A dissertação de mestrado “O Impacto das Novas Biotecnologias no Pensamento Político – A problemática das células estaminais embrionárias” partiu do pressuposto basilar de que a Humanidade se depara com uma ruptura de modelo de pensamento sem paralelo na História. O Homem detém hoje um conhecimento científico sem precedentes e vê-se perante o potencial das novas biotecnologias que, pela primeira, vez podem alterar a forma de olhar sobre si próprio, não apenas enquanto ser social mas sobretudo como entidade biológica. Todo o enquadramento da dissertação tem em consideração os diferentes momentos da História em que certos homens levados pela inevitabilidade do progresso intelectual e científico contribuíram decisivamente para alterar profundamente os modelos de pensamento. Modelos que, surgidos em determinado contextos históricos, foram considerados de ruptura e revolucionários. Em sentido contrário, numa espécie de reacção conservadora, foram surgindo forças de autoridade e de poder, rejeitando novos modelos e paradigmas que, de uma maneira ou de outra, pudessem pôr em causa o sistema de sociedade instituído. As grandes rupturas na História da Humanidade resultaram desse confronto de ideias, entre um modelo de pensamento vigente e um novo paradigma proposto. Ao longo da dissertação apresentada são analisados vários períodos de ruptura...

Este artigo discute a incorporação e o uso da biotecnologia na Saúde Pública, no contexto da sociedade de risco. Tendo por referência autores da teoria social contemporânea, analisam-se as implicações das práticas biotecnológicas. O artigo está dividido em três partes. Na primeira, são apresentados alguns exemplos de manipulação biológica desenvolvidos no âmbito da saúde e as consequências da utilização dessas técnicas na dinâmica ecológica das populações envolvidas. A partir desses exemplos, discute-se o que vem a ser esses seres biologicamente modificados, híbridos, e como ocorre sua incorporação nas práticas sociais, especialmente as de Saúde Pública. A segunda parte apresenta o referencial teórico utilizado para análise, que situa a sociedade contemporânea na etapa reflexiva da modernização e que tem na sociedade de risco uma de suas configurações. A última parte do artigo problematiza os usos da biotecnologia em saúde, mais especificamente em Saúde Pública, abordando os aspectos de risco dessa aplicação, propondo o necessário debate sobre um outro pacto sanitário.; This article discusses the use and the incorporation of biotechnological practices in Public Health, in a risk society context. Considering the contemporary social theoreticians...

Blends of milk fat and canola oil (MF:CNO) were enzymatically interesterified (EIE) by Rhizopus oryzne lipase immobilized on polysiloxane-polyvinyl alcohol (SiO(2)-PVA) composite, in a solvent-free system. A central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the reaction, considering the effects of different mass fractions of binary blends of MF:CNO (50:50, 65:35 and 80:20) and temperatures (45, 55 and 65 degrees C) on the composition and texture properties of the interesterified products, taking the interesterification degree (ID) and consistency (at 10 degrees C) as response variables. For the ID variable both mass fraction of milk fat in the blend and temperature were found to be significant, while for the consistency only mass fraction of milk fat was significant. Empiric models for ID and consistency were obtained that allowed establishing the best interesterification conditions: blend with 65 % of milk fat and 35 %, of canola oil, and temperature of 45 degrees C. Under these conditions, the ID was 19.77 %) and the consistency at 10 degrees C was 56 290 Pa. The potential of this eco-friendly process demonstrated that a product could be obtained with the desirable milk fat flavour and better spreadability under refrigerated conditions.

