ANNUAL REPORT - Department of Biotechnology

three rice accessions with enhanced level of protein,
lysine and micronutrients have been identified for all
the ten groups. Wide genetic variations for all the four
traits have been recorded. The rice accession CGR:
20390 was found to possess highest protein content
(14.05%) and CGR: 18675 had the highest lysine
concentrations (7.74 g/16gN). Protein and lysine
concentration was found to be negatively correlated
suggesting that with the increase of quantity, the
quality of protein gets compensated. The protein and
carbohydrate content was estimated in cereals like
rice, maize, sorghum and pulses used by major tribes
of Andhra Pradesh. A total of 52 rice, 32 maize and 60
Sorghum samples from tribal area were analyzed.
Protein content varied between 5-9.71%, 8-13% and
7-11% respectively.
In a collaborative research work between Centre for
Ecological Sciences, Bangalore and CDFD,
Hyderabad, 80 microsatellite markers from Ropalidia
marginata genome have been isolated, thirty two
microsatellite loci were polymorphic. The number of
alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 11, these loci are
being used to study the role of intra-colony genetic
relatedness in social evolution and the pattern of
queen succession in R. marginata. From the tropical
silkworm Antheraea mylitta, 22 microsatellite
markers have been isolated, seven polymorphic
microsatellite markers were employed to study the
genetic analysis of well defined mature grown
ecotypes. Low genetic variation was observed
among populations (11%), however, within
population variability was 89%. A workshop on
“Microsatellite Markers in Molecular Ecology” was
also conducted at CDFD Hyderabad for young
teachers and senior research students.
Prospecting of genes and molecules for product
development:
Projects have been supported for prospecting of
novel genes, molecules, enzymes etc. from plants,
microbes, fungi, lichens for production of potential
products of industrial importance. Novel genes/
promoters, transcription factors are also being
identified so as to develop transgenics for biotic /
abiotic stress and understand different metabolic
engineering pathway(s) operative in a system.
Prospecting of novel genes:
DBT Annual Report 2006-07
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A partial Na /H clone from Porteresia coarctata
(PcNHX) was isolated and complete sequence
information for this gene was obtained at MSSRF,
Chennai. The PcNHX- was transferred to tobacco via
Agrobacterium-mediated transformation for gene
validation. Of the seven lines obtained for the PcNHX
construct, four were single copy insertions as
revealed by Southern blot analysis. Northern analysis
of the four lines indicated expression of the PcNHX
gene in the tobacco plants.
In another ongoing study at MSSRF, Chennai more
than 4000 ESTs have been cloned and sequenced
from Avicennia marina. Sequence analysis of these
ESTs revealed homology to different categories of
genes with different functionality. More than 90 full
length genes have been isolated, out of which about
50% are with implications for abiotic stress tolerance.
36 full length genes have been analyzed for their
expression profiles under abiotic stress conditions.
Most of the genes have been tested in tobacco
transgenic systems while currently ten genes are
being used for generating transgenic rice systems.
Salt stress analysis of the transgenics has shown that
transgenics could tolerate upto 150 mm of NaCl
concentration for about 7 days whereas the
untrasformed control plants started showing signs of
th
wilting from the 4 day itself. The salt stress analysis
was carried out in two generations. The transgenic
plants could withstand the drought stress and showed
lesser amount of visible damage at the end of the
drought stress in comparison to the untransformed
control plants. Field trial of transgenic rice is being
carried out at Kalpakkam in six plots. Transgenic
plants were found to be of shorter height but the yield
was higher as compared with control. The grain yield
across the transgenic and control plants were found
to be comparable.
A study has also been supported to fish out drought
tolerant genes from Prosopis juliflora. A cDNA library
of two-month-old leaf tissue after 25 days of water
withdrawal has been constructed. Random EST
sequencing of 1750 clones produced 1467 quality
reads. The sequences have been deposited in the
NCBI EST database. Two of the abundant genes
coding for a non-specific lipid transfer protein and late
embryogenesis abundant protein have been
sequenced completely.