Alterra: your environment is our concern

Transcription

Dutch-Chinese Life Science Forum
Wageningen, October 12, 2003
Proceedings of
The Dutch-Chinese Life Science Forum
12, October, 2003
Wageningen, The Netherlands
Organizing Committee:
Chairman:
Secretary-general:
Scientific chairs:
Communication:
Treasurer:
Local management Leader:
Art work designer:
Chun-Ming Liu, PhD
Sanwen Huang
Ka Wan Li, PhD (Medicine)
Youping Zhu, MD (Drug)
Michiel Huang, PhD (Food)
Jian Xu (Plant science)
Yang Zhu, PhD (Microbiology)
Yi Liao, PhD (Bio-industry)
Bob Su, PhD (Environmental science)
Tony Zhou
Hai-xiang Yu
Jin Xing, PhD (VCWI)
Qin Ling, PhD (ACSSNL)
Shi-peng Li
Tao Li
Min Wang and Ying Wang
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Sponsors
The Dutch-Chinese Life Science Forum is financially supported by:
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The Education Section, Chinese Embassy in the Netherlands
Wageningen University
Wageningen Plant Science Group
Alterra
The Graduate School of Experimental Plant Sciences
Asia Plaza
The Forum also received management support from the following organizations:
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Chinese Association of Students and Scholars in Wageningen (CASSW)
Association of Chinese Students and Scholars in Netherlands (ACSSNL)
The Society of Chinese Scholars and Engineers in Netherlands (VCWI)
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Table of contents
Sponsors
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Table of Contents
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Welcome at the Dutch-Chinese Life Science Forum
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About CNLN
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Programme
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Lecture abstracts
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Poster abstracts
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List of participants
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Sponsor information
Alterra
EPS
PRI
WU
Asia Plaza
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Wageningen Map
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Welcome at
the Dutch-Chinese Life Science Forum
Dear Participant,
It is our great pleasure to welcome you at the Wageningen University and Research Center (WUR) to attend the
Dutch-Chinese Life Science Forum. This forum is organized by the Chinese Network of Life-sciences in
Netherlands (CNLN). We are very pleased to see that the Forum has attracted attentions and supports from
many government and private organisations, universities, prominent scientists, PhD and MSc students and
visiting scholars. We hope using this Forum we could
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present you the state-of-the-art life science research and development;
stimulate the communication and collaboration among Chinese life science researchers
bridge the connection between European academic and industrial life science institutions with the
Chinese counterparts.
Life science researches have direct link and application with our safe food supply, healthy life and clean
environment. The technology development in genomic areas has revolutionized the way of our research. We
hope you are proud of being of part of this particular period, and will contribute to its development.
Although we have tried our best to arrange more speakers in the Forum, but we feel pity that still a lot very good
work could not be included in the oral presentation. We hope the proceedings will allow you to get more
information about this Forum.
We included contact information in this abstract book. Please do not hesitate to drop an email and make a
phone call in the future if you think somebody in this group could give you advice and support. We wish you an
active and fruitful meeting.
On Behalf of the Organising Committee
Chun-Ming Liu
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About CNLN
CNLN is an internet-based network which aims at promoting scientific and social communications
among Chinese life-science researchers in Netherlands. It is a free service that relies on the
contribution of volunteers. If you think you may physically or financially contribute to the survival
of the network, please contact any of us named below. We may also organize scientific workshops
and leisure activities when time arrives. CNLN will keep a close partnership with organizations such
as the Society of Chinese Scholars and Engineers in Netherlands (VCWI).
Internet site:
WWW.hybtech.org/CNLN.htm
CNLN management Committee:
Activity planning leaders:
Liao Yi,PhD (Medical Sciences)
Hai-Chun Jing (Plant Science)
Michael Huang, PhD (Food Technology)
Bob Su, PhD (Enviornmental Sciences)
Webmaster:
Chun-Ming Liu, PhD
Treasurer:
Shi-Peng Li
Mailing list maintainer:
Tony Zhou
Managing coordinators:
Chun-Ming Liu, PhD and Liao Yi,PhD
CNLN Regional Leaders:
Amsterdam:
Delft:
Groningen:
Leiden:
Maastricht:
Nijmegen:
PPO institutes:
Rotterdam:
Utrecht:
Wageningen:
Ka Wan Li, PhD
Yu Zhou (Tony)
You-Ping, Zhu, MD
Haixiang Yu
Ping Wang
Dongyu Song
Zhu Yang, PhD
Fang Yue
Xu Jian
San-Wen Huang
For scientific and social activities, we plan to rotate among different cities. A new management
committee will be formed accordingly to take solid actions. Anybody with good ideas could email
to our management committee or local contacts.
To maintain an active internet site, we need people who is willing to be involved in information
updating, such as the sites for protocols, jobs, conferences, member-related web news and links,
etc. Please contact our webmaster if you would like to be in charge of maintaining certain pages.
When the network grows, we may consider forming a more solid organization for the long-term
sustainable development.
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Programme
10:00
Registration and Coffee
Opening Session
10:30
Opening and Introduction by the Chair
Dr. Chun-Ming Liu, Plant Research International, Wageningen
10:40
Welcome Remark
Prof. Bert Speelman, Rector Magnificus, Wageningen University
10:50
Opening Speech
H.E. Dr. Xue Hanqin, The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of the
Netherlands
Keynote Speech and Funding possibilities (Chaired by Dr. Yi Liao)
11:05
Biotechnology research in China
Professor Xu Zhi-hong, President, Peking University, Beijing, China
11:25
State-of-the-art plant science research in the Netherlands
Professor Evert Jacobsen, Research Director, Wageningen Plant Sciences, Wageningen, NL
12:45
Funding possibilities for Dutch-China collaborations from KNAW
Dr. Marisa Bantjes, Acting Head of the Department of International Co-operation and Quality
Assessment, The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW)
12:05
Group photo and lunch
Plant Biotechnology and Environmental Sciences (Chaired by Dr. Yang Zhu)
13:00
Enhanced protein production in higher plants by N-terminal fusions
Professor Rong-Xiang Fang, Director, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
13:20
Molecular mechanism of iron uptake and metabolism in tomato
Professor Hong-qing Ling, Institute of Genetics & Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences
13:40
Current European Initiatives on Global Monitoring of Environment and Security
Dr. Bob Su, Senior Scientist, Alterra, Wageningen
14:00
Molecular genetics and biotechnology of leaf senescence
Hai-chun Jing, PhD candidate, Molecular Biology of Plants, University of Groningen
14:20
Digging out the gold: an Arabidopsis root's tale
Jian Xu, PhD candidate, Plant Molecular Biology, Utrecht University
14:40
Towards durable resistance against plant-parasitic nematodes
Dr. Ling Qin, Plant Nematology, University of Wageningen
15:00 Coffee break
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Medical Sciences and Drug Discovery (Chaired by Dr. Ka Wan Li)
15:30
15:50
Proteomics analysis of rat brain postsynaptic density: implications of the diverse functional protein
groups for the integration of synaptic physiology
Dr. Ka Wan Li, Assistant Professor, Research Institute Neurosciences, Vrije Universiteit
From phage display to drug discovery
Haixiang Yu, PhD candidate, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University
16:10
Application of simulated moving bed chromatography in drug development
Tony Zhou, PhD candidate, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology
16:30
Over-expression of heterologous protein in yeast
Dr. Michael Huang, Fungal Genomics Group, Wageningen University
16:50
Nanobiotechnology and its applications on therapeutics and diagnostics
Xiaoqin Wang, PhD candidate, Biomade Technology Foundation, Groningen
17:10
Molecular Chaperones Hsp90 and Cdc37p are involved in osmotic stress response in the yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Xiaoxian Yang, PhD candidate, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam
17:30
Conclusion remark
Sanwen Huang, Secretary General of the Forum Organizing Committee
17:40
Drinks
19:00
Dinner at Asia Plaza
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Lecture Abstracts
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Over-expression of heterologous proteins in yeasts
J. Huang1, M. M. A. Olsthoorn 2 and A. J. J. van Ooyen 1,2
1
Fungal Genomics Group, Lab of Microbiology, Wageningen University, Dreijenlaan 2, 6703 HA Wageningen,
the Netherlands and 2DSM-Gist, Food Specialties, R & D, Delft, the Netherlands
Our research aims at studying the intracellular responses to over-express heterologous proteins in yeasts. K.
lactis has better secretory properties for protein production than S. cerevisiae. An example is the milk clotting
enzyme chymosin (Van den Berg, et al., 1990). It can be anticipated that over-expression of proteins will elicit
UPR (Unfolded Protein Response) and ERAD (ER-Associated Protein Degradation) (Sagt, et al., 2002). It has
been shown that one of the major bottlenecks for heterologous protein production in yeast is at the level of
secretion (Smith and Robinson, 2002). The proteomic approach (2D gel electrophoresis followed by mass
spectrometry) is chosen to analyze the effects of protein over-expression on the cellular metabolism. As a first
step, we have developed a protein extraction method and optimized the 2D gel electrophoresis system for K.
lactis. Then protein spots from the reproducible 2D gel image were excised, digested and further analyzed using
the nanoLC-MS/MS. These protein spots can be used as landmark proteins for the future proteome study in K.
lactis. In this talk, the initiate results about our 2D gels from K. lactis will be also presented.
References:
· Van den Berg, J.A., van der Laken, K.J., van Ooyen, A.J.J., Bishop, R.J., Schultz, K., Moyer, D., Richman,
M., and Schuster, J.R., (1990). Kluyveromyces as a host for heterologous gene expresssion: expression and
secretion of prochymosin. Biotechnology, 8: 135-139.
· Sagt, C.M., Muller, W.H., van der Heide, L., Boonstra, J., Verkleij, A.J., and Verrips, C.T., (2002).
Impaired cutinase secretion in Saccharomyces cerevisiae induces irregular endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
membrane proliferation, oxidative stress, and ER-associated degradation. Appl Environ Microbiol, 68:
2155-2160.
· Smith, J.D.and Robinson, A.S., (2002). Overexpression of an archaeal protein in yeast: secretion bottleneck
at the ER. Biotechnol Bioeng, 79: 713-723.
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Molecular Mechanism of iron uptake and metabolism in tomato
Hong-Qing Ling
Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Andingmenwai, Datun Road
3, Beijing 100101, China. [[email protected]]
Iron is an essential nutrition element for all organisms. It functions as a component of many important enzymes
and proteins involved in fundamental biochemical processes. Iron deficiency afflicts more than three billion
people worldwide. In plants, iron is one of three most common elements (N, P and Fe) limiting plant growth in
the world because iron is almost exclusively present in its oxidized, low-soluble form Fe(III) which is not
readily available to plants in soil. To meet iron demand for growth and development, plants evolved two
effective iron acquisition systems known as strategy I and strategy II. All higher plants except the Gramineae
use the strategy I mechanism to acquire iron from soil. The cores of this strategy are (1) acidification of
rhizosphere by enhanced extrusion of proton to increase solubility of ferric iron, (2) activation of ferric-chelate
reductase reducing Fe3+ to Fe2+ on root surface in the subapical region, (3) induction of the high-affinity Fe2+transporter system to absorb ferrous iron from soil into roots and as well as morphological changes of roots,
such as thickening of the subapical root zone, increased formation of root hairs and so on. These core processes
of the strategy I are induced upon iron starvation.