Whole cells of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria, isolated from polluted sediments in the Santos Estuary (Baixada Santista, Sao Paulo, Brazil), were able to catalyse oxidoreduction reactions with various substituted phenylethanols and acetophenones as substrates. A number of substituted phenylethanols were formed with high (>99 %) enantiomeric excess. The results of microbial oxidation of phenylethanols 2, 3, 5-7 by Acinetobacter sp. 6.4T and the reduction of acetophenones 1a-6a by Serratia marcescens 5.4T showed that the bacteria used as biocatalysts in this study present significant potential for exploitation in biotechnological processes. The reduction of prochiral acetophenones by Serratia marcescens 3.5T yielded optically active alcohols with 90-99 % enantiomeric excess, and Acinetobacter sp. 6.4T is a potential biocatalyst for the oxidation of alcohols.; Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP); FAPESP and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)

Enzyme production is a growing field in biotechnology and increasing attention has been devoted to the solid-state fermentation (SSF) of lignocellulosic biomass for production of industrially relevant lignocellulose deconstruction enzymes, especially manganese-peroxidase (MnP), which plays a crucial role in lignin degradation. However, there is a scarcity of studies regarding extraction of the secreted metabolities that are commonly bound to the fermented solids, preventing their accurate detection and limiting recovery efficiency. In the present work, we assessed the effectiveness of extraction process variables (pH, stirring rate, temperature, and extraction time) on recovery efficiency of manganese-peroxidase (MnP) obtained by SSF of eucalyptus residues using Lentinula edodes using statistical design of experiments. The results from this study indicated that of the variables studied, pH was the most significant (p < 0.05%) parameter affecting MnP recovery yield, while temperature, extraction time, and stirring rate presented no statistically significant effects in the studied range. The optimum pH for extraction of MnP was at 4.0-5.0, which yielded 1500-1700 IU kg (1) of enzyme activity at extraction time 4-5 h, under static condition at room temperature. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.; Fundacdo de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de sao Paulo - FAPESP[04/12080-0]; Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior - CAPES

Plant-antivenom is a computational Websystem about medicinal plants with anti-venom properties. The system consists of a database of these plants, including scientific publications on this subject and amino acid sequences of active principles from venomous animals. The system relates these data allowing their integration through different search applications. For the development of the system, the first surveys were conducted in scientific literature, allowing the creation of a publication database in a library for reading and user interaction. Then, classes of categories were created, allowing the use of tags and the organization of content. This database on medicinal plants has information such as family, species, isolated compounds, activity, inhibited animal venoms, among others. Provision is made for submission of new information by registered users, by the use of wiki tools. Content submitted is released in accordance to permission rules defined by the system. The database on biological venom protein amino acid sequences was structured from the essential information from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI). Plant-antivenom`s interface is simple, contributing to a fast and functional access to the system and the integration of different data registered on it. Plant-antivenom system is available on the Internet at http://gbi.fmrp.usp.br/plantantivenom.; Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP); Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq); Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)

In this work, the biodegradation mechanism of phenol and sub products (such as catechol and hydroquinone) in Chromobacterium violaceum was investigated by cloning and molecular characterization of a phenol monooxygenase gene in Escherichia coli. This gene (Cvmp) is very similar (74 and 59% of similarity and identity, respectively) to the ortholog from Ralstonia eutropha, bacteria capable of utilizing phenol as the sole carbon source. The phenol biodegradation ability of E. coli recombinant strains was tested by cell-growth in a minimal medium containing phenol as the sole source of carbon and release of intermediary metabolites (catechol and hydroquinone). Interestingly, during the growth of these strains on phenol, catechol, and hydroquinone accumulated transiently in the medium. These metabolites were further analyzed by HPLC. These results indicated that phenol can be initially orto or para hydroxylated to produce cathecol or hydroquinone, respectively, followed by meta-cleavage of aromatic rings. To verify this information, the metabolites obtained from HPLC were submitted to LC/MS to confirm their chemical structure, thereby indicating that the recombinant strains utilize two different routes simultaneously, leading to different ring-fission substrates for the metabolism of phenol. (C) KSBB; Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq); CNPq (Brasilia...

