Download Chinese Scientist Discovers Mutant of Hepatitis B Virus Antigen

its genetically engineered cotton which is currently
undergoing field trials.
RESEARCH NEWS
Chinese Scientist Discovers
Mutant of Hepatitis B
Virus Antigen
Professor Wen Yu-Mei, chief of the Key Laboratory
o n M o l e c u l a r Vi r o l o g y o f t h e S h a n g h a i M e d i c a l
University, has discovered a mutant of hepatitis B virus
(HBV) antigen in her research on hepatitis-related
pathogenic genes.
China used blood-derived hepatitis B vaccine to
immunize neonates in the 1980s, and switched to
genetically engineered hepatitis B vaccine in 1990s.
However, some of the inoculated infants still get infected
with HBV.
Scientists studied the structural variation of genes
on different Chinese hepatitis B virus strains in animal
experiments. They found that Chinese Hepatitis B
surface antigen (HBsAg) “a” determinant has L129 variant
strain, i.e. the number 129 amino acid has changed
from Gln to Leu. This mutation nullified the protection
given by inoculation. This discovery will help Chinese
scientists develop more effective and safer vaccines for
hepatitis B.
ICAR to Develop Genetically
Engineered Crops
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
has recently announced the launch of a major project
to develop genetically engineered cotton, rice and pigeon
pea. The aim of the project is to use biotechnology
to develop varieties that are high-yielding as well as
resistant to major pests, therefore minimizing the use of
pesticides.
The project will be handled jointly by the Central
Institute of Cotton Research (CICR) in Nagpur, the New
Delhi-based Biotechnology Research Center at the
Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI) and the
International Center for Genetic Engineering and
Biotechnology (ICGEB), the National Botanical Research
Institute (NBRI) in Lucknow, and the University of
Dharwad in Karnataka.
As part of the project to develop genetically
engineered cotton, rice and pigeon pea, scientists have
identified three major genes from the bacterium, Bacillus
thurigiensis . The three genes are Cry1AA which is
specific to cotton bollworm, gram pod borer and rice
stem borer, Cry1F which is resistant to cotton bollworm,
and Cry11A5 which is resistant to rice stem borer. The
ICAR director general, R S Paroda, said that the three
genes are different from the one used by Monsanto in
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APBNV4N4
China Creates Clones from
Somatic Cells of Goat
China has succeeded in creating two clones from somatic
(or adult) cells taken from a genetically modified goat. The
feat was accomplished by scientists from a research institute
under the China Academy of Sciences and the Yangzhou
University in Jiangsu Province.
The researchers injected the cellular nuclei taken from
the ovary of the four-year-old black donor goat into the
enucleated oocytes of a number of white goats. After the
reconstructed eggs had developed into embryos, they were
implanted into surrogate mother goats. This nuclear transfer
technology created two cloned lambs, which were female
and black like the donor goat.
The procedure was acclaimed as one of the country’s
top ten scientific research achievements of 1999.
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE
Traditional Chinese Flu
Medicine Doing Well in
the US and Europe
Banlangen ( Radix isatidis ), a traditional Chinese
medicine for the treatment of flu, is becoming popular in
the US and Europe. There is a growing demand for the
medicine in the western world and its largest manufacturer,
Guangzhou BYS Group, received export orders worth
RMB8.44 million (US$1.02 million) in January alone.
Another manufacturer, Jing Xiu Tang Pharmaceutical Plant,
has seen a 30 percent surge in its export of the medicine
year-on-year.
Banlangen is effective in preventing and treating
the flu menace. It can be easily taken after mixing with
boiling water. The US Food and drug Administration
had approved Guangzhou BYS Group’s banlangen in
January 1999 and the company now exports the medicine
to the US under the Chongji brand name. A packet of
banlangen is sold for RMB0.30 (US$0.04) while a packet
of Chongji banlangen is sold for RMB3.20 (US$0.40) in
the US.
“Banlangen is effective in preventing
and treating the flu menace.”
APBN • Vol. 4 • No. 5 • 2000
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