Tomato is a model plant used for studying molecular mechanism of iron uptake and metabolism in strategy I
plants. Totally, seven genes (LeFER, CHLN, LeFRO1, LeIRT1, LeIRT2, LeNRAMP1 and LeNRAMP3) have
recently been isolated from tomato genome and characterized in different laboratories. LeIRT1, LeIRT2,
LeNRAMP1 and LeNRAMP3 are four metal transporter genes involving iron uptake from soil or mobilization
in plants. The LeFER gene, exclusively expressing in root, encodes a bHLH protein proposed to be a
transcription factor regulating the iron deficiency responses of strategy I and iron uptake in root because the
insertion mutant of the LeFER gene (T3238fer) lacks such responses and suffers strongly from iron deficiency.
CHLN gene encodes the enzyme of nicotianamine synthase responsible for synthesis of nicotianamine, which
plays a central role in iron homeostasis of all higher plants. The CHLN-defect mutant chloronerva can not
normally turn off the iron deficiency responses under iron replete conditions, takes up more iron from soil and
accumulates in shoot, meanwhile the mutant plants exhibit morphological and physiological symptoms of iron
deficiency. The LeFRO1 gene is a ferric-chelate reductase gene functioning in reduction of ferric to ferrous iron
in tomato plant. Recently we have characterized the regulation relationship of the seven known genes by RTPCR analysis in the two iron-inefficient mutants T3238fer and chloronerva under iron sufficiency and
deficiency conditions.
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Identification of the “parasitome” from plant-parasitic nematodes
Ling Qin
Laboratory of Nematology, Graduate School of Experimental Plant Science, Wageningen University,
Wageningen, the Netherlands, 6709 PD. [[email protected]]
Plant-parasitic nematodes, especially cyst and root-knot nematodes, are microscopic worms that cause
approximately 100 billion dollars crop losses worldwide each year. To develop a scientific base for a durable
resistance strategy, our laboratory has studied the molecular interaction between the nematode parasites and
their hosts.
On one hand, natural resistance genes have been genetically mapped, cloned and their functions examined. On
the other hand, novel strategies are being developed based on the unraveling of the nature of nematode secretory
components. These nematodes secrete a range of proteins, mostly produced in specialized secretory glands.
These proteins are used to penetrate the host plant and to establish a feeding site in the plant root. To understand
the mechanisms underlying plant manipulation by the nematode, the identification of the “parasitome”, i.e., all
proteins secreted during the infection process, is crucial. This information will provide us with handles for
specific and durable nematode control strategies.
Until recently, the identification of proteinaceous pathogenicity factors was hampered by the tiny size of the
nematodes, their biotrophic nature and their extremely long life cycle. By using cDNA-AFLP, we have
monitored the expression of more than 70% of the genes from the potato cyst nematode across five life stages. A
similar study covering the complete life cycle is being done on root-knot nematodes. In parallel, we have
generated more than 6,000 ESTs from potato cyst nematodes.
To directly link expression profiles with EST datasets, a powerful bioinformatics tool named GenEST was
developed. Other “in-house” software, ESTScreen, was used to identify the secretory proteins in silico. A high
throughput in situ procedure helped to further select candidate genes cloned from cDNA-AFLP analysis. More
than a dozen new pathogenicity factors have been identified this way. Detailed analysis of the newly identified
“secretome” genes revealed novel parasitizing strategies of these nematode parasites.
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Current European Initiatives on Global Monitoring of Environment and Security
Z. Bob Su
Wageningen University & Research Centre, Alterra Green World Research, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA
Wageningen, The Netherlands [[email protected]]
The Global Monitoring of Environment and Security (GMES) programme was established by the EU Council in
its communication “A Sustainable Europe for a Better World: A EU Strategy For Sustainable Development”
[Com(2001)264] in Göteborg, June 2001, in which it was stated that ”… the Community should contribute to
establishing by 2008 a European Capacity for Global Monitoring of Environment and Security (GMES).” The
major aim of GMES is to support Europe’s goals regarding sustainable development and global governance.
The current political status of GMES is: on 30/10/2001 the EU Council endorsed GMES EC Action Plan 20012003 and on 15/11/2001 the Ministerial Council of ESA (European Space Agency) endorsed GMES Service
Element (GSE).
In response to this political commitment, GMES is established as a priority thematic research area within the EU
6 Framework Programme (6 FP) in 2003-2006. The FP 6 GMES has the objective to stimulate the evolution of
satellite-based information services, by development of technologies to bridge the gap between supply and
demand, and to build up a European capability in the field of monitoring for environment and security. Research
will focus on: sensors, data, and information models, developed in Europe or elsewhere, as well as developing
prototypes of operational services responding to specific types of demand (for example global environment,
land-use, desertification, disaster management). Research, including on data acquisition, assembly and
qualification of models combining spatial and terrestrial data in an integrated operational information system,
would use existing satellite data, for example provided by ENVISAT, future EarthWatch projects and other
systems.
The operational GMES services will be developed within the GSE managed by ESA.
In the GMES Initial Period (2001-2003) the following priority themes are dealt with including European
regional monitoring, global monitoring, security-related aspects and a horizontal support action.
A.
LAND COVER CHANGE IN EUROPE - Goal: A characterisation of land cover changes (1950-2000)
in the European Union and accession countries (EU 15+) of representative nature protection sites,
ecosystems and landscapes; urban areas; coastal zones.
B.
ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS IN EUROPE - Goal: Identify, map and characterise current “hot spot”
areas of EU 15+ environmental stress, with respect to: oil spills; organic pollution in European seas;
coastal erosion; soil degradation and desertification.
C.
GLOBAL VEGETATION MONITORING - Goal: Monitoring the conditions of the world’s vegetation
in view of: – detecting events and measuring changes in global forest cover with particular attention
to the tropical and boreal forests; – contributing to assessment of food security world wide; - assessing
carbon fluxes and stocks in the biosphere.
D.
GLOBAL OCEAN MONITORING - Goal: Expand European capacity to producing global ocean
information based upon existing monitoring capabilities; in support to seasonal weather predictions,
global change research, commercial oceanography and maritime security.
E.
GLOBAL ATMOSPHERE MONITORING - Goal: Deliver regular assessments of state of the
atmosphere with particular attention to aerosols, UV radiation and specific pollutants in close coordination with ground based networks.
F.
SUPPORT TO REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AID - Goal: Contribute to the generation and transfer
of know-how and technology to developing countries.
G.
SYSTEMS FOR RISK MANAGEMENT - Goal: To deliver operational systems of support to risk
management (early warning, impact assessment and reaction) in European sensitive areas for: floods;
forest fires; oil spills; land slides, stability of man made structures.
H.
SYSTEMS FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND HUMANITARIAN AID - Goal: Develop
information system and services to deal with crises management and humanitarian aid with particular
attention to: comprehensive cartographic data with relevant environmental, topographic and socioeconomic information layers; diffusion, use, and updating of information through interactive systems
that cover all phases of crisis management.
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I.
INFORMATION MANAGEMENT TOOLS and CONTRIBUTION TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
EUROPEAN SPATIAL DATA INFRASTRUCTURE - Goal: A set of actions on information
management (acquisition, accessing, sharing and using environmental and geo-referenced data) and the
creation of harmonised info-structures with common portals that enable harmonised access to common
information services throughout the user community. The actions relate to technology, policies,
criteria, standards and qualification necessary to enhance common environmental info-structures and
tools, geo-spatial data collection and sharing throughout government, the private and non-profit sectors,
academia and the general public. – Data acquisition; emphasis will be on topography (digital terrain
models, hydrological network) and land cover at a scale appropriate to support decision making from
local to EU+15 scale. – Infrastructures and tools; developments will focus on advanced tools and
systems, data fusion, data warehousing, data mining, and topic maps based on platform and domain
independent information and meta-information systems with the emphasis on open standards.
Alterra is actively involved in several of these initiatives and will be briefly introduced to the CNLN forum
participants.
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Nanobiotechnology and its applications on therapeutics and diagnostics
Xiaoqin Wang
Biomade Technology Foundation, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG, GRONINGEN, The Netherlands
Tel:31-50-3635523 (w); 31-50-5799464 (h); email address: [email protected]
Nanotechnology can best be defined as a description of activities at the level of atoms and molecules that have
applications in the real world. Nanotechnology promises significant impact in the biomedical/pharmacological
realm. This subset of applications, often collected under the heading nanobiotechnology, is expected to include
bio-compatible coatings in medicine, nanocarriers as drug targeting and drug delivery systems, and
ultrafiltration membranes for food, medical and environmental applications. Biomade Technology is a research
foundation whose mission is to develop new technologies relating to the field of molecular nanotechnology. Its
focus is on gaining full control of the design and construction of molecular systems leading to materials with
applications in various fields, but with special emphasis on therapeutics and diagnostics. Biomade’s proprietary
project “Protein Anchor Antigen Display Technology” has applications in a variety of medical areas such as the
delivery of oral and nasal vaccines, and targeting drugs or antibodies to bacteria, etc. The project “Channel
Protein-based Liposomal Delivery Technology” aims to overcome the existing problem of slow release of the
drug from the liposome or complete destruction of the structure after cellular uptake. A proteinacious valve was
incorporated in the wall of the liposome, allowing passage of drugs to the exterior in a controlled fashion.
“Therapeutic Protein Thioether Stabilization Technology” provides an easy method to introduce lanthionine
rings into therapeutic peptides and proteins, e.g. insulin, making them more proteolysis-resistant and, therefore,
lengthening their half-lives, lowering doses and injections, and lowering the side effects. Another example
project is “Hydrophobins: Amphipathic Proteins”. Hydrophobins have the special features of being only slightly
immunogenic and of being able to form stable nanometer thin proteinaceous membranes at interfaces between
hydrophobic and hydrophilic milieus such as air-water interfaces, oil-water interfaces or on solid surfaces where
they alter the surface tension or the surface activity. These features make the protein a potential candidate for a
host of applications ranging from incorporation into delivery vehicles and medical implants to providing a
stabilizing film for biosensors and electrodes.