Because of its elevated cellulolytic activity, the filamentous fungus Trichoderma harzianum has a considerable potential in biomass hydrolysis applications. Trichoderma harzianum cellobiohydrolase I (ThCBHI), an exoglucanase, is an important enzyme in the process of cellulose degradation. Here, we report an easy single-step ion-exchange chromatographic method for purification of ThCBHI and its initial biophysical and biochemical characterization. The ThCBHI produced by induction with microcrystalline cellulose under submerged fermentation was purified on DEAE-Sephadex A-50 media and its identity was confirmed by mass spectrometry. The ThCBHI biochemical characterization showed that the protein has a molecular mass of 66 kDa and pi of 5.23. As confirmed by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), both full-length ThCBHI and its catalytic core domain (CCD) obtained by digestion with papain are monomeric in solution. Secondary structure analysis of ThCBHI by circular dichroism revealed alpha-helices and beta-strands contents in the 28% and 38% range, respectively. The intrinsic fluorescence emission maximum of 337 nm was accounted for as different degrees of exposure of ThCBHI tryptophan residues to water. Moreover, ThCBHI displayed maximum activity at pH 5.0 and temperature of 50 degrees C with specific activities against Avicel and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-cellobioside of 1.25 U/mg and 1.53 U/mg...

Aspergillus phoenicis biofilms on polyethylene as inert support were used to produce fructooligosaccharides (FOS) in media containing 25% (m/V) of sucrose as a carbon source. The maximum production of total FOS (122 mg/mL), with 68% of 1-kestose and 32% of nystose, was obtained in Khanna medium maintained at 30 degrees C for 48 h under orbital agitation (100 rpm). At high concentrations of sucrose (30%, m/V), the recovery of FOS was higher than that observed at a low concentration (5%, m/V). High levels of FOS (242 mg/mL) were also recovered when using the biofilm in sodium acetate buffer with high sucrose concentration (50%, m/V) for 10 h. When the dried biofilm was reused in a fresh culture medium, there was a recovery of approx. 13.7% of total FOS after 72 h of cultivation at 30 C, and 10% corresponded to 1-kestose. The biofilm morphology, analyzed by scanning electron microscope, revealed a noncompact mycelium structure, with unfilled spaces and channels present among the hyphae. The results obtained in this study show that A. phoenicis biofilms may find application for FOS production in a single-step fermentation process, which is cost-effective in terms of reusability, downstream processing and efficiency.; Foundation for Research Support from Sao Paulo State (FAPESP)...

Brazilian pine (Araucaria angustifolia (Bert) O. Ktze) is the only native conifer species with economic importance in Brazil. Recently, due to intensive exploitation Brazilian pine was included in the official list of endangered Brazilian plants, under the "vulnerable" category. Biotechnology tools like somatic embryogenesis (SE) are potentially useful for mass clonal propagation and ex situ conservation strategies of commercial and endangered plant species. In spite of that, numerous obstacles still hamper the full application of SE technology for a wider range of species, including Brazilian pine. To enhance somatic embryogenesis in Brazilian pine and to gain a better understanding of the molecular events associated with somatic embryo development, we analyzed the steady-state transcript levels of genes known to regulate somatic embryogenesis using semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (sqRT-PCR). These genes included Argonaute (AaAGO), Cup-shaped cotyledon1 (AaCUC), wushel-related WOX (AaWOX), a S-locus lectin protein kinase (AaLecK), Scarecrow- like (AaSCR), Vicilin 7S (AaVIC), Leafy Cotyledon 1 (AaLEC), and a Reversible glycosylated polypeptide (AaRGP). Expression patterns of these selected genes were investigated in embryogenic cultures undergoing different stages of embryogenesis...

A partir de un estudio de dos oleadas de las colaboraciones internacionales en patentes y artículos científicos entre instituciones de los países del Mercosur (más México y Chile) y países de la Unión Europea en los campos de biotecnología, ciencia de los alimentos y nanomateriales, ha sido posible identificar el rápido crecimiento de la colaboración en biotecnología, la emergencia del campo de nanomateriales en México y Brasil y el estancamiento de la colaboración en investigación en ciencias de los alimentos en ese período. México, Brasil y en menor medida Argentina, son los países líderes en esos campos, aunque Chile es un país activo en colaboraciones internacionales. A pesar que España es un importante actor en la estructura de colaboración, todavía no existe un patrón estable de colaboración entre Universidades e instituciones de investigación entre ambas partes.; On the basis of a longitudinal study of international collaborations in patents and scientific articles between countries of Mercosur (plus Mexico and Chile) and countries from the European Union in the fields of biotechnology, food science and nanomaterials, it was possible to assess the fast growth of biotechnology, the emergence of nanomaterials in Mexico and Brazil and the stagnation of food science in the period. Mexico...

