross talk between various metabolic pathways conferring higher P acquisition efficiency to plants under stress. Characterization of 17 proteins with unknown function might reveal roles of novel genes under low P stress. The identified genotypes have potential to be used as donors in crop improvement programs to develop high yielding P efficient cultivars, which may be an asset to low input sustainable agriculture.
Khanmi kasomva
Loyola College, India
Title: MicroRNA: A small non-coding RNA, an efficient biomarker for prostate cancer
Time : 16:10-16:40
Biography:
Khanmi Kasomva is currently a PhD scholar at Entomology Research Institute, Loyola College, India. He has completed his Master’s degree in Biotechnology in 2014 from Loyola College, India. He is the recipient of 2013 Summer Research Fellowship of Indian Academy of Sciences and recipient of 2016 Young Professional-II from Indian Council of Agriculture Research and also received a Best Diplomacy Award at 1st session of North East Indian International Model United Nation Conference 2013. The main focus of his research is to understand the mechanism of microRNAs in prostate cancer, to examine the gene regulation by microRNA and to determine microRNA as a biomarker in prostate cancer. Recently, he has published a paper in Clinica Chimica Acta entitle “MicroRNA in Prostate Cancer”.
Abstract:
Prostate cancer is the second leading cancer for men in America and Europe. Prostate cancer development is a slow process in men commonly over the age of fifty years. There are still poor in tools or biomarkers to identify in its early stage of development. Currently clinicians are using prostate specific antigen testing (PSA) and digital rectal examination (DRE) as early diagnostic tools for identifying prostate cancer but it shows ineffective due to low specificity and poor sensitivity. Therefore a novel biomarker for diagnosis of prostate cancer is required. A large quantity of microRNAs (miRNAs) is built up of 18-23 nucleotide; they are small non-coding and single-stranded and are important in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by degrading or suppressing target gene mRNAs. MiRNAs are implicated in the pathogenesis of prostate cancer; however they also act as novel target for the therapeutic intervention and circular microRNAs are shown potential biomarker for the prostate cancer diagnosis and show more specificity and sensitivity compared to available tools/biomarkers.
Mariana Watanabe Garcia
University of São Paulo , Brazil
Title: Adjuvant potential of outer membrane vesicles from Neisseria lactamica
Time : 16:40-17:20
Biography:
Mariana Watanabe Garcia is Biological Scientist who graduated from Mackenzie University (2011). She was honored to have been the best student of Biological Sciences from 2008 to 2011. She is completing her PhD in Biotechnology from University of São Paulo in a project that has been developed in partnership with Butantan Institute, Brazil. She is also working at Merck Life Science as Biotechnology Application Specialist.
Abstract:
Outer membrane vesicles or OMVs are derived from evaginations of Gram-negative bacteria outer membrane and they have gained immunological interest especially in relation to their ability to modulate biological functions and to be an alternative to the development of new vaccine strategies and combinations thereof. OMVs from commensal bacterium Neisseria lactamica induce antibodies which have cross reactivity with N. meningitidis and may be both antigen to meningococcal disease and a potential mucosal adjuvant. The objective of this study was to evaluate the adjuvant function of Neisseria lactamica OMVs using the surface protein PspA5 from Streptococcus pneumoniae as antigen model. OMVs were obtained from cultivations of the bacteria in bench scale bioreactor. The immunoassays were performed with OMVs in natura formulation (pure) and OMVs purified with sodium deoxycholate (DOC) at 0.3% and 0.5% in order to remove part of its lipopolysaccharide (LOS). The immunization groups were divided into 5 control groups: (1) Non, (2) PspA5, (3) pure OMV (OMVpure), (4) OMV purified with DOC 0.3% (OMV0.3%), (5) OMV purified with DOC 0.5% (OMV0.5%) and 3 vaccinated groups: (6) PspA5 in combination with OMVpure, (7) PspA5 in combination with OMV0,3% and (8) PspA5 in combination with OMV0.5%. The schedule set 2 intranasal fortnightly doses in murine model. It was evaluated the induction of anti-PspA5 IgG antibodies (IgG, IgG1 and IgG2a) and the protective potential of the different formulation. Initial immunological tests showed determinant adjuvant activity of all OMVs using the heterologous protein PspA5 as antigen model and protection against survival challenge.