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Application of simulated moving bed chromatography in drug development
Yu Zhou (Tony)
Department of Biotechnology, Delft University of Technology, Julianalaan 67, 2628BC, Delft, The Netherlands
[[email protected]]
Simulated moving bed (SMB) chromatography emerges as a new type of chromatography technique which finds
more applications in downstream processing of pharmaceutical industry, especially for the separation of
enantiomeric drugs. Compared to traditional fixed bed chromatography, it is operated in a continuous mode,
thus the solid phase and liquid phase are used more efficiently. The combination of SMB and HPLC makes it
possible to separate compounds of very similar structures at pilot and large scale, and the process of drug
development is accelerated with reduced cost. However, the start-of-art design of SMB chromatography makes
it inaccessible to many potential users. In this oral presentation, the principle and design of SMB
chromatography, and its comparison with fixed bed chromatography will be illustrated, with a case study of
purification of human recombinant insulin by SMB chromatography.
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Molecular Chaperones Hsp90 and Cdc37p are involved in osmotic stress response in the yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Xiaoxian Yang, Kick T.C. Maurer, Michiel Molanus, Willem H. Mager, Marco Siderius and Saskia M. van der
Vies
Dept. of Chemistry, Section of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081
HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands [[email protected]]
Molecular chaperones play an important role in a variety of cellular processes such as protein folding,
translocation, and the activation of signalling molecules. The yeast Hsp90 homologue Hsp82 is known to be
required for the activation of the pheromone response pathway via its interaction with Ste11p, a mitogenactivated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK). Ste11p also functions in the High Osmolarity Glycerol
(HOG) signal transduction pathway which becomes activated when yeast cells are exposed to increased
osmolarity. To address the question whether the Hsp82-Ste11p interaction is required during osmotic stress
response, we examined a number of hsp82 point mutants. It turned out that two of them display an osmo
sensitive phenotype. Further genetic and biochemical analyses showed that the defect of the mutated Hsp82
protein can be compensated by over production of Cdc37p, a known co-chaperone of Hsp90, suggesting that a
multi-component molecular chaperone complex may exist. Interestingly, over expression of Cdc37p does
neither suppress the inability to response to pheromone nor the growth defect at high temperature of the Hsp82
mutants, indicating that the Hsp82-Cdc37p interaction may be specific for osmo stress response. In addition, the
osmo sensitivity of a hog1D yeast cell is aggravated in the presence of a cdc37 mutation. Taken together, these
observations suggest that Hsp82 and Cdc37p play a role in osmotic stress response via an, as yet unknown,
signalling pathway that seem to operate parallel to the HOG pathway.
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Poster Abstracts
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Qualitative and quantitative resistance to the tomato powdery mildew Oidium lycopersici studied by
genetical genomics
Yuling Bai 1, Li Chengwei 1,2, Guusje Bonnema1 and Pim Lindhout1
1
Laborotary of Plant Breeding, Graduate school for Experimental Plant Science, Wageningen University,
Binnenhaven 5, 6709 PD, Wageningen, 2Institute of Crop Germplasm Resources/Institute of Vegetables and
Flowers, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing. Email: Bai. [email protected]
In the laboratory of Plant Breeding, WU, we study the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)- powdery mildew
(Oidium lycopersici) interaction. Tomato powdery mildew (O. lycopersici) was reported in the Netherlands in
1986 (Paternotte 1988) and quickly spread over all tomato growing areas in the world. Most modern tomato
cultivars are susceptible, but monogenic resistance was identified in several wild relatives like L. hirsutum
G1.1560 and G1.1290 and L. peruvianum, while polygenic resistance was identified in L. parviflorum G1.1601.
The incompletely dominant resistance genes Ol-1 and Ol-3 from L. hirsutum G1.1560 and G1.1290 are finemapped on Chromosome 6 in our laboratory and are not yet distinguishable. The polygenic resistance in L.
parviflorum G1.1601 is controlled by three quantitative resistance loci (QRLs). One QRL (Ol-qtl1) co-localizes
with the Ol-locus (Ol-1 and Ol-3), and another QRL (Ol-qtl2) maps in the vicinity of the Lv locus conferring
resistance to another powdery mildew species, Leveillula taurica. More Oidium resistance genes that have been
identified in advanced breeding lines are mapped on the tomato genome. Near Isogenic Lines (NILs) have been
constructed for the individual Ol-genes and QRLs. The phenotypic expression of both the monogenic and
polygenic resistances is different both at the macro- and microscopic levels. To increase our understanding of
the molecular mechanism of resistances, we use cDNA-AFLP profiling of the NILs to clarify the gene
expression signature and to identify regulons that are specific for the qualitative and quantitative resistances.
The differentially expressed transcripts will be mapped on the tomato genome in order to reveal sets of coregulated genes, the so-called regulons. Regulons of qualitative and quantitative resistance are compared and the
sequence and function of genes in the regulons are studied. Finally, putative gene networks of the resistance
response to Oidium lycopersici will be revealed and key genes in a regulon will be mapped.
19
Joint PhD programme for vegetable genomics between the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
and Wageningen University: from vegetable production to healthy food.
Dr A.B. Bonnema; Prof E. Jacobsen, Dr Wang XiaoWu, Dr. Qu DongYu,
Laboratory of PlantBreeding; PO Box 386; 6700 AJ Wageningen [[email protected]]
WU and CAAS aim for high quality scientific research and training and structured their co-operation by
establishing a formal Joint PhD Training Program between the CAAS graduate school and WU graduate schools
(www.wucaas.net). The subprogram for vegetable genomics aims at the production of healthy food for a
growing population, produced in an environmentally sustainable and economically viable way. WU graduate
schools participating are EPS, for their expertise in plant genomics, plant physiology etc aiming at vegetable
improvement, and VLAG to study the nutritional and health aspects of vegetable consumption. In China we
collaborate with nutritionists and health scientists of the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention
(formerly CAPM).
A Joint Plant genomic Laboratory has been established at the Institute of Vegetables and Flowers (IVF-CAAS)
to provide laboratory facilities for (sandwich) PhD students, CAAS staff and other exchange scientists and to
intensify and optimise scientific and technical training. Thirteen sandwich PhD students have enrolled in the
program.
In November the first WU-CAAS autumn-school: ‘Plant genomics: from crop production to healthy food’is
organized where both WU and CAAS scientists and PhD students give scientific presentations and discuss joint
projects.
The presentation for the Dutch-Chinese forum will focus on structuring of the sandwich program, the set up of a
joint laboratory, and the expected benefits of a joint PhD program. At the present stage, WU and CAAS discuss
possible expansion of program to different disciplines and to development of joint MSc programs. Also the
involvement of companies will be discussed.
20
Design of Superior Immobilised Enzymes
Linqiu Cao, PhD
Aart van der Leeuwlaan 197
2624 PP Delft
The Netherlands
Tel: 0031(0)15 2560244
Since 1950s, numerous efforts were devoted to the development of various carrier-bound immobilised enzymes
with the aim of facilitating their use in continuous processes and especially overcoming the cost constraints by
facilitating an efficient separation, recycling, reuse of the costly enzymes and easy control of the process.
Moreover, improvement of the enzyme performance such as activity, stability and selectivity can often be
achieved by enzyme immobilisation.
Unfortunately, the use of extra polymers as carrier leads to ‘dilution of activity’ of immobilised enzymes, owing
to the introduction of a large portion of non-catalytic mass ranging from 99.9% to 90%. Inevitably, this leads to
lower space-time yields and lower productivity. Moreover, immobilisation of an enzyme on a carrier often leads
to the loss of more than 50% native activity, especially at high enzyme loadings. Besides, the design of carrierbound immobilised enzymes also relies largely on laborious and time-consuming trial and error experiments,
because of the lack of guidelines that link the nature of a selected carrier to the performance expected for a
given application.
Consequently, there is an on-going interest in carrier-free immobilised enzymes, such as cross-linked enzyme
crystals (CLECs), cross-linked dissolved enzymes (CLEs) and cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs). This
approach offers clear advantages, for instance, highly concentrated enzyme activity in the catalyst, high stability
and the low production cost due to the exclusion of an additional carrier, as compared with the conventional
carrier-bound immobilised enzymes.
Here we present the state-of-the-art in the development of carrier-free immobilised enzymes- cross-linked
enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) for industrial biotransformation and analyse the future trend of development.
21
Over-expression of OsRAA1, an auxin induced small protein, increased the adventitious roots initiation
and reduced gravitropic response in Oryza sativa
Lei Ge, Hui Chen, Jia-Fu Jiang,Yuan Zhao, Ming-Li Xu, Yun-Yuan Xu, Kang Chong*, Zhi-Hong Xu* Ke-hui
Tan
Research Center for Molecular & Developmental Biology, Key Laboratory of Photosynthesis and
Environmental Molecular Physiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, P. R.
China
The Oryza sativa Root Architecture Associated 1 (OsRAA1) gene has been characterized molecularly. OsRAA1
encodes a 12.0 kD protein that has 58% homology to the AtFPF1 (flowering promoting factor 1) in Arabidopsis.
Data of in situ hybridization and OsRAA1::GUS transgenic plant showed that OsRAA1 expressed specifically
in the apical meristem, the elongation zone of root tip, steles of the branch zone and the young lateral root.
Constitutive expression of OsRAA1 under the control of maize ubiquitin promoter resulted in phenotypes of
reduced growth of primary root, increased number of adventitious roots and helix primary root, delayed
gravitropic response of roots in seedlings of rice, which are similar to the phenotypes of the plant treated with
auxin. OsRAA1 constitutive expression also caused longer leaves and sterile florets at the last stage of plant
development. Analysis of Northern blot and GUS activity staining of OsRAA1::GUS transgenic plants
demonstrated that the OsRAA1 expression was induced by auxin. These data suggested that OsRAA1 might be
involved in a pathway of Auxin/IAA signal transduction in establishing the root architecture in rice.
Cdx-2 polymorphism in the promoter region of the human vitamin D receptor determines susceptibility
to fracture in thr elderly
Yue Fang1, Joyce B. J. van Meurs1, Arjan P. Bergink1,2, Albert Hofman2, Cornelia M. van Duijn2, Johannes P.
T. M. van Leeuwen1, Huibert A. P. Pols1,2, André G. Uitterlinden1,2
1 Department of Internal Medicine and 2 Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Centre Rotterdam,
The Netherlands
A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) within a binding site of the intestinal-specific transcription factor Cdx2 in the promoter region of the human Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) gene was previously reported. It was found
to modulate the transcription of the hVDR gene and to be associated with decreased BMD in a small group of
postmenopausal Japanese women. We here report the association analysis of this polymorphism in a large
epidemiological cohort of Caucasians. We determined that the location of the G to A substitution is in the
promoter region of exon 1e (1e-G1760A) of the VDR gene, and developed an allele-specific multiplex PCR test
to determine the Cdx-2 genotype. By comparing the frequency of the A-allele in eight different ethnic groups,
we observed a negative correlation between prevalence of the A-allele and published hip fracture incidence rates
in these ethnic groups (p = 0.006 for men and p = 0.02 for women), suggesting a protective effect of this allele
on fracture risk. Subsequently, an association study of this SNP in a large cohort of 2848 Dutch Caucasian men
and women, aged 55 years or older was performed. The A-allele (population frequency 19%) had a protective
effect on occurrence of osteoporotic fractures, especially for non-vertebral fracture in women (Relative Risk of
AA vs. GG genotype is 0.2, 95%CI is 0.05-0.8). This effect remained after adjustment for age, weight and bone
mineral density (BMD). We conclude that the A-allele of the VDR Cdx-2 polymorphism is present in
Caucasians, albeit at low frequency, and demonstrate a protective effect of this allele on risk of fracture.