This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from NPG via http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms6961; Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are recently discovered enzymes that oxidatively deconstruct polysaccharides. LPMOs are fundamental in the effective utilization of these substrates by bacteria and fungi; moreover, the enzymes have significant industrial importance. We report here the activity, spectroscopy and three-dimensional structure of a starch-active LPMO, a representative of the new CAZy AA13 family. We demonstrate that these enzymes generate aldonic acid-terminated malto-oligosaccharides from retrograded starch and boost significantly the conversion of this recalcitrant substrate to ?maltose by ?-amylase. The detailed structure of the enzyme?s active site yields insights into the mechanism of action of this important class of enzymes.; This work was supported by a grant from the European Research Agency?Industrial Biotechnology Initiative as financed by the national research councils: Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (grant number BB/L000423) and Agence Fran?aise de l'Environnement et de la Ma?trise de l'Energie (grant number 1201C102). The Danish Council for Strategic Research (grant numbers 12-134923 and 12-134922). The Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science through the Instrument Center DANSCATT and the European Community?s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under BioStruct-X (grant agreement N?283570) funded travel to synchrotrons. P.H.W. acknowledges the experimental assistance of Rebecca Gregory and Dr Victor Chechik. L.L.L. acknowledges the experimental assistance of Dorthe Boelskifte and the ESRF and MAXLAB staff for assistance with data collection.

A expectativa de o crescimento populacional atingir 9 bilhões de habitantes em 2050 em adição às questões da sustentabilidade e do aquecimento global nos desafiam a aumentar a oferta de alimentos. Uma metodologia alternativa que contribua para a redução do impacto desse cenário envolve a biotecnologia, que, nas últimas décadas, trouxe marcantes oportunidades tecnológicas na agricultura, resultando em relevante desenvolvimento na obtenção de novas variedades de plantas, na melhoria da qualidade de diversos alimentos e atualmente também na bioenergia. As técnicas biotecnológicas envolvendo os marcadores moleculares, a genômica e a transformação genética estão transformando a agricultura e são discutidas neste artigo.; The expected population growth to reach 9 billion by 2050 in addition to issues of sustainability and global warming challenges us to increase the supply of food. An alternative approach to help reducing the impact of this scenario involves biotechnology which in recent decades has brought remarkable technological opportunities in the agriculture that resulted in relevant development in obtaining new plant varieties, improved quality of different foods, and now also in bioenergy. The biotechnology techniques involving molecular markers...

This article considers the integral role played by patent law in respect of stem cell research. It highlights concerns about commercialization, access to essential medicines and bioethics. The article maintains that there is a fundamental ambiguity in the Patents Act 1990 (Cth) as to whether stem cell research is patentable subject matter. There is a need to revise the legislation in light of the establishment of the National Stem Cell Centre and the passing of the Research Involving Embryos Act 2002 (Cth). The article raises concerns about the strong patent protection secured by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and Geron Corporation in respect of stem cell research in the United States. It contends that a number of legal reforms could safeguard access to stem cell lines, and resulting drugs and therapies. Finally, this article explores how ethical concerns are addressed within the framework of the European Biotechnology Directive. It examines the decision of the European Patent Office in relation to the so-called "Edinburgh patent", and the inquiry of the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies into "The Ethical Aspects of Patenting Involving Human Stem Cells".

