China in Africa

The Systems and Synthetic Biotechnology Research Team around MA Yanhe at CAS TIB has developed a versatile CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing toolbox for C. glutamicum. Cas9 and gRNA expression cassettes were reconstituted to combat Cas9 toxicity and facilitate effective termination of gRNA transcription. Co-transformation of Cas9 and gRNA expression plasmids was exploited to overcome high-frequency mutation of cas9, allowing not only highly efficient gene deletion and insertion with plasmid-borne editing templates (efficiencies up to 60.0 and 62.5%, respectively) but also simple and time-saving operation. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated ssDNA recombineering was developed to precisely introduce small modifications and single-nucleotide changes into the genome of C. glutamicum with efficiencies over 80.0%. Notably, double-locus editing was also achieved in C. glutamicum.

Microbial Cell Factories 2017, 16:205

Batteries based on Mg anodes are safe, show high volumetric capacity, and inexpensive, but the lack of compatible electrolytes and suitable cathodes has restricted the development of rechargeable Mg batteries. A group at CAS Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy has developed to this end a new type of organic magnesium borate based electrolyte which was synthesized via a facile in-situ reaction of tris(hexafluoroisopropyl)borate [B(HFP)3], MgCl2 and Mg powders in 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME). It features high Mg plating/stripping performance, such as high anodic stability up to 3.3 V (vs. Mg/Mg2+), high ionic conductivity of 5.58 mS·cm–1, low overpotential of 0.11 V for plating process and above 98% Coulombic efficiency. The electrolyte is well compatible with sulfur positive electrodes. Magnesium sulfur batteries using this electrolyte were demonstrated to endure more than 100 cycles without obvious capacity decay and to enable fast conversion process, even at the charging current density up to 500 mA·g–1.

CAS news release, December 19, 2017

The projects, which run until 2020, are:
1. Biomedical materials research and development and replacement of tissue and tissue remediation
2. Digital clinic equipment research and development
3. Major chronic non-communicable diseases prevention and control
4. Research on Prevention and Control of Reproductive Health and Major Birth Defects
5. Precision Medicine Research
Each of the projects contains dozens of subprojects which are summarized under the MOST website

China Bio news release, December 19, 2017

As the use of biomass energy is moving only slowly, the National Energy Administration and the Ministry of Environmental Protection have jointly started a pilot project on power generation coupling coal-incineration and biomass. Priority for cogeneration is limited to projects on coal-fired agricultural and forestry residues coupled with power generation technology projects, focusing on 13 major grain-producing provinces, and coal-fired waste incineration power generation technology projects, with emphasis on municipalities directly under the Central Government were landfill by sludge is difficult. The amount of manure and rubbish produced in China’s rural areas is estimated as 3.8 billion tons, and of straw at about 690 million tons. Biomass raw materials in rural areas are abundant, and 80% can be processed and utilized. The situation urban garbage is more complicated.

China Bio news release, December 15, 2017

The group of Qiang WANG at the institute used waste streams from biomass power plants as nutrients for Chlorellac ultivation and found that Chlorella cultures produced 39 % more lipids and exhibited higher growth rates. The cultures reduced the NOx present in the flue gas and sequestered CO2, with a NOx reduction (DeNOx) efficiency of ∼100%, and a CO2 sequestration rate of 0.46 g L−1 d−1. The residual medium was almost nutrient-free and suitable for recycling.

CAS news release, December 13, 2017

Following an implementation plan of National Reform commission and several ministries, Tianjin and Shandong have issued implementation plans for promoting ethanol gasoline. Ethanol gasoline is cleaner than traditional gasoline and will ease air pollution. According to the program, key areas for prevention and control of air pollution such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and their surroundings will gradually shift to ethanol gasoline in 2018 and will be fully covered in 2019. By 2020, China will basically achieve a full coverage of vehicle ethanol gasoline. However, there remains an ethanol gasoline supply gap. The 13th Five-Year Plan of the Energy Bureau proposes that the output of fuel ethanol in China will reach 4 million tons by 2020, an increase of 54% over the current figure, not enought to fill the current demand gap of nearly 9.4 million tons of ethanol. Expansion of ethanol production capacity is essential, while the import policy may also be changed, e. g., by reducing the import tariff on fuel ethanol.

China Bio news release, December 11, 2017

The CAS Innovation Cooperation Center (Bangkok) will bethe first overseas organization promoting global science, technology and innovation. The center will encourage Chinese innovative enterprises to come to Southeast Asia to build an innovative China-ASEAN community. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has visited CAS for many times to help the two countries cooperate on various fields such as microbiology, rail transit, and GPS technology.