22
Beneficial effects of soy phytoestrogens on osteoporosis, diabetes and cancer
ZhiChao Dang, C. Lowik, H. Pijl, J. Romijn
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolit diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300
RC, Leiden
Soy phytoestrogens are plant-derived estrogenic substances, which have potentials to prevent and treat chronic
diseases including osteoporosis, diabetes and cancer. Here we reviewed available data on the effects of soy
phytoestrogens on osteoporosis, diabetes and cancer, with emphasis on the new target of peroxisome
proliferator-activate receptor g (PPARg) and their possible mechanisms.
Effects of soy phytoestrogens on osteogenesis and adipogenesis. Soy phytoestrogens bind to estrogen receptors
and exert estrogenic effects. Paradoxically, they have antiestrogenic effects in many cells and animals. It has
been shown that estrogen inhibits adipogenesis in vitro as well as in vivo. The available data on the effects of
soy phytoestrogens on adipogenesis were controversial. We have shown that genistein, one of the principle soy
phytoestrogens, is a ligand of peroxisome proliferator-activate receptor g (PPARg), the critical transcriptional
factor of adipogenesis. It induced adipogenesis at micromolar concentrations in vitro. In contrast, data on
preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells showed that genistein inhibited adipogenesis. These differences may result from
different culture conditions. Both animal and human data showed that soy phytoestrogens decreased or had no
influence on body weight or body fat, which may be due to their estrogenic effects.
Effects of soy phytoestrogens on glucose and lipid metabolism Data on animal and human models of obesity
and diabetes suggested that soy protein improves glucose control and insulin resistance. Soy protein can reduce
serum insulin and insulin resistance. They decreased blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels and had influence
on adipose, muscle and liver tissues. It is not clear, however, whether the beneficial effects of soy protein are
due to phytoestrogens per se or some other components.
Possible mechanisms of actions In addition to their estrogenic effects, the following mechanisms of actions have
been proposed. 1) directly modulate pancreatic insulin secretion or via antioxidative actions 2) inhibit aglucosidase and therefore decrease glucose uptake in intestine. 3) influence glucose/lipid metabolism in adipose,
muscle and liver tissues, which may result from phytoestrogen-induced activation of
PPARα and PPARg.
23
Theoretical Studies on Stacking of Multiple Hydrogen-Bonded Dimers
Dawei Guoa, Han Zuilhofa, and Rint Sijbesmab
a Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen University, Dreijenplein 8, 6703 HB Wageningen, The
Netherlands [[email protected]]
b Laboratory of Macromolecular and Organic Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513,
5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlandsn [[email protected]]
The detailed investigation of complexation through multiple hydrogen bonding is of importance for many
practical applications such as the design of novel materials. Of particular interest are stacking performances of
stacked quadruple hydrogen-bonded systems (G-C in DNA binding with triple hydrogen bonds).
In this work we deal with the following questions with Quantum mechanics calculations,
· How to find stable structure of the stacking dimers of 4[1H]-pyrimidinone dimers;
· Influence of stacking on the hydrogen bonding of 4[1H]-pyrimidinone stacking dimers exists?
The researched system have been shown as the followings
Dimer
24
Gene Silencing by Small Interfering RNA Targeted Against Murine CC-Chemokine Receptor 2
Jian.Guo, Ilze, Christian, Vanderlans Peter, Hans, De Bont, Miranda, Van Eck, Pieter. H.E. Groot, Erick
Besson, Theo Van Berkel
Division of Biopharmaceutics, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (J. Guo, M.
Van Eck, Jan. von der Thüsen, Theo J.C. Van Berkel), Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine,
University of North Carolina Medical School, Chapel Hill, NC, USA (N. Maeda), Atherosclerosis Department,
GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Stevenage, UK (G. Martin Benson, Pieter H.E. Groot).
[[email protected]]
CC-Chemokine Receptor 2 (CCR2) has been indicated to play a central role in the recruitment of circulating
macrophages during the early development of atherosclerotic lesions. Pharmaceutical interruption of CCR2
function thus represents an attractive strategy to prevent atherogenesis. In this study, we designed a 19nucleotides short interference RNA (SiRNA) targeted against murine CCR2 and cloned it into Bgl II and Hind
III restriction sites of pSuper plasmid behind the H-1 RNA promoter (pSuper/SiRNA-CCR2). Murine CCR2
full-length cDNA was obtained by RT-PCR from a monocytic cell line WEHI, cloned into pCR2.1, sequenced
and subcloned into pEGFP N-1 plasmid between Xho I and Hind III restriction sites. The stop codon of CCR2
was removed by PCR and the coding sequence of the C-terminus of CCR2 was engineered in frame to fuse with
the N-terminus of the open reading frame of green fluorescence protein (GFP) coding region (pEGFP N1/CCR2-GFP). HEK 293 cells were transiently co-transfected with pEGFP N-1/CCR2-GFP, together with
pSuper/SiRNA-CCR2, which was diluted by different amount of pSuper empty plasmid. Due to the seven transmembrane structure of CCR2, overexpression of CCR2-GFP fusion protein along cell membrane was observed
among the 293 cells transfected with pEGFP N-1/CCR2-GFP together with pSuper empty plasmid. However,
specific gene silencing effect of CCR2 was observed both at mRNA and protein level 48 hours after transfection
among the 293 cells transfected with pEGFP N-1/CCR2-GFP together with pSuper/SiRNA-CCR2. SiRNA
targeted against murine CCR2 resulted in 80% reduction on mRNA level by real time PCR and 60% reduction
on protein level by FACS and western blotting.
25
Mapping of Mal d 1 isoallergen genes on the molecular marker linkage maps of apple
Z.S. Gao1, 2 J.G. Schaart1, W.E. van de Weg 1, L. Kodde1, H.J. Schouten1, D.H. Tran1, I.M.van der Meer1, H.
Breiteneder3, K. Hoffman-Sommergruber3, L.J.W.J Gilissen1
1: Plant Research International, Wageningen University and Research Center, P.O. Box 16, 6700AA,
Wageningen, The Netherlands.
2: Experimental Nursery of Shanxi Forestry Department, Beiying Nan Lu 52, Taiyuan, Shanxi, 030031. P. R.
China.
3: Department of Pathophysiology, AKH-EBO-3Q, University of Vienna, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, A-1090
Vienna, Austria
Fresh apples form a major cause of birch pollen related food allergy in approximately 5% of the northwest
European population. Mal d 1 (the major apple allergen) is homologous to Bet v 1 (the major allergen of birch).
Both allergens belong to the PR-10 family of pathogenesis-related proteins. These proteins are generally
expressed during disease, stress and ripening, and appear ubiquitous in plants. Apple cultivars differ greatly in
their allergenicity according to skin prick tests and provocation tests; e.g. ‘Golden Delicious’ is highly
allergenic, while ‘Santana’ causes only minor or no allergic responses. Knowledge on the genetic basis of these
differences in allergenicity would allow to breed hypo-allergenic cultivars. In view of this we are identifying the
Mal d 1 isoallergen genes in the apple genome through PCR cloning and determining their position on genetic
linkage maps. Such maps are available from crosses between the cultivars Prima x Fiesta and Jonathan s Prima
and the progenies threreof. PCR genomic cloning and sequencing were performed on the two parental cultivars,
Prima and Fiesta, to identify allelic polymorphisms that have been used to design Mal d 1 allele specific
molecular markers. Such markers have been screened in one of the two mapping progenies that resulted so far in
the mapping of twelve loci of Mal d 1. Eleven loci were found on two homologous chromosomes (13 and 16).
Interestingly, two gene clusters, consisting of 3 to 4 loci each, are only about 2 cM apart. The deduced amino
acid sequences of all Mal d 1 isoallergens reveal the highest identities with either the Bet v 1.13 or Bet v 1.18
isoallergens.
26
Genomic organization and functional diversity of the R3 locus for late blight resistance in potato
Huang Sanwen1, Vleeshouwers V.G.A.A.1, v d Vossen E.A.G.2, van Eck H.J.1, Visser R.G.F.1, Jacobsen E.1
1
Wageningen University and 2Plant Research International, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans, is the most devastating disease of potato (Solanum tuberosum
L.). In the past, race-specific resistance loci (R1-R11) were introgressed from S. demissum into potato. To study
the R3 locus on chromosome 11 in more detail, a high-resolution genetic map of the R3 region was constructed
using a highly saturated map of potato (http://www.dpw.wageningen-ur.nl/uhd) and a large segregating
population. The R3 locus was delimited to a 0.8-cM interval that was saturated with 18 AFLP or CAPS markers.
Resistance specificity studies showed that the locus contains two genetically distinct R genes (R3a and R3b) that
recognize different elicitors from the pathogen. Physical mapping and RGA (Resistance Gene Analog) analysis
demonstrated that the R3a locus resides in a recombination cold spot (>1.3 Mb/cM) and consists of 4-6 I2
(tomato Fusarium R gene) homologs, while the R3b locus is located in a recombination hot spot (about 300
kb/cM) and contains 1-2 I2 homologs. Sequencing and functional complementation of both genes is now in
progress. The role of gene duplication in R gene cluster evolution and the potential of allele mining for new R
gene specificities will be discussed.
27
Effect of Starch Binding Domains on Potato Starch Characteristics
Ji Qin
Graduate School Experimental Plant Sciences, Laboratory of plant Breeding, Wageningen University
[[email protected]]
Modification of starch biosynthesis pathways holds an enormous potential for tailoring granules or polymers
with new functionalities. In this research, we have explored the possibility of engineering artificial granulebound proteins, which can be incorporated in the granule during biosynthesis. The starch-binding domain
(SBD)-encoding region of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase from Bacillus circulans was fused to the sequence
encoding the transit peptide (amyloplast entry) of potato granule-bound starch synthase I (GBSS I). The
synthetic gene was expressed in the tubers of two potato cultivars (cv Kardal and cv Karnico) and one amylosefree (amf) potato mutant. SBDs accumulated inside starch granules, not at the granule surface. Amylose-free
granules contained 8 times more SBD (estimated at approximately 1.6% DW) than the amylose-containing ones.
Physico-chemical properties of the SBD starches were comparable to their corresponding controls. This
suggests that SBD can be used as an anchor for effector proteins without having side-effects. This was
confirmed by introducing a construct harbouring the GBSS I transit peptide, the luciferase reporter gene, a PTlinker, and the SBD (in frame), and a similar construct without the linker and the SBD, in cv Kardal. The fusion
protein accumulated in starch granules (with retainment of luciferase activity), whereas the luciferase alone did
not. These results demonstrate that SBD technology can be developed into a true platform technology, to
generate potato starches with new or improved functionalities.
