China in Africa

CAS news release, Dec. 26, 2014

Established in Beijing in 1999 and moving to Shenzhen in 2007, BGI today has more than 5,000 employees located around the world, with an average age of only 27 years old. It owns 178 sequencing machines, out of which 128 were bought in 2010 at a prize of 700.000 USD each. With the acquisition of US Complete Genomics, BGI can now produce a variety of large-scale sequencing instruments on her own. So far, BGI has done worldwide 400,000 cases of non-invasive prenatal genetic testing. In July 2014, BGI signed a cooperation agreement with the University of Edinburgh, to synthesize synthetic yeast chromosome VII in the Edinburgh Genome Foundry. The goal is to recreate the chromosome of yeast, a widely applied industrial microbe, so that it can be manipulated for useful purposes. BGI researchers and many other units in July 2014 jointly published by far the most representative of the highest quality, almost complete human gut microbial gene set reference databases.

China Bio news release, Dec. 24, 2014

Songlin CHEN, The Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute (YSFRI), Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS), announced in Qingdao that the genome oft he spotted halibut (Verasper variegatus) was completely sequenced, in a joint program with BGI, the Universities of Singapore and Wuerzburg, and INRA, France.

China Bio news release, Dec. 24, 2014

The group around Feng GE applied MS-derived proteomic data to refine the genetic model of this organism, including posttranslational modifications.

China Bio news release, Dec. 24, 2014

In 2013, China produced 15,8 billion cubic meters of biogas, produced from 260 million t of manure, straw and other agricultural waste. According to the State Council’s action plan on energy development issued on June 7, 2014, the potential of biogas is 58 billion cubic meter and can partly substitute for the import of natural gas (53 billion cubic meters in 2013). As a consequence, the development of biogas capacities by companies is strongly promoted, including the use of foreign capital.

China Bio news release, Dec. 23, 2014

After a planned merger, the two market leaders for MSG, Meihua and Fufeng, will control 90 % of MSG production in China at a current prize of 8000 Yuan/t. After the merger, capacity would be 730.000 t of MSG, 210.000 t of threonine and 630.000 t of lysine. For threonin production, present market leaders are Meihua (37 %) and Eppen (15 %), and prize is around 23.000 Yuan/t. 65 % of the threonine produced is exported. For lysine is overcapacity but global growth is around 7 % and overcapacity is gradually eliminated. Another major producer is Star Lake Technology

China Bio news release, Dec. 23, 2014

Director of the Oxford Center will be Academician Zhanfeng CUI who is also member of the Royal Academy of Engineering. China will provide £ 7,5 million funding to the Center over 5 years, which will also be used to fund 20 Ph. D. students at Oxford. Results will, through Oxford University’s ISIS technology transfer center, be outlicensed to China Bio-Med Regeneration Technology Ltd., for exploitation in China. Projects are centered on the use of stem cells to treat diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and organ repair.

China Bio news release, Dec. 23, 2014

With unicellular algae collected from the Taklimakan desert („desert chlorella), Yishing JIANG Abdullah founded his company Ye Xili Co. which conducted tests on a 15.000 square meter desert sand area and showed formation of a algal layer of several cm thickness („bio-sand“). The project is now supported by UNIDO, tested on 50.000 square meters and expanded to other desert areas of China.

China Bio news release, Dec. 23, 2014

Using a water-phase catalytic process with high hydrothermal stability in a pilot plant, a fuel was obtained which reached the ASTM7566 standard. Cost estimates showed that 1 t of aviation biofuel can be produced from 8 – 10 t of straw biomass for a production cost of about 8000 – 10000 Yuan/t. China’s annual demand for aviation fuel is 25 million t and expected to double within 10 years.

China Bio news release, Dec. 22, 2014

The group around Xiaoya CHEN focused on the homeodomain-leucine zipper transcription factor GhHOX3, a component of a regulatory complex involved in cotton fiber cell elongation in which about 90 gene products participate.

China Bio news release Dec. 22, 2104

The group of Xiangyang HU and colleagues has mapped the functional evolution 80 subtilisin-type proteases in wine (Vitis vinifera) and in other plants such as rice and Arabidopsis. In plants, these enzymes are involved in the formation of stomata, in abiotic stress response, in seed and cell-wall formation.

CAS news release, Dec. 19, 2014

Using barley as a model, researchers around Qianhua SHEN found that the miR9863 family regulates distinct Mla alleles to attenuate NLR receptor-triggered disease resistance and cell-death signaling.

CAS news release, Dec. 19, 2014

Under the program, 100 billion trees are scheduled to be planted by 2050 in a belt of 4.500 km, covering more than 1/10th of the country. Another 1,3 billion trees are to be planted along the Silk Road, in a UN-supported project.

CAS news release, Dec. 17, 2014

Using x-ray models and docking studies to other enzymes, the group of Ruiting GUO found that YisP, a squalene-related diphosphate hydrolase, has an important role in Bacillus biofilm formation through hydrolyzing farnesyl diphosphate.

CAS news release, Dec. 17, 2014

Dongguan, a state-owned biotech company, and Daan Gene Co., a supplier of diagnostic reagents, entered into a strategic cooperation which will comprise joint projects and integrated operations such as joint product registration. A joint incubator of 12.500 squere meter size is planned.

China Bio news release, Dec. 16, 2014