Heinz Roland Jakobi
University of São Paulo, Brazil
Title: Brucella species in human in Rondonia in the Brazilian Amazon
Time : 14:00-14:50(poster session)
Biography:
Heinz Roland Jakobi has graduated from the Federal University of Parana and obtained his Postgraduate degree from the Institute of Biological Sciences, University of São Paulo [ICB/USP] in Human Brucellosis research line. He is a Doctor of Health Sciences at UNB and Professor of Saint Luke School. He is a Former President of the National Association of Occupational Medicine Sectional Rondonia and Founding President of the Association of Gynecology, Obstetrics of Rondonia, the Spiritist Medical Association of Rondonia and Founding Member of Rondoniense Academy of Letters. He is also a former Treasurer of Rondonia Regional Medical Council and a Member of the Academy of Medicine of Rondonia and Rondonia Academy of Letters.
Abstract:
Brucellosis is a universal and re-emerging anthropozoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella spp., of the ten recognized species of Brucella spp., four are pathogenic to humans; melitensis, suis, abortus and canis. According to some authors to B. melitensis is not found in Brazil. The Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) is a method for exponential amplification of DNA that permits the rapid and sensitive identification of Brucella genus, the species level biovar. The Real Time Multiplex PCR is an efficient and accurate method. In Brazil there is no scientific research to determine these species in humans. The Amazon region has not owned epidemiological data and Rondonia is endemic illness and compulsory health notification being recorded cases due to the presence of infected cattle. Objective is to investigate the species of Brucella which focus on humans in Rondonia using the Real Time Multiplex PCR. It is an observational prospective cohort study of human brucellosis in Rondonia analyzing human sera with positive laboratory tests [Rose Bengal and ELISA] analyzed the state of Rondonia Central Laboratory [LACEN-RO] with rebuttal at the Institute Adolf Lutz [IAL-SP]. Samples mishandled sera will be deleted. The data collected will be subjected to analysis in Microsoft Office Excel® spreadsheet and IBM SPSS Statistics Standard version 20®.
Heinz Roland Jakobi
University of São Paulo, Brazil
Title: Serological and molecular tests for the diagnosis of human brucellosis in workers in slaughterhouses in Rondonia in the Brazilian Amazon
Biography:
Heinz Roland Jakobi has graduated from the Federal University of Parana and obtained his Postgraduate degree from the Institute of Biological Sciences, University of São Paulo [ICB/USP] in Human Brucellosis research line. He is a Doctor of Health Sciences at UNB and Professor of Saint Luke School. He is a Former President of the National Association of Occupational Medicine Sectional Rondonia and Founding President of the Association of Gynecology, Obstetrics of Rondonia, the Spiritist Medical Association of Rondonia and Founding Member of Rondoniense Academy of Letters. He is also a former Treasurer of Rondonia Regional Medical Council and a Member of the Academy of Medicine of Rondonia and Rondonia Academy of Letters.
Abstract:
Brucellosis is a universal and re-emerging anthropozoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella spp., of the ten recognized species of Brucella spp., four are pathogenic to humans; melitensis, suis, abortus and canis. According to some authors to B. melitensis is not found in Brazil. As a diagnostic method of human brucellosis blood culture is the gold standard of diagnosis but difficult practical applicability. The Ministry of Health recommends using the Rose Bengal test [RBT] and ELISA [IGG and IGM]. The polymerase chain reaction [PCR] is an efficient and accurate method of DNA amplification. The Amazon region has not owned epidemiological data and Rondonia is endemic illness and compulsory health notification being recorded cases due to the presence of infected animals, especially in refrigerators workers. Objective is to develop and validate serologic and molecular tests for the diagnosis of human brucellosis in refrigerators workers in Rondonia. It is an observational prospective cohort study of human brucellosis in Rondonia performing laboratory tests Rose Bengal, ELISA and PCR in Rondonia State Central Laboratory [LACEN-RO] with rebuttal in Adolf Lutz Institute [ITA-SP]. Samples mishandled sera will be deleted. The data collected will be subjected to analysis in Microsoft Office Excel® spreadsheet and IBM SPSS Statistics Standard version 20®.