28
Transcriptional profiling in Phytophthora infestans using cDNA-AFLP
Rays H.Y. Jiang, Jun Guo, Maita Latijnhouwers, Wubei Dong and Francine Govers
Laboratory of Phytopathology, Wageningen University, and Graduate School Experimental Plant Sciences, The
Netherlands.[[email protected]]
Phytophthora infestans is the causal agent of late blight, an important disease on potato. cDNA amplified
fragment length polymorphism (cDNA-AFLP) is chosen as a tool to perform transcriptional profiling to
elucidate 1. G-protein signalling downstream targets 2. Avirulence factors in P. infestans. By comparison of the
cDNA-AFLP profiles of G-alpha silenced, constitutively active G-alpha and wild type strains, several transcript
derived fragments (TDFs) representing putative downstream components of G-protein signalling are identified.
Comparative analysis of the cDNA-AFLP fragments obtained from the parental strains of the cross 71 and F1
strains of with different race spectra leads to identification and cloning TDFs that represent putative Avr genes.
Bioinformatics analysis based on EST sequences is also performed to set up efficient experimental conditions
and to predict TDFs sequences.
29
Conditional knockout mouse models for breast cancer
Xiaoling Liu, Anton Berns, and Jos Jonkers
Department of Molecular Biology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066CX, Amsterdam,
the Netherlands [[email protected]]
Several conditional knockout mouse models were generated using Cre/loxP system for some tumor
suppressor genes, including Brca1, Brca2, p53, and E-cadherin, to study their roles in mammary
tumorigenesis. Although Brca deletion by itself is insufficient to cause epithelial tumors, in combination
with a p53 conditional allele, Brca loss could accelerate tumor formation. Females of three different
genotypes, namely K14Cre;p53F/F;BrcaF/F, K14Cre;p53F/F;BrcaF/+, and K14Cre;p53F/+;BrcaF/F,
predominantly developed mammary tumors .
Since none of those mammary tumors (ductal carcinomas) showed local invasion or metastasisformation by histological analysis, we have generated a conditional knockout mouse model for Ecadherin, a cell adhesion molecule of which heterogenous expression is associated with poor prognosis
in breast cancer. Now multiple skin tumors were developed in the animals from the group of
K14Cre;p53F/F;E-cadherinF/F. The tumors are squmous cell carcinomas which showed severe invasion
to the local tissue. So combined mutation of E-cadherin, Brca, and p53 may generate a metastasis
mammary tumor model in the future.
Gene expression profiling of all tumors within each group is being carried out using mouse cDNA
microarrays. Comparison of the profiles from tumors within each group will permit identification of
specific expression signatures in Brca1 tumors versus Brca2 tumors, and Brca1/2 tumors versus p53
tumors. Subsequently, data from mouse Brca tumor panels may be compared to those from human Brca
tumors.
30
Gene Expression Changes in Single Dentate Granule Neurons after Adrenalectomy of Rats
Yongjun Qin*, Suresh Nair *, Henk Karst*, Erno Vreugdenhil‡, Nicole Datson‡, and Marian Joëls*
Swammerdam institute for life science, University of amsterdam, Kruislaan 320, 1098sm, Amsterdam, The
Netherlands [[email protected]]
Removal of corticosterone by adrenalectomy induces apoptosis 3 days later in some but not all rat dentate
granule cells. We hypothesized that individual dentate cells trigger specific gene expression profiles that partly
determine their apoptosis susceptibility. RNA was collected from physiologically characterized granule cells at
2 or 3 days after adrenalectomy or sham operation, and linearly amplified. The amplified RNA was hybridized
to cDNA clones of 1) candidate genes earlier identified after adrenalectomy in whole hippocampi with SAGE
and 2) genes encoding growth factors and their receptors. We observed that based on the entire expression
profile, cells relatively resistant to apoptosis 3 days after adrenalectomy clustered together with one-third of
cells 2 days after adrenalectomy. Within the group of ADX cells, a limited number of transcript ratios were
found to correlate -positively or negatively- with a known risk factor for apoptosis, calcium influx. The overall
analysis of physiological properties and multiple gene expression in single cells can narrow down the number of
critical genes involved in apoptosis identified with large scale gene screening methods and allows a first
impression of their role as being a potential riskfactor or neuroprotective.
31
Quantitative drought monitoring with remote sensing data: theory and its application in China
Jia Li
Alterra Green World Research, WUR, NL [[email protected]]
Drought is one of the main natural disasters that human being has suffered since the ancient era. Even in
nowadays with well developed science and technology, drought is still the most serious natural disaster that
affects agriculture production and human lives. The frequently occurred droughts and desertification events
have become the major world-wide environmental and climatic problems in recent year. With the rapid increase
of the global population and the economic development, the shortage of water resources has become the most
serious problem in the new millennium. Such shortage will directly enlarge the areas already threatened by
droughts and enhance the drought severity, and consequently the continuous development of social economy
and the existence of human living environment will be threatened. Operational methods of drought monitoring
and predicting over large spatial scale are therefore highly demanded in order to reduce the damages caused by
drought and to increase the efficiency of water use.
Based on physical consideration of land surface energy balance, a theory for quantitative drought monitoring
with remote sensing data is proposed. The basis of the theory is the derivation of relative soil moisture in the
rooting zone which is theoretically shown to be derivable from relative evaporation. The relationship derived
between the relative soil moisture and relative evaporation is confirmed with experimental data collected with
lysimeters. Further it is shown that the proposed theory can be used to define a quantitative drought severity
index (DSI) for drought monitoring, when the relative evaporation can be determined with remote sensing data.
For this purpose, a demonstration in North China is performed. The used remote sensing data are
NOAA/AVHRR which is available on a daily basis, the required meteorological data (wind speed, air
temperature, humidity and pressure) are obtained from the operational measurement network. Comparisons
between the proposed Drought Severity Index (DSI), the operational products based on water balance
calculations and the actual measurements of soil moisture confirm the validity and robustness of the proposed
theory.
32
From gene discovery to agricultural application
Shipeng Li, Jun Xu, Martijn Fiers, Paul Dijkhuis, Jan Custers and Chun-Ming Liu
Plant Research International, PO box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands
Tel: 31-317-477330; Fax: 31-317-423110; Email: [email protected]
Modern crops carry many desirable traits such as high yield, resistances to viral, bacterial, fungal diseases and
insects, favourite architecture and fruit shape, higher nutritional value, etc. To generate such elite crops,
breeders rely heavily on naturally available genetic diversity. For example, to create a disease-resistant crop, a
breeder has to find from existing varieties or wild relatives a starting line with the resistant gene and then
transfer by cross-pollination to a modern cultivar. When such traits are not available in sex-transferable
relatives, then molecular genetic tools will allow us to identify genes and introduce such genes to the crop-ofinterest. This is the so-called biotechnology which provides an additional possibility for plant breeding.
In the past years we have been using molecular, genetic and proteomic tools to identify genes and promoters
which could be of use in plant improvement. The following research topics are being carried out in our
laboratory.
Genes regulating zygotic seed development: Embryogenesis leads to the formation of a seed, which is not only
the propagating material, but also the most important food resource. We are particularly interested in genes that
could activate the zygote. For this purpose, we have screened for zygote-lethal mutants in Arabidopsis.
Chromosomal walking has led us to identify the EMBRYONIC FACTOR1 gene recently. Such genes could
potentially be useful in generating apomixis crops.
Modification of seed structure to improve nutrition value in rice: Aleurone layer and embryo are the most
nutritious parts of the rice grain, which is lost completely during milling and polishing. This has caused serious
health problem in developing countries where 2 billion people rely on rice as a major nutrient source. By taking
genetic approach, we are developing new rice variety whose seeds have loose layer to prevent the loss of
aleurone and embryo during milling. This could potentially lead to 600% increase of vitamin B1, 30% proteins,
480% Ca and 180% Fe for consumers. In the last three years, we have established a large EMS mutagenized
population. From this population we have obtained several thousands of phenotypic mutants. We are
developing screening strategies at the moment for obtaining mutants with desired seed structure. This project is
collaborated with Dr. Hong-Wei Xue at Shanghai Institute of Plant Physiology.
Genes in plant signal transduction: We use proteomic tools to identify signal peptides involved in cell-cell
communication during embryo development. We are particularly interested in ligand-receptor signal
transduction, which is an important way used by cells to communicate to each other.
Generic reversible male sterility: F1 hybrid varieties ensure high uniformity of the product, give high yields due
to heterosis, allow the rapid combination of different traits, and provide a natural protection of breeders’ right.
The production of hybrid varieties requires homozygous inbred parental lines and reversible male sterility. The
complete homozygosity of parental lines ensures uniformity of the F1 hybrid crops, while male sterility
facilitate the large-scale hybrid seed production without emasculation. The aim of the HybTech research is to
use molecular approach to bring the reversible male sterility and doubled haploid technology to practice in a
wide range of species.
HybTech is an EU consortium co-ordinated by Chun-Ming Liu
(http://www.hybtech.org/).
33
The functional annotation and interpretation of the non-protein coding parts of the genome of
Arabidopsis thaliana (Ara-mining II)
Xinying Ren
Bioscience, Plant Research International B.V., P.O.Box 16, 6700AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
[[email protected]]
This project is part of the NWO Biomolecular Informatics program Phytoinformatics. Ongoing research on the
Arabidopsis genome focuses mainly on the gene-coding fraction of the genome. Yet, it is becoming clear that
the non-coding part of the genome plays a major role in genome regulation. Regulatory elements for
transcription and translation all reside in the non-coding part of the genome. Moreover, the physical surrounding
of genes in chromatin is influencing their expression behavior dramatically. It may be the mechanism
underlying various epigenetic phenomena. A higher order of genome organization into chromatin domains is
thought to be of major importance in regulating gene expression. Such domains are independent units of gene
regulation that may protect genes from the influence of other genetic material. The positioning of a gene into
open or closed domain during growth and development determines whether this gene is expressed or silenced or
repressed. The boundaries of such chromatin domains are of interest in the understanding of chromatin
boundary formation and functioning. This project will therefore focus on the bioinformatics of such chromatin
boundaries, making use of the relevant available experimental data to validate the results obtained.
Bioinformatics approaches to annotate and mine the non-coding parts of the Arabidopsis genome will contribute
a better understanding of the occurrence and importance of chromatin boundaries in genome organization and
regulation. The project aims to define chromatin boundaries in terms of physical organization, chromosomal
location and relation with expression characteristics. In the first part of the project, attention will focus on a
reasonably well-defined subset of chromatin boundaries, the class of matrix-associated regions (MARs). Using
existing bioinformatics tools, the presence of MARs in the Arabidopsis genome will be investigated and
compared. This will result in a good evaluation of the suitability of the existing tools for prediction in plant
genomes. It may be necessary to define new parameters for chromatin boundary characteristics in plants. The
research will also result in new tools for visualization of such chromatin elements on a genome-wide scale.
