Articles
4(6) Special issue 2011
4(6) Special issue 2011
Special issue 2011: Plant Omics and Biotechnology
in China
in China
Southern Cross Publishing Group©2011
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Invited Review Article Edited by: Baohong Zhang and John W. Stiller Co-edited by: Ardashir Kharabian Cotton Omics in China Xiangdong Chen, Wangzhen Guo, Tianzhen Zhang Abstract In the 21st century, advent of the omics era provides scientists with greater opportunities to dissect molecular mechanisms of cotton fiber development. Cotton contributes natural fiber for the worldwide textile industry; therefore, dissecting its biological properties is a very important scientific objective. Current Chinese scientists have made significant contributions to cotton omics, focusing on genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics studies. Here, we review current applications to various omics in cotton, as well as future perspectives. Pages 278-287 | Full text PDF |
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Invited Review Article Edited by: Baohong Zhang and John W. Stiller Co-edited by: Ardashir Kharabian Tree Omics and Biotechnology in China Yanfang Yang, Qi Tang, Hongwei Liu, Deyou Qiu Abstract Omics is becoming a comprehensive approach to study the molecules in living organisms. In this paper, the progress of research in tree genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and other biotechnologies in China is summarized. Genomics, including functional genomics, structural genomics and comparative genomics, have been studied since the 1990s and some important achievements have been made by Chinese scientists. The hottest research area already has changed from structural genomics to functional genomics, as more genes have been isolated and their functions explored. Transcriptomics proteomics and metabolomics work are carried out in Chinese trees in recent years and some useful results have been obtained. As more data from transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics are obtained, much more bioinformatics and investigative work will be needed to infer the functions of genes, to further elucidate key genes in responsive pathways, as well as to understand metabolic networks. Compared to research in crop plants, more efforts in the omics and biotechnology of trees in China need to be made in the future. Pages 288-294 | Full text PDF |
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Invited Review Article Edited by: Baohong Zhang and John W Stiller Co-edited by: Ardashir Kharabian Sweet potato Omics and Biotechnology in China Qingchang Liu Abstract Sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., is an important food and industrial material crop throughout the world. It is also an alternative source of bio-energy as a raw material for fuel production. China is the biggest sweet potato producer in the world. Biotechnology offers great potential for improving disease, pest and stress resistance and nutritional quality of sweet potato. In the past decades, great progress in sweet potato omics and biotechnology has been made in China. An efficient system of embryogenic suspension cultures has been developed for a wide range of sweet potato genotypes. Somatic hybridization has been applied to overcome cross-incompatibility between sweet potato and its relatives, and has generated useful interspecific somatic hybrids. Novel mutants have been obtained by cell induced mutation and in vitro selection. Several genes related to stem nematode resistance, salt tolerance, carotenoid biosynthesis, and anthocyanin biosynthesis have been cloned. Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation has been standardized for important cultivars, and has been used to produce transgenic plants resistant to diseases, stresses and herbicides. Molecular markers linked to a stem nematode resistance gene have been developed. This paper summarizes advances made so far in sweet potato omics and biotechnology in China and suggests future directions for research in omics and biotechnology of this crop in China. Pages 295-301 | Full text PDF |
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Invited Review Article Edited by: Baohong Zhang and John W. Stiller Co-edited by: Ardashir Kharabian Rice Omics and Biotechnology in China Jinjie Li, Hongliang Zhang, Deping Wang, Bo Tang, Chao Chen, Dongling Zhang, Minghui Zhang, Junzhi Duan, Haiyan Xiong, Zichao Li Abstract Rice is the major source of food for over half of the world’s population. As a model cereal crop, the complete genome sequence of rice has become fundamental for analyzing gene functions and relating them to practical applications in plants. At present, rice researchers devote much effort to generating mutants and tagged lines, or utilizing elite germplasms to clone important genes and identify their functions. Such processes combine different -omic technologies including genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics. In the past decade, Chinese scientists have made great contributions toward integrated analyses of rice omics and biotechnological applications, particularly whole genome shotgun sequencing of Indica rice 9311, and sequencing of chromosome 4 of japonica rice Nipponbare, cloning and identifying 220 functional genes, and using certain identified genes to improve rice agronomic traits through molecular breeding approaches. Pages 302-317 | Full text PDF |
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Invited Review Article Edited by: Baohong Zhang and John W. Stiller Co-edited by: Ardashir Kharabian Soybean Omics and Biotechnology in China Yong Guo, Xiao-Bo Wang, Wei He, Guo-An Zhou, Bing-Fu Guo, Le Zhang, Zhang-Xiong Liu, Zhong-Qin Luo, Li-Hui Wang, Li-Juan Qiu Abstract Key scientific objectives of soybean biology research are to identify and define the functions of soybean genes, and uncover when and how genes work together to produce phenotypic traits. Novel omics and biotechnology tools offer enormous potential to investigate the regulatory networks controlling agronomic traits in soybean. Rapid progress in soybean genome sequencing has facilitated research in soybean omics and biotechnology in China. An overview of soybean omics and biotechnology research in China is presented in this article, which focuses on recent applications of functional genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics research. Soybean research in China is mainly based on various platforms such as molecular marker development, germplasm resources, mutation library construction, and cDNA library construction. Among the different agronomic traits of soybean, quality, stresses, and development are three major traits studied by Chinese soybean scientists. The future prospects of soybean research in China also are discussed. Pages 318-328 | Full text PDF |
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Invited Review Article Edited by: Baohong Zhang and John W. Stiller Co-edited by: Ardashir Kharabian Advance in research and utilization of cotton biotechnology in China Shui-jin Zhu, Ling Li, Jin-hong Chen, Qiu-ling He, Xian-xian Fang, Chun-yan Ye, Shu-feng Yan, Zhuang-rong Huang, and Lei Mei Abstract Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is an economically important crop that is grown throughout the world. It is the main material in textile and the main economic resource for more than 100 millions of cotton farmers in China. Due to its main role in our economy, cotton biotechnology has been significantly improved in the last decades in China, which led to a significantly progress both in cotton research and production. Cotton biotechnology started from 1970’s in China has been improved greatly in various aspects such as tissue culture, protoplast culture and somatic hybridization, and recombination technology or gene engineering. In this paper, the cotton biotechnology status in China has been taken into account by keeping in view the work done by Chinese scientist, especially in cotton somatic culture, cotton protoplast culture and somatic hybridization, and transgenic cotton with insect resistance, diseases resistance and fiber quality improvement in China. Pages 329-338 | Full text PDF |
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Invited Review Article Edited by: Baohong Zhang and John W. Stiller Co-edited by: Ardashir Kharabian Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Omics and Biotechnology in China Xing-Jun WANG, Shuan-Tao LIU, Han XIA, Shu-Bo WAN, Chuan-Zhi ZHAO, Ai-Qin LI Abstract Peanut is one of the most important crops in the world, both for vegetative oil and as a protein source. Biotechnology approaches provide promising ways to increase peanut productivity, either through improved seed quality or stress resistance. These approaches require the identification of genes that control important agronomical traits, the understanding of gene regulation and metabolic pathways, as well as ways of delivering genes or small RNAs into peanut plants. Because of these requirements, extensive studies have focused on peanut functional genomics and biotechnology, and have made great strides during the past decades. This review summarized the advances in peanut omics and biotechnology in China. Pages 339-349 | Full text PDF |