Heinz Roland Jakobi
University of São Paulo, Brazil
Title: Validation of human brucellosis test diagnostic: Test Rose Bengal [TRB], ELISA (IGM and IGG) and PCR Real Time Multiplex
Biography:
Heinz Roland Jakobi has graduated from the Federal University of Parana and obtained his Postgraduate degree from the Institute of Biological Sciences, University of São Paulo [ICB/USP] in Human Brucellosis research line. He is a Doctor of Health Sciences at UNB and Professor of Saint Luke School. He is a Former President of the National Association of Occupational Medicine Sectional Rondonia and Founding President of the Association of Gynecology, Obstetrics of Rondonia, the Spiritist Medical Association of Rondonia and Founding Member of Rondoniense Academy of Letters. He is also a former Treasurer of Rondonia Regional Medical Council and a Member of the Academy of Medicine of Rondonia and Rondonia Academy of Letters.
Abstract:
Brucellosis is a universal and re-emerging anthropozoonosis caused by bacteria of the genus Brucella as a diagnostic method of human brucellosis blood culture is the gold standard of diagnosis but difficult practical applicability. The Ministry of Health recommends using the Rose Bengal test [RBT] and ELISA [IGG and IGM]. The polymerase chain reaction [PCR] is an efficient and accurate method of DNA amplification. These laboratory tests have few studies of specificity and sensitivity and accuracy and do not yet have national validation. Objective is to validate diagnostic tests of human brucellosis, research the accuracy, specificity and sensitivity of serological tests Rose Bengal, ELISA and Real Time PCR Multiplex PCR. It is a prospective cohort study analyzing the tests conducted in Rondonia Central Laboratory [LACEN-RO] and rebuttal at the Institute Adolf Lutz [IAL-SP]. The brucellosis tests will be applied to a control group of non-endemic area, São Paulo. Mishandled samples will be deleted. The true-positive tests, true-negative, false-positive and false-negative will be determined by evaluating the accuracy of the tests and applied to calculate Likelihood Ratio [RV] and the ROC curve and the Bayes theorem establishing prevalence, sensitivity, specificity and predictive value. The data collected will be subjected to analysis in IBM SPSS Statistics Standard version 20® spreadsheet.
Kenzhebayeva Saule
Kazakh National University named after al-Farabi, Kazakhstan
Title: Spring wheat mutation resource for high yield associated traits and enriched grain protein and iron under drought conditions
Biography:
Kenzhebayeva Saule has completed her PhD from Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov and Postdoctoral studies from Kazakh Research Institute of Physiology, Genetics and Bioengineering, Kazakhstan. She is the Professor of Kazakh National University named after al-Farabi. She has published more than 20 papers in reputed journals.
Abstract:
Mutated spring wheat along with parent variety was used to evaluate effect of drought on grain quality and yield-associated traits. To generate genetic variety in the population, seeds of spring wheat cv. Almaken were γ-irradiated with 100 doses from a 60Co source. Identifying new genetic sources and quantifiable traits would facilitate the crop improvement for drought tolerance. Promising advanced M7 mutant lines were obtained and evaluated for nutritional grain characteristics yield associated traits such as grain weight per spike (GWS) and grain number per spike (GNS) and thousand grains weight (TGW) and under irrigation and rain-fed conditions. Fifteen field-grown lines were studied. Under irrigation, most of lines showed significant increases in grain protein content with high, GPC and iron concentration were identified as having 10.8-11.6% and 1.32-1.69 times, respectively, greater concentrations than parent variety. Under rain-fed conditions, only some mutant lines with significantly higher GPC than parent variety were registered. Although drought significantly affected ranking genotypes, the main trend in the accumulation of iron to reduce its concentration. A few mutant lines were identified for their advantage over parent, showing no decline or increase in its concentration and indicating about their relatively independent genotypic response to stress on this grain quality characteristic. Under rain-fed conditions, in mutant lines GPC was significant positively correlated with GNS and grain Fe concentration with GWS. The results indicate high genetic potential of mutant lines to improve grain Fe concentration and GPC and drought tolerance in cultivated wheat.
Omirbekova Nargul
Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan
Title: Introduction of Brachypodium distachyon as genetic source of stability to leaf rust in spring wheat
Biography:
Omirbekova Nargul was graduated from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and Lomonosov Moscow State University and has completed her Doctoral studies from Farabi Kazakh National University. She is currently a Professor at the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, School of Biology and Biotechnology of the KazNU named after Al-Farabi (Republic of Kazakhstan). Her research interests include chemical mutagenesis, genetics and biochemistry of wheat. She has published more than 30 papers in reputed journals.
Abstract:
Creating of resistant to pathogens varieties is a complex area in breeding, especially in wheat, since the physiological races of pathogens are evolving rapidly. The purpose of research is a comparative determination of a number of stress and antioxidant enzymes activities in soft wheat and Brachypodium distachyon (Bd21) before and after infection by P. recondita pathogen. The materials of research are two varieties of soft wheat of local breeding and Bd21 as model object. The reason for the selection of wheat varieties is the degree of sensitivity or resistance to rust. In the two-leaf stage of growth, the plants were inoculated by urediniospores, the control-untreated plants. Inoculum Kazakh population spores of the P. recondita fungus. The methods of biochemistry, immunology and statistics were used. The activity of antioxidant enzymes was evaluated by the intensity of staining of formazan bands using the digital images of the gels obtained by the scanner Epson Perfection V750 PRO. It was found that the activity of nitrogen metabolism enzymes of MDH-GOAT and GDH enzyme complex in wheat before treatment by the pathogen exceeds its processing activity in Bd21 in 3 and 2 times, respectively. Infection increases the activity of FC of MDH-GOAT in Bd21 by 4.7%, in Kazakhstan 19 varieties of wheat by 6.4% in Kazakhstan early ripe variety decrease of 10% was observed. It was found that the infection of the plant resulted in a slight increase in activity xanthine dehydrogenase by 10 and 5% of control in wheat. In Bd21, xanthine dehydrogenase activity decreased by 36%. Aldehyde oxidase activity in the leaves of wheat varieties after pathogen infection increased from 41 to 49%, Bd21 activity increased by 42% relatively to control.
Paula Lobo Accioly
Federal University of Pernambuco, Brazil
Title: Evaluating alkaline activated carbon for methane enrichment of biogas
Biography:
Paula Lobo Accioly is pursuing her Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the Federal University of Pernambuco, where she was also graduated in Chemical Engineering. She has interest in research related to biogas production, purification and enrichment.
Abstract:
Anaerobic decomposition of organic matter generates biogas, a renewable energy source. The primary components of biogas are methane and carbon dioxide at concentrations varying from 40-75% and 15-60% respectively. Biogas enrichment to 95-97% of CH4 and 1-3% of CO2 produces biomethane, which is a direct substitute for natural gas. The production of biomethane requires separating CH4 from CO2. Among many, pressure swing adsorption (PSA) is a common technology, which captures carbon dioxide by adsorption on a solid surface. Activated carbons (AC) are porous solids adsorbents of low cost, abundant and with a high CO2 adsorption capacity. In the interest of increasing carbon dioxide load and considering the weak acid characteristic of CO2, AC was impregnated in sodium and calcium hydroxide solution, separately, named AC1 and AC2, respectively. Saturation curves were obtained from packed bed reactor operating at 1 bar and 24 °C, which allow determining the carbon dioxide capacity for biomethane production. The results revealed that both AC1 and AC2 are capable of separating the mixture CO2/CH4 and the amount of carbon dioxide retained by each were 0.49 and 0.32 mmol/g. Activated carbon impregnated with sodium hydroxide has the highest CO2 adsorption load in comparison with calcium hydroxide. The packed bed reactor, utilizing AC1, has a breakthrough time of approximately 3.6 minutes. From the initial operation of the fixed bed reactor until the breakthrough time, the column delivers an output gas with methane concentration similar to natural gas.