Special attention will go to the analysis of the distribution of elements within and between chromosomes.
Distribution will be related to various distance parameters. The project will result in a thorough description of
this aspect of the Arabidopsis genome. Notably the relationship between chromosomal context and expression
characteristics of genome parts will add an innovative angle to genome annotation. Time permitting, analyses
will be extended to other plant genomes (rice, Brassica), investigating the suitability of the analysis of chromatin
boundaries for real ortholog identification.
34
Antisense oligonucleotides are synthetic DNA or RNA analogues.
Fuxin Shi
Department of Membrane Cell Biology, University of Groningen, the Netherlands, Antonius Deusinglaan1,
9713 AV Groningen, e Netherlands [[email protected]]
Antisense oligonucleotides are synthetic DNA or RNA analogues. The mechanism of antisense action is
generally believed that, through Watson-Crick base pairing antisense oligonucleotides bound to complementary
mRNA, are able to arrest translation or to induce mRNA degradation via activating RNase H. A mRNA is
usually thousands of nucleotides and folded into certain structures. To reduce the cost of synthesis of antisense
oligomers and improve the accessibility to mRNA, selection of an appropriate antisense sequence is a crucial
step and remains a major challenge in the successful application of antisense technology. In principle, antisense
oligonucleotides are targetted to the “open” region on mRNA. The accessible regions on mRNA can be chosen
by spacing oligonucleotides along the mRNA, identifying the RNase H cleavage sites on mRNA upon binding
of antisense, or choosing the “open sites” by predicting mRNA structure. Another crucial step toward the
success of antisense technology is to improve the stability of antisense molecules and enhance the affinity to
targeted mRNA. Chemical modification on either nucleotides or backbones is aimed to fulfil such requirements.
After a “golden” antisense molecule is chosen with high stability and good affinity to mRNA, the next step is
how to get antisense molecule to the targetted mRNA and interfere its functions in cells.
35
A new Brassica napus microspore embryogenesis procedure fully mimicking zygotic embryogenesis
Ence D.J. Supena1,2, Chun-Ming Liu1, Evert Jacobsen1, and Jan B.M. Custers1
1
Plant Research International, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 16, NL-6700 AA
Wageningen, The Netherlands, e-mail: [email protected]
2
Research Center for Biotechnology, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), P.O. Box 1, Bogor 16610, Indonesia,
e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
Brassica napus microspore embryogenesis is a commonly used model system for fundamental research on early
plant embryogenesis. From the globular stage onward, microspore-derived embryos developed in culture closely
resemble their zygotic counterparts. However, prior to the globular stage, there is a complete absence of
similarity, as microspores in culture usually first develop a rather “undifferentiated” cluster of cells enveloped in
the microspore exine wall, from which the embryo proper will differentiate.
We have refined the B. napus microspore culture in such a way that suspensor-bearing embryos can be
repeatedly produced. Notably, the microspores in culture first form filamentous suspensor-like structures, of
which the distal tip cells give rise to embryo formation. Early pattern formation of these embryos is very similar
with pattern formation in zygotic embryogenesis. A protoderm becomes visible when the embryos consist of
approximately 16 cells, and a hypophysis-like cell is generally detected at the junction of the pro-embryo and
the initially formed filament. Strong indications were found that the suspensor has a function in determining the
apical-basal polarity in the embryo. All these characteristic features were never observed in the former, classical
microspore embryogenesis system of B. napus. Thus, the new system with ab initio strong resemblance with
zygotic embryogenesis, certainly, will render B. napus microspore culture more suitable for fundamental
research on early plant embryogenesis.
36
Efficient shed-microspore culture for haploid plant production in Indonesian hot pepper (Capsicum
annuum L.) types
Ence D.J. Supena1,2, Sony Suharsono1, Evert Jacobsen2, and Jan B.M. Custers2
1
Research Center for Biotechnology, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), P.O. Box 1, Bogor 16610, Indonesia,
e-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]
2
Plant Research International, Wageningen University and Research Centre, P.O. Box 16, NL-6700 AA
Wageningen, The Netherlands, e-mail: [email protected]
Our project, which is part of the Biotechnology Research Indonesia-Netherlands (BIORIN) program, is aiming
to establish an effective protocol for doubled haploid plant production in Indonesian hot pepper accessions, and
thereafter to exploit the technology under local conditions to improve breeding efficiency of the crop.
To develop a procedure, we started in Wageningen, the Netherlands, to study different systems for embryo
regeneration from the male gametophytes. Results of anther culture on solid medium were very negative, while
culture of fully isolated microspores in liquid medium resulted in repeated sporophytic divisions and
development of multicellular microspores, but embryo formation from these structures failed. Shed-microspore
culture, using a double layer culture system, appeared more promising. Ten hot pepper varieties were tested,
which were all responsive. Four of them yielded on average between 15 and 35 embryos per flower bud, five
between 5 and 15 embryos per bud, whereas one variety give only 2 to 3 embryos. Flower bud pretreatment at
4°C for one day, then incubation of the anthers at 9oC for one week, followed by culture at 28°C, are the
favourable conditions for embryo formation from the microspores. Activated charcoal is required for a
successful culture. Although a rather high number of embryos appeared incapable to germinate, an amount of 15
flower buds of a good responsive variety like ‘Galaxy’ was sufficient to produce 100 microspore-derived plants.
In the low yielding varieties 30 to 40 flower buds were needed to produce 100 plants. This success rate,
however, is outperforming by far all so far published results of haploid production from male gametophytes in
pepper types, as there are always huge problems with incomplete embryos.
As might be expected for a tropical country, major problems with implementing the hot pepper shed-microspore
culture system under local conditions in Indonesia were contamination of cultures and difficulties to grow
healthy donor plants. Antibiotic treatment of rifampicin + timentin was found to overcome the culture
contamination problem to a large extent. Also in research in Bogor, Indonesia, this antibiotic mixture appeared
effective, and microspore embryos were obtained in 25 per cent of the contamination free cultures. So, we were
able to show that the hot pepper shed-microspore culture system developed in Wageningen could be
successfully transferred to Indonesia. Prospects are good that yield from the procedure can be further improved
under the local conditions.
37
Effective school improvement in eight European countries
He-chuan Sun
Groningen Institute for Educational Research of University of Groningen.[[email protected]]
The Groningen Institute for Educational Research (GION) within the University of Groningen in the
Netherlands initiated, launched and coordinated a large international project, namely, “Capacity for change and
adaptation in the case of Effective School Improvement” (ESI). The ESI project, funded by the European
Commission, has attracted four northern European countries (French-speaking Belgium, Finland, England, the
Netherlands) and four Southern European countries (Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain). Embraced by but
complementary to the ESI project, this research has focused on the national contextual level and aimed to find
out the influences of the factors at the contextual level, especially at the national level, on effective school
improvement within the eight European countries as well as across the eight European countries. The main
research questions are: does the contextual level, particularly the national contextual level, globally influence
ESI? If so, what are the concrete factors at the contextual level, which influence ESI? Are there any differences
regarding their influences exerted on ESI? Can common themes or issues be identified in their influences on ESI
across the eight European countries? With the content analysis method, we have critically reviewed and
integrated five theoretical paradigms: School Effectiveness theory; School Improvement theory; Curriculum
theory; theories of Organization, Organizational Learning and Learning Organization; and Public Choice theory.
This resulted in a “goal-pressure-support” research model of ten contextual level factors and their indicators: (1)
national goal setting in terms of student outcomes, (2) national goal setting in terms of school improvement, (3)
strong centrally steering and empowering ESI, (4) external evaluation and external agents, (5) the functioning of
market mechanisms, (6) school accountability, (7) provision of adequate time, financial and human resource
support for ESI, (8) developing a system of local support, (9) offering schools some autonomy, and (10) evoking
a culture in support of ESI. Thus, we transcended the limits of any one single theory. These factors have been
used consistently as ten "filters" or meters to closely analyze the 31 ESI programs selected from the above
mentioned eight European countries in the empirical part of this research. Multi-methods have been used to
collect the needed data and to analyze the 31 case studies. Constantly comparative and contrasting approaches
have been used to look for similarities and differences, first intra-country-case analysis, and second, intercountry-case analysis. Our findings indicate that education is intensively guided and shaped by the national
level. Setting national goals appears to be essential but insufficient, because goals can only be effective if they
are complemented by effective pressure as well as by empowering support. The ten factors at the national
contextual level appear to have positively or negatively influenced ESI in these eight countries. Such influences
reflected in the case studies vary in form, in degree and in context. However, our comparative analysis reveals
some common issues across the eight countries. Given these, we can tentatively conclude that the goalspressure-support framework can be used as a comprehensive strategy for educational policymaking at the
national contextual level. Our findings allow us to conclude that centralization or decentralization – as is often
said and taken for granted - may not be the decisive factor for effective school improvement. On the contrary,
increasing the driving forces and establishing a strong national monitoring, assessment, feedback and
reinforcement system for ESI is crucially important. In addition, our findings underline the necessity of offering
schools a moderate degree of autonomy in certain domains - particularly in the domain of school personnel
decision making, in the aspects of recruiting/dismissing, supervising, evaluating, rewarding and promoting
teachers and school staff members. Moreover, our findings further stress that offering schools some autonomy
should go hand in hand with school accountability.
In conclusion we point out that the kind of strategies used by the central government of a country to spur ESI
greatly depends on the nature of its vision for education, which is more deeply rooted in the values and the
culture of that society. However, values and cultures can be changed, and do change, although it is not an easy
task. Thus, to evoke a culture in support of education may result in both pressure and support for ESI. The
national government has a great role to play in the process of shaping its national or educational culture. An
analysis like ours indicates that the national context has to set goals, to provide means and to control outcomes
while at the same time providing support and autonomy for schools so that they can become effective teaching
and learning organizations. Therefore, the government, no matter at which level or in which country,
tremendously influences its people’s cultural attitudes towards education and thus towards effective school
improvement.
38
Attachment of Organic Monolayers on Si(100) Surface by Visible Light
Qiao-Yu Sun, Louis C. P. M. de Smet, Ernst J. R. Sudhölter, and Han Zuilhof
Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Wageningen University,
Dreijenplein 8, 6703 HB Wageningen, The Netherlands
E-mail: [email protected]
In the field of covalently attached monolayers to well-defined Si surfaces, ability of attaching directly a wide
variety of functional groups - specially many bio-active materials to surface determines the application potential
- specially in field of bio-sensor. We developed a route to form covalently attached monolayers using a variety
of unsaturated compounds on Si(100)-H surfaces by visible light (447 nm) at room temperature.
