ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

The genetic basis of Type2 diabetes is
heterogeneous and shows ethnic variations among
different populations. Indians are one such ethnic
group who are more insulin resistant and are
considered to be a vulnerable high-risk population. A
project was implemented for an extensive genetic
and protein profiling using state-of-the-art
technologies in the Chennai Urban Rural
Epidemiology Study (CURES), on a large population
at Chennai. Genes such as PPAR, PGC-1 ,
Adiponectin, UCPs, Resistin, INSR, IRS, Calpain-
10, PTPN1, GLUT, RAGE and VEGF are being
studied on a large number of well characterized
subjects and are correlated with clinical and
biochemical investigations. Identification of the
genes predisposing to Type2 Diabetes will contribute
to the understanding of the molecular
pathophysiology of the disease, which is crucial for
development of effective treatment modalities and
community based strategies to prevent the epidemic
growth in the incidence of Type2 diabetes. The
studies showed that: a) Pro12Ala polymorphism was
highly frequent in South Asians but does not
modulate the excessive risk for type 2 diabetes in this
ethnic group; b) Thr394Thr polymorphism of
PPARGC1A was associated with type 2 diabetes and
body fat in Asian Indians; c) Among the four
polymorphisms(866G/A, Ala55Val, 45bp I/D and
55C/T) of the uncoupling protein 2-3 (UCP2-3)
examined at the UCP2-3 locus, the Ala55Val and
55C/T polymorphisms were associated with a
significantly reduced risk of developing Type 2
diabetes in Asian Indians; d) In Asian Indians in the
presence of obesity, the GD genotype of IRS-2 gene
appears to be protective against, while the DD
genotype increases susceptibility to, type 2 diabetes;
and e) There was no significant difference in the
frequency of the four polymorphisms, SNP-19, -43, -
44 and -63 in the Calpain10 gene between NGT and
diabetic subjects.
Environmental Biotechnology
Department has made concerted efforts to identify
priority areas for focussed R&D in the area of
Environmental Biotechnology. 10 Major areas have
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been identified under which many research projects
have been sponsored. Efforts were also made to
generate collaborative, multi-institutional network
projects. Since, environmental pollutions are of
different nature because of diversified industrial
activities in the country, biotechnological
interventions can provide the solutions for the
environmental pollution problems through
development of technologies, techniques, tools and
processes. During the year, four brain storming
sessions have been organized for generation of
focussed, multi-institutional R&D projects in the area
of Environmental Genomics, Environmental
Biotechnology and Biodiversity Conservation. In
addition two Task Force meetings were convened.
During the year, progress of ongoing R&D projects
and 18 completed projects were reviewed, 15 new
R&D projects have been supported by Task Force.
Sub-Committee of the Working Group for
formulation of XI th Five Year Plan was constituted
and its meeting was held in June, 2006 for finalization
of priority areas for consideration in XI th Five Year
Plan.
Salient achievements in some of the R&D
projects are :
Biodegradation of Pesticides, Nitro-compounds,
Xenobiotics, oil etc.
Saurashtra Univesity has identified and
characterized wood rotting strain 5A Trametes
versicolor a white rot basidiomycete, which produces
typical ligninolytic enzymes on natural
lignocelluloses and in liquid cultures. The plant
pigment extracts out along with ligninolytic enzymes
from wheat straw infested by the white rot fungus,
and hinders in the downstream processes as well as
analysis of enzyme activities especially Lignin
Peroxidase. A new protocol has been designed for
the removal of plant pigments from the ligninolytic
enzyme mixture. Efforts were made to develop a low
cost, easy to handle and sustainable form of
inoculum of white rot basidiomycetes for its
application at field level in the remediation of dye