Microbiology as a scientific discipline recognised the need to preserve microorganisms for scientific studies establishing from its very beginning research culture collections (CC). Later on, to better serve different scientific fields and bioindustries with the increasing number of strains of scientific, medical, ecological and biotechnological importance public service CC were established with the specific aims to support their user communities. Currently, the more developed public service CC are recognised as microBiological Resources Centres (mBRC). mBRC are considered to be one of the key elements for sustainable international scientific infrastructure, which is necessary to underpin successful delivery of the benefits of biotechnology, whether within the health sector, the industrial sector or other sectors, and in turn ensure that these advances help drive economic growth. In more detail, mBRCs are defined by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) as service providers and repositories of the living cells, genomes of organisms, and information relating to heredity and functions of biological systems. mBRCs contain collections of culturable organisms (e.g., microorganisms, plant, animal cells), replicable parts of these (e.g. genomes...

The camu-camu of fruits (Myrciaria dubia (HBK) McVaugh, Myrtaceae) arising from Amazonia, are considered a major source of vitamin C in the world. There are still important sources of different bioactive compounds and good source of minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium, zinc, magnesium, manganese and copper. However, the processing of these fruits for extraction of the pulp, the product of greatest interest to many consumption, creates an effective quantity of different wastes, solid and liquid, capable of utilization for various uses its technological potential is studied. Thus, this work aimed at determining, quickly, via direct condutometric electroanalytical method, the amount of dissolved minerals contained in the aqueous extract of processed seeds and peels, coproducts of Myrciaria dubia, with potential use in the area of biotechnology development. The samples used for the study come from the experimental processing of fruit camu-camu. Three coproducts (byproducts/waste) named: CF, CS and SSC also processed via Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) created in our own laboratory for the study of organic waste. Analyzing the results obtained it was found that the samples CF and SSC showed higher electrical conductivity, which characterizes them as a rich source of electrolytes...

Studies point out several initiatives to reduce the pollutant load from dairy industry, leading to enhanced sustainability, including reduced environmental impacts and cost savings. This review provides a summary of the recent strategies focused on physicochemical treatments and fermentation processes to produce value-added products from cheese whey, such as bioactive proteins, ribonucleotides, biodegradable plastics, biogas, hydrogen gas, organic acids, and ethanol. The environmental costs and production aspects of dairy waste will be also addressed. The polluting potential and the high environmental costs of the waste produced by the dairy industry may be mitigated by dairy waste management.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1807-1384.2012v9n2p246Neste ensaio discute-se a produção da soja transgênica e os debates entre peritos e leigos quanto à percepção dos riscos oriundos daquela atividade. Apesar de transcorrida uma década e meia desde o início do plantio no Brasil, os dois grupos encontram-se distantes de consensos em relação à existência ou não de riscos ao meio ambiente e à saúde humana. A escala de tempo quanto ao curto, médio ou longo prazo para a evidência de riscos perde referência também em razão da inexistência ou obscurantismo das pesquisas que objetivam diagnosticar as preocupações suscitadas. Argumenta-se, então, pela responsabilidade ética dos pesquisadores e dos representantes políticos em perseguirem os dispositivos constitucionais, assegurando que os interesses das empresas de agroquímicos e de biotecnologias não se sobreponham às políticas nacionais de pesquisa e de produção de alimentos. O momento requer discussões acerca dos moldes de instituição do Princípio da Precaução ou a substituição deles pelo Princípio da Percentagem, a fim de que pesquisas que objetivam identificar possíveis riscos em relação aos alimentos transgênicos possam ocorrer sem interferências políticas ou mercadológicas.; In this paper it is discussed the transgenic soybean production and the debates among experts and laymen on their perception in terms of risks originated from that activity. Although the beginning of such practice started a decade and a half ago...

Already proposed a new vision, a heuristic based on a modern branch of biology called Biotechnology. "This is any technological application that uses biological systems, living organisms, or derivatives thereof, to make or modify products or processes for specific use" [SCDB, 1992]. For individuals who have undergone any change in their genes through biotechnology techniques are known as Transgenic, they can be animals or plants. The changes applied to these individuals are made for a specific purpose; usually to improve an individual has highlighted some of its own characteristics [CNICE, 2001]. Now incorporates new elements to the first algorithm for transgenic improvement. Homology has been incorporated in the search for the fittest individuals. The Homology has been incorporated in the search for the fittest individuals. With the use of positive and negative homology.