The ATR-IR spectrum of a Si(100) surface modified by 1-hexadecene via this approach proved a solid-like
packing monolayer was formed on this surface. In order to study the relation between the ratio of two 1-alkenes
in the solution and their relative amounts in the resulting mixed monolayer, mixed monolayers of compounds I
and II were prepared. Figure 4 shows that the amount of F (as measured by XPS) of the mixed monolayers
increases linearly with increasing molar fraction of compound II in the alkene solution from which the samples
were prepared.
We reported for the first time a visible-light induced reaction for attaching functional monolayers on Si(100)-H
surface. XPS, ATR-IR and contact angle techniques were used to confirm compact monolayers were formed,
and the quality of monolayers derived through this way are comparable with monolayers derived via the thermal
reaction. Further it was shown by the quantitative XPS that for appropriately sized functional groups, the surface
composition can be easily be defined via the solution composition. This approach opens an attractive avenue for
the attachment of (bio-)active functionalization of monolayers on Si.
References
1 A. B. Sieval et. al, Langmuir 2000, 16, 10359, M. P. Stewart et. al, JACS. 2001, 123, 7821, W. Cai, et. al. J.
Phys. Chem. B 2002, 106, 2656. M. R. Linford, et. al, JACS. 1995, 117, 3145.
2 de Smet et. al, JACS 2003, in press.
3 Sun et. al, submitted to Angew. Chemie.
39
Isolation and characterisation of key-genes in the formation of germination stimulants of the parasitic
weeds Striga and Orobanche.
Zhongkui Sun, Radoslava Matusova, Sven Berendsen, Esther Schenk, Teris van Beek Ton Bisseling and Harro
Bouwmeester
Plant Research International, WUR, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen (ZS,RM,SB,ES,HB); Laboratory for
Organic Chemistry, WUR, Dreijenplein 8, 6703 HB Wageningen (ES,TvB); Laboratory for Molecular Biology,
WUR, Dreijenlaan 3, 6703 HA Wageningen (TB)
Striga and Orobanche are the two major parasitic weed genera of the world causing large losses in many
agricultural production systems. Striga spp. are found in Africa and Asia, and parasitise mainly maize, sorghum,
cowpea and millet. Orobanche spp. parasitise a large number of crops such as many legumes, crucifers, tomato,
sunflower, hemp and tobacco and occur throughout the Mediterranean region, Eastern Europe and North Africa.
Several authors have shown that the roots of the host species of Striga and Orobanche excrete terpenoid-like
germination stimulants that evoke germination of the seeds of the parasite. Although the germination stimulants
so far identified were isolated from a wide variety of (host) crops, and induce germination of only distinctlyrelated parasitic weeds, the compounds itself are strikingly similar. Nevertheless, nothing is known about the
regulation of the biosynthesis of these compounds in the roots of the host species.
In our research, we intend to isolate and characterise key-genes in the formation of germination stimulants of the
parasitic weeds Striga and Orobanche. Hereto we use several approaches. For example, bioassay-guided
fractionation and analytical tools are used to identify the Arabidopsis germination stimulant, a maize knock-out
transponson and Arabidopsis activation-transposon collection are being screened for altered germinationstimulation phenotypes, and in vitro grown Arabidopsis plants and hairy roots are used to study the effect of
inhibitors and putative intermediates and substrates of pathways. A number of interesting Arabidosis mutant
lines has been identified with altered germination, which are currently being characterised.
40
Using Arabidopsis Natural Variation in Genetical Genomics: A New strategy for sugar signal
transduction pathway
Sheng Teng, Sjef Smeekens
Department of Molecular Plant Physiology, Padualaan 8, 3584CH, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
[[email protected]]
Naturally occurring genetic variation among accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana has been employed to develop
Recombinant Inbred Lines (RILs) segregating for a large number of plant traits. These traits can be genetically
analysed by so-called Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) analysis. Expression profiling, in combination with
molecular marker analysis of a segregating population, allows mapping of expression levels of genes, metabolite
levels and/or enzyme activities by QTL analysis. This approach features the identification of networks of coregulated genes or gene products, and the loci that regulate these respective levels. This concept was recently
coined 'genetical genomics' by Jansen and Nap (TRENDS in Genetics 17(7), 2001).
A RIL population of 162 individuals derived from a cross between accessions Landsberg erecta and Cape Verde
Islands will be used. Sensitivity to different sugar will be investigated and levels of transcription after sugar
treatment also will be profiled using the Complete Arabidopsis Transcriptome MicroArray (CATMA)
containing ~25,000 specific Gene Sequence Tags (GSTs). QTL analysis will be performed on each data set.
Various heterogeneous sources of information will be integrated. The locations of QTL will be compared and
interpreted in relation to the functioning of the pathway.
41
Using cell or tissue-specific Arabidopsis genes as tools to compare the cellular organization of lateral root
and nodule meristem in Medicago Trunctula
Xi Wan, Jan Hontelez, Ton Bissenling, Henk Franssen
Lab.of Molecular biology, Department of Plant Sciences, Wageningen University and Research Center,
Dreijenlaan 3, 6703 HA Wageningen, The Netherlands [[email protected]]
At the heart of the root apical meristem of Arabidopsis thaliana, there is a four-cell quiescent center (QC),
flanked by four different meristematic initials which are required to maintain the cellular organization of the
root: one forms the epidermis and lateral root cap; one results in the collumella root cap; one gives rise to cortex
and endodermis layers; one produces the cells of stele. A similar organization has been recognized in the root
meristem of maize, fern, cattail and pea, based on histological studies. Therefore, most likely, many plants have
a similar cellular organization for root meristem.
Plants can form new organs post-embryogenetically. For instance, lateral roots, of which the meristem has a
similar cellular organization as the meristem of the main root. By compatible interaction with Rhizobia, root
cortical cells of legumes can dedifferentiate and form a nodule primordia. The nodule is built up of a central part
consisting of infected and non-infected cells that are embedded in peripheral tissue in which the nodule vascular
bundles are located. We want to study to what extent the nodule meristem has a similar cellular organization as
the Arabidopsis root meristem: an organizing center of cells flanked by initials from which all cells in the
nodule will be generated.
Some cell-specific genes in the root apical meristem of Arabidopsis are available. For example, SCARECROW
gene, expressed in endodermis initials and quiescent center; SHOOTROOT gene, expressed in vascular bundle
initials; and QUIESCENT CENTRE46 gene, expressed in quiescent center cells. The first purpose of our project
is to clone the promoters of these genes from Arabidopsis thaliana and introduce them into Medicago trunctula
based on the observed promoter activity patterns we expect that it will be possible to determine to what extent
nodule and (lateral) root meristems share similar cellular organization.
Phytohormones influence plant growth and development. For instance, auxin is involved in patterning of the
Arabidopsis root and stimulates lateral root formation while cytokinin provokes nodule formation. The second
purpose of the project is to use phytohormone-sensitive promoters to show during nodule and (lateral) root
meristem organization in Medicago trunctula, how spatial and temporal expression pattern of phytohormones
will be changed.
42
Evaluation of genetic diversity of chrysanthemm using AFLP markers
Caiyun Wang
China: Collage of Horticulture and Forestry, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070,P.R.of
China.[[email protected]]
Netherlands: Wageningen University and Research, Plant Research International B.V., Post box 16, 6700 AA
Wageningen, The Netherlands [[email protected]]
The Chrysanthemum origined from China is one of the most economically important flowers on the worldwide,
and it is the second crop in Holland. It has been developed hundreds of thousands cultivars. Genetic diversity
in 111 genotypes(including 73 cultivars and 28 relative species ) ,representing 36 genotypes from the gene pool
of Plant Research International in Holland ,and 33 genotypes from a Dutch chrysanthemum company ,and 8
genotypes from Wangeningen Botany Garden ,and 34 genotypes from China and Japan were evaluated using
AFLP markers. The results show that the cultivar groups from Holland is closer those from Japan comparing
with those from China. These data were used to evaluate the relationships of cultivar groups derivated from
relative species in different regions .And taxonomic classifications among chrysanthemum and Dendrathema
species were also discussed.
Keywards: Chrysanthemum Genetic diversity, AFLP
43
Water use efficiency and stomatal behaviour of maize (zea mays) under partial rootzone drying
Ling Wang1,2; Hans de Kroon3; Toine Smits2
1.
2.
3.
College of Water Resources and Environment, Hohai University, Nanjing, 210098, P.R.China;
Department of Environmental Science, Kathelic University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands;
Faculty of Ecology, Kathelic University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands
Water use efficiency (WUE) is the inter-medium aim to use less water to produce unreduced amount of yield.
With drip irrigation, only part of rootzone will be wetted or dried, this kind of irrigation techniques can be
named as partial rootzone drying (PRD). It is tested under different conditions and different species as an
effective irrigation strategy, which can lead to high WUE while still maintaining reasonable high yield. There
are strong links between higher WUE and PRD. The paper tested the stimulating mechanism of PRD on the
improvement of water use efficiency without significance reduction of biological yield of maize (Zea Mays).
The experiment was carried out under a rain shelter on the campus of University of Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Four treatments were adapted, namely control (Z1) which always received enough amount of water; two point
fixed (Z2), with two points at the opposite sites of the plant to get half amount of water supplied to control; one
point fixed (Z3), with always only one point getting the same amount of water as Z2; two point alternate (Z4),
with two opposite point of the crop to receive water alternately. Stomatal behaviour were extensively detected in
the attempt to explore the control mechanism of partial rootzone drying.
Key words: Partial rootzone drying; Water use efficiency; Maize (Zea mays); stimulation mechanism; stomatal
conductance
44
Institute for Pig Genetics
H.J. (Rik) van Wijk
IPG - Institute for Pig Genetics B.V., Schoenaker 6, 6641 SZ Beuningen, P.O. Box 43, 6640 AA Beuningen,
The Netherlands. [[email protected]; [email protected]]
The company:
Institute for Pig Genetics BV - IPG is an independent organisation for the supply of scientific and administrative
services for the support or improvement of new or existing pig breeding and artificial insemination (AI)
programmes. IPG is playing a supporting and advising role for several breeding and AI organisations. In order
to be able to serve these organisations as good as possible, working together with other partners in research is
very important to IPG, both in The Netherlands as well as outside The Netherlands. IPG is a recognized body
working according to ISO-9001.
The activities of IPG are primarily breeding programme administration, breeding value estimation, reproduction
research and applied selection research including molecular genetics. IPG clients include TOPIGS (formerly
Stamboek, Dalland and Fomeva) and Dumeco Breeding (formerly Cofok and ProVa). Furthermore, IPG
provides facilities giving added value to these basic activities and/or services based on the available expertise.
As from 2000, the Dutch Association of Pig AI Cooperatives has linked to IPG. IPG also provides
administrative and scientific support to FAIP, the European Farm Animal Industrial Platform
(http://www.faip.dk).
The research:
The molecular genetics research program of IPG is focussing on the identification, validation and utilisation of
quantitative trait loci (QTL) in commercial breeding programs. The research is carried out in close collaboration
with Wageningen University department of Animal Sciences Animal Breeding and Genetics group.