CAS news release, December 11, 2017

According to findings of a research team at CAS Institute of Virology, Wuhan, a distinct population of horseshoe bats in a remote cave in Yunnan may be at the origin of the 2002 SARS epidemic. Virologists around TU Changchun have found that these bats carry coronaviruses with all the genetic elements that were found in the SARS virus strain which in 2002 killed nearly 800 people worldwide. The deadly strain may have been passed on to civet cats sold in markets of Guangdong Province before reaching humans.

China Bio news release, December 7, 2017

The textile contains stretchable sensors which are applied by an electronic dyeing method. With specific precursor selection and texture regulation, the conductive textile shows good flexibility and adaptable strain–electric response. The electronic textile has high durability and can capture and monitor various human activities and distinguish similar motions, which have great potential in biomonitoring, soft co-robotics, and human–machine interaction, https://doi.org/10.1002/aelm.201700253

CAS news release, December 12, 2017

A pioneer company in this field, Heijing Bioengineering Co. in Shanghai, uses soil sub-section repair methods to set up greenhouses on the restored land, planting more than 10 different kinds of plants such as alfalfa and wheat blueberry, and using different types of Trichoderma fungus stdrains and organic matter repair materials during planting. An official report concluded that after treatment the content of phthalic acid and aniline in the contaminated soil after the technology has dropped dramatically, and the repaired soil meets the Grade II standard of the national soil environmental quality standard. The cost of bioremediation is estimated at about a quarter of that of traditional physical and chemical repair technologies and does not lead to „secondary pollution“.

China Bio news release, December 5, 2017

As a counteraction to some unlawful practices in traditional Chinese medicine, in particular commercials in radio, TV and other media, the Standing Committee of Hebei Province People’s Congress recently passed the Regulations of Chinese Medicine in Hebei Province” clearly stipulating that medical practitioners should not engage in medical and medical activities without medical practitioners’ registration; government departments in charge of Chinese medicine review and approval shall not advertise Chinese medicine without the approval of the drug regulatory authorities of Hebei Province People’s Government. It will come into force on January 1, 2018.”

China Bio news release, December 5, 2017

The „Shenhai Yongshi“ (Deep-Sea Warrior) can dive to 4,500 m and is considered an important stepping stone to China’s 10,000 m manned submersible which is presently under construction and set for explorations in the Mariana Trench in 2020. 95 % of the Shenhai Yongshi is claimed to be „made-in-China“, with a focus on underwater acoustic doppler velocity log and communication systems.

CAS news release, December 5, 2017

According to ZHANG Xueli, Director at the institute, has created 30 cell factories, an average of one every 2 months, for improved production of fine chemicals such as amino acids, rare sugars etc. by metabolic engineering and systems microbiology. Among them are 6 industrial strains of amino acids, e. g., lysine, with independent intellectual property rights which have achieved large-scale application. The laboratory has built a bioplastic monomer cell system, opened up a pathway from renewable biomass materials to succinic acid, D-lactic acid and a series of biodegradable plastic monomer synthesis routes, achieving 10,000-ton succinic acid and D- Lactic acid bio-manufacturing processes. The average age of the team is about 33 years, and researchers under 40 years of age account for 88% of the total number of permanent employees.

China Bio news release, December 4, 2017

Nine pharmaceutical companies such as JW Therapeutics, Fosun Kite, Carsgen Therapeutics, HRAIN Biotechnology, Genor Biopharma and others have officially established the Shanghai Alliance for Immune Cell Therapy Industry. The Shanghai Biomedicine Science and Technology Industry Promotion Center will actively promote the development of a cell therapy industry, increase R&D funding and policy support efforts for CAR-T to benefit more patients as soon as possible. In December 2016, the CFDA released Guiding Principles for Research and Evaluation of Cell Products” (Draft for Comment). At present, the regulatory authorities are revising the guiding principles according to the feedback and are expected to release the implementation within 2017. An acceptable price for therapy in China would be around 100,000 Yuan, well below the prizes presently seen in the USA (400 – 500 k$).”

China Bio news release, December 1, 2017

I-MAB, a Shanghai-based startup has agreed with MorphoSys on the exclusive development and commercialization of MOR202 in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. The investigational drug MOR202 is a human HuCAL antibody directed against the CD38 target. Scientifically proven, CD38 is a highly expressed target protein in multiple myeloma. In addition to the treatment of multiple myeloma, studies have found that CD38 antibodies have a therapeutic effect on a variety of solid tumors and autoimmune diseases. MorphoSys is completing Phase 1 / 2a clinical studies of MOR202 in Germany and Austria.

China Bio news release, December 2, 2017