Applied Genetic Technology

Understanding the molecular genetics of plant natural product pathways facilitates the engineering of these pathways for plant improvement and human benefit (see Chapter by Halkier et al). This chapter focuses attention on the need to start applying genomics technology to exotic species for development of biotech crops with novel natural products and with improved pest resistance and increased nutritional value. 

Radioactive isotopes have been used since the mid-1940s for the elucidation of metabolic irregularities. Today, radionuchdes - principally H, and I - are used as tracers in all areas of pharmaceutical and biological research and in genetic technology [107]. In classical radio TLC, from the early 1960s, labeled prepared samples were applied to the TLC plate, which was then developed, and the p radiation was then measured with a TLC scaimer (raytest). 

Catharanthus roseus is probably the most extensively studied plant for secondary metabolite production in cell cultures. As such it is an excellent model system however, the levels of alkaloids produced are still far below amounts necessary for a commercially feasible process. The technology for the large-scale culture of C. roseus cells is available. Future studies should thus focus on the regulation of alkaloid production, with the aim of eventually applying genetic engineering to increase alkaloid levels. 

OTA (US Office of Technology Assessment) (1984) Impact of Applied Genetics, OTA, Washington, DC. 

Dr. Cheryl Heiner at PE- Applied Biosystems Advanced Center for Genetic Technology has developed a ThermoFidelase-based protocol for direct sequencing from genomic DNA. In the Heiner protocol, the following reaction setup is used. 

This technology is most often applied to valuable animals (e.g. prize winning horses, or high milk-yield dairy cattle) in order to boost their effective reproductive capacity several-fold. All the offspring will inherit its genetic complement from the biological mother (and father), irrespective of what recipient animal carries it to term. 

Technologies Applied Biosystems Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer... 

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