The main problems to be addressed are:
(1) Which major genes are segregating in commercial lines affecting meat quality?
(2) Which traits show the most promising effects and what is the correlated effect on other economically
important traits?
(3) What is the most efficient way to identify the responsible genes and the underlying mutations (use of
ancient recombination events)?
(4) How can MAS be implemented into the breeding system for an integrated pork production system to
improve pork quality in terms (a) selection of nucleus animals and (b) sorting of production animals,
especially with respect to predictable and/or uniform quality?
The research program stretches out over three phases:
1. Identification of genomic regions containing major genes for meat quality traits;
2. Validation and fine mapping of relevant areas and identification of candidate genes;
3. Develop DNA assays and implementation of MAS into the pork production system.
45
Rational development of eukaryotic microbial cell factories for the engineering of CO2-cycles in the
production of fine chemicals
Liang Wu
Kluyver Laboratory for Biotechnology, Sweelinckstraat 36, 2625 VK, Delft [[email protected]]
Future demands of bulk and fine chemicals (for food, pharma, fibers, etc.) will increase strongly, both in terms
of quantity and complexity (multi-functionality) of the produced molecules. Use of traditional organic synthesis
(including catalysis) requires development of multistep processes with many new catalysts, the use of
stoichiometric amounts of activation, redox and protection groups. Usually a fossil feedstock is used. All of this
leads to a large net production of carbondioxide and to large volumes of waste. Micro-organisms are highly
flexible, small chemical factories which naturally perform multistep syntheses using renewable sugars as carbon
source. No net emission of carbondioxide occurs because the produced carbondioxide is reconverted by plants
to new sugars, thus leading to a closed carbon cycle. Moreover, micro-organisms fully regenerate the used
activation, redox and protections groups and the highly selective enzymes that act as catalysts. This leads to
much less waste and much higher product yields. With the current genomic revolution it becomes possible to
genetically change the micro-organisms towards improved product formation or the introduction of new
products. Until now, trial-and-error approaches are used because the complexity of the reaction network
(primary metabolism, the product pathway and their interaction) is overwhelming. The scientific challenge of
this project will be to obtain a quantitative description of the in vivo kinetic behaviour of the valine and
phenylalanine biosynthetic pathways and connected primary metabolic routes. This description will allow us to
predict which changes have to be made at which locations of the metabolic network to achieve the desired goal.
Validation of this approach will be carried out by construction of the corresponding mutants and, subsequently,
experimental characterisation of their behaviour.
46
EMBRYONIC FACTOR 1 (FAC1) gene, encoding a adenosine monophosphate deaminase, is required for
zygote initiation in Arabidopsis
Jun Xu, Hai-Ying Zhang, Paul Dijkhuis, Cong-Hua Xie, Chun-Ming Liu
BU Biosciece, Plant Research International, The Netherlands
Molecular dissection of the early embryo development, particularly towards genes involved in zygote activation,
is important to understand how maternal and paternal genomes function in activating the zygote. In order to
casting the factors required for zygote initiation, an EMS mutantagenized population had been established, from
which we screened for the zygote-lethal phenotype. The screening leads to the identification of three mutants,
fac1, fac2,fac3, in which the embryo development was arrested at zygote or 1-2 celled stage.
Heterozygous plants of FAC1/fac1 showed typical mendelian segregation, say, 1/4 of the seeds aborted at early
stage after fertilization. Positional cloning, using the SSLP and CAPS markers allows us to position the FAC1
gene to a 40Kb region in BAC clone F16M14, on Arabidopsis Chromosome 2. Genomic DNA was extracted
from heterozygous plants, and all 20 ORFs predicted in this region have been sequenced after PCR cloning. A
single nucleotide mutation, which causes one amino acid change from Asp to Asn, was identified in the coding
region of At2g38280. Its allelic T-DNA insertion line N555006 from SALK, which shows the same zygotelethal phenotype at the same stage, soon confirmed the mapping result. At2g38280 is a single-copy gene
encoding adenosine monophosphate deaminase(AMD), which is known to be a critical protein involved in
converting AMP to IMP, and then maintain a high energy potential in animal cells. Further characterization of
the function of the gene is in progress.
47
Human Placenta as a Potential Source of Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Therapeutic Use
Wei Xu
Dept. of Nephrology, D3-P, Leiden Univeristy Medical Center, P.O.Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, The
Netherlands
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) were be able to differentiate into adipocytes, osteocytes, chondrocytes,
tenocytes, myotubes, astrocytes, and hematopoietic-supporting stroma. It was postulated that the placenta might
contain a high frequency of MSC, because of its growth potential in a short period of time. In this study, we
investigated the possibility to isolate mesenchymal stem cells from full term human placenta.
To isolate the maternal and fetal, we cultured placenta tissue either by cell suspension or tissue blocks from the
following six parts: villi just beneath umbilical cord, chorion villi beneath membrane, aminion, chorion, decidua
parietalis, decidua basalis, and villi beneath decidua basalis. Spindle-shaped cells can grow out from all the
tissue parts except for deciduas parietalis and can be replated into several passages. Phenotype and HLA-type
were performed on both primary and expanded cells derived from placenta. We found these cells share the exact
markers with those established MSC, i.e. bone marrow or fetal lung derived MSC, except for a high expression
of CD31. We found a cell population from decidua basalis or villi beneath decidua basalis, which was of
maternal origin, while the population of villi beneath the cord was of fetal origin. However we could not
succeed in the multi-lineage differentiation, which needs further test to confirm the plasticity of placenta-derived
MSC. It will also be necessary to show the engraftment enhancing effect of placenta-derived MSC in the
NOD/SCID mice model following co-transplantation. If so, co-transplantations of UCB and fetal MSC of
placenta from the same donor might be a strategy to broaden the clinical application of UCB transplantations.
Disclosing carbohydrate modifying network of Aspergillus niger by functional genomics
Xiaolian Yuan, PhD
Institute of Biology,, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL, Leiden
Tel: +31 71 5274861; Email: [email protected]
The fungus Aspergillus niger is an efficient producer of extracellular enzymes. Many of these enzymes show
carbohydrate-modifying activities. These enzymes are Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS status) and are
therefore widely used in the food industry (45 % of the world's enzyme market). However, based on its recently
finished genomic sequence, it is estimated that only a fraction of the potential of enzymes produced by A. niger
is currently characterized. The project that is carried out by seven PhD students and 1 postdoc in 5 Dutch
academic laboratories aims at the discovery of as many as possible enzymes involved in bioconversion of
complex carbohydrates. In addition to carbohydrases emphasis will be on other carbohydrate modifying
activities such as lyase, esterase, transglycosylase and oxidase activities. This project will generate a
fundamental insight into the network of secreted enzymes, with respect to their regulation, their mode of action
on complex plant polysaccharides, their synergistic interactions, and the products they produce.
Currently I am mainly focusing on the unravelling of the regulation of genes coding for starch and inulin
degrading enzymes and the over-expression of these selected genes for enzyme activities.
48
Molecular markers to exploit genetic variation in rose
Zifu Yan
Plant Research International, PO Box 16, 6700 AA, Wageningen, The Netherlands [[email protected]]
As one of eleven projects in a program “Rassen onder glas met minder gas”(concerning greenhouse crops with
higher energy efficiency), the present project targets two agronomic traits, rose growth vigor and powdery
mildew resistance, for exploiting their genetic components and associated molecular markers. The goal of the
research is to develop genetic linkage maps with molecular markers and detect the QTLs underlying the target
traits. The predicted results would lead to marker-assisted selection in rose breeding program. Practical
approaches are: construction of new mapping populations; development of molecular markers, like AFLP, SSR,
RGA, SNP, for rose; phenotyping parameters related to the target traits; genotyping diploid and tetraploid
populations with molecular markers; statistical analysis of the data and performance of mapping and QTL
analysis.
Impact of atmospheric sulfur and nitrogen deposition on vegetable crop cultivars in relation to fertilizer
practice in rapidly developing regions of China
Yang Liping
Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Biological Center, RuG, 9750 AA, Haren
Tel: 050-3632283; Email: [email protected]; [email protected]
China has experienced an unprecedented period of industrial development. The reliance on coal as a principle
source of energy has resulted in high emissions of SO2 and NOx. Few controlled studies have attempted to
quantify the effects of SO2 and NOx on crops in China. Both air pollutants can affect plant metabolism
negatively, but also serve as nutrients, depending on the atmospheric concentrations. Studies with SO2 and H2S
have shown that uptake of sulfate by the root is decreased when a plant has access to both atmospheric and
pedospheric sulfur, but the nature of the signals involved in the communication between shoot and root is not
clear yet. Comparable studies with NOx are still lacking. Crop nutrition relies on a balanced supply of all
nutrients. Both S and N are essential for protein synthesis and the processes determining yield. S fertilization
will affect net utilization and leaching of fertilizer N, and vice versa. If part of the S and N demand of a crop is
met by assimilation of gaeous compounds, fertilizer recommendations may have to be reconsidered.
A series of experiments is proposed, starting with fumigation experiments in the Netherlands and followed by
field experiments in China. These studies are essential 1) to increase the fundamental knowledge on the relation
between atmospheric and pedospheric S and N nutrition, and the signals involved in shoot to root
communication, and 2) to optimize fertilizer practice for crops in polluted areas, for maximum economic benefit
as well as minimizing fertilizer losses from the soil.
49
Gene transfer in Allium: recent developments and future prospects
S. J. Zheng
Plant Research International, Wageningen UR, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, the Netherlands
[[email protected]]
This review outlines recent developments of gene transfer systems in Allium crops. Gene transfer can be
realized via sexual hybridization, somatic hy(cy)bridization and genetic transformation. Sexual hybridization
has always been an important tool for the introduction of genetic variation needed for plant improvement. Much
of the research carried out in this context is done within and between onion and its wild relatives. In contrast to
onion, other important Allium crops like leek (A. porrum) and garlic (A. sativum) received less attention. The
latest developments in this area, like the gene pool approach to introgress agronomically important traits from
wild relatives in onion, and the possibilities for sexual hybridization in garlic will be discussed.
If sexual hybridization is not possible to transfer genes, somatic hy(cy)bridization and genetic transformation
can provide a way forward. Somatic hy(cy)bridization was succesfully used to transfer cytoplasmic male
sterility (CMS) from onion to leek and also in bridging the gap between onion and garlic. However until present
the perspectives of this technique in Allium breeding is not clear. Recently an exiting breakthrough was made in
opening up genetic transformation technology for Allium crops. Both Agrobacterium-mediated and biolistic
gene transfer systems have been developed in onion, shallot (A. cepa L. group Aggregatum) and garlic (A.
sativum). Detailed molecular characterization of transgenic Allium crops to prove their transgenic status have
been carried out, using molecular biological techniques like PCR (conventional and adaptor-ligation), DNA blot
hybridization and