Jose Roberto Fuzer Neto
Federal University of Sao Carlos, Brazil
Title: Strategies for reducing acetate formation during Salmonella typhimurium LT2 cultures
Biography:
Jose Roberto Fuzer Neto has completed his graduation in Chemical Engineering from Federal University of São Carlos and he is currently a Master’s student at Federal University of São Carlos.
Abstract:
In recent years, the application of attenuated strains of Salmonella spp. has been widely investigated for the development of various biotechnological products, especially vaccines. However, the industrial production of these compounds is hampered by metabolic constraints presented by Salmonella cells, which naturally produce high amounts of growth inhibitor metabolites, mainly acetate. To deal with this problem, two different approaches were evaluated in the present work: Changing culture conditions (carbon source evaluation) and implementing genetic modifications (enhancement of cell’s acetate scavenging capabilities by overexpression of acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACS)). Wild type and recombinant cells were cultured in minimal medium with glucose or glycerol as carbon source in Erlenmeyer flasks agitated at 200 rpm and 37 oC. Samples were collected during cultivation and analyzed by HPLC to quantify organic acids production and the carbon source consumption. Cellular growth was assessed by optical density readings (OD 600 nm) of the culture broth. The results showed that the carbon source plays an important role on byproducts excretion by S. typhimurium cells, indicating that for both strains acetate production is greatly reduced using glycerol. The overexpression of ACS also reduced the acetate accumulation as this enzyme acted assimilating the excreted acetate. From all the conditions studied, the best results were obtained by the recombinant cells cultured in glycerol. An increase of 40% of biomass production was achieved, while the acetate accumulation was reduced by more than 50% in comparison to the average values registered in the other experiments.
Aida Esther Penuela-Martinez
National University of Colombia at Medellin, Colombia
Title: Dynamics of different fermentation processes in coffee (Coffea arabica L. var Caturra) and its effect on the beverage quality
Biography:
Aida Esther Penuela-Martinez is a PhD candidate of Biotechnology at the Faculty of Sciences of the National University of Colombia, currently developing the thesis on the study of the coffee fermentative processes. She holds a Scientific Research I position in the National Coffee Research Center in Colombia where she has made several investigations related with postharvest of coffee, which she has published as the first author in five scientific articles and two Technical Progress of the institution and one patent development; in addition to being the co-author of four books on fruit and vegetable postharvest and coffee postharvest and 12 academic publications.
Abstract:
Acidity in coffee is an attribute which at appropriate leaves contributes to beverage quality. Arabica coffee processed by the wet method has been classified as better acidity, in this process, the fermentation stage plays an important role to improve this attribute due to the physical, chemical and biological factors involved. Different methods of coffee fermentation can affect the dynamics of the process and influence the final quality. In order to obtain the changes in pH, temperature and organic acid production, several coffee fermentative processes were evaluated. The effect on the final quality was also obtained. A completely randomized design was used, 2×3+2; two fruit fermentation times, three fermentation methods and two controls, one standard (traditional fermentation) and another negative (without fermentation). ANOVA, Duncan and Dunnett tests were used for data analysis. The results showed changes in pH from 5.86 at the beginning of the process to 3.73 at the end. The temperature in was between 21 °C and 19 °C while it increased to 25 °C for the traditional fermentation. The concentrations of lactic and acetic acids increased respect to the processing time while the citric and malic acids tend to decrease. Significant differences in the mean acids concentrations, mainly for acetic and lactic acids, were detected. By contrast, the quinic acid concentration remained constant in all fermentative processes assessed, including controls. Furthermore, the averages of quality values were significantly higher in fermentation processes coffee than the obtained with the controls. Coffee acidity was directly associated with acetic acid concentration. The changes detected in the evaluated variables indicate the metabolic activity of microorganisms involved in the fermentation, which can vary according to the method of coffee fermentation process applied. The coffee fermentation stage has potential which could be used as a strategy to improve product quality varying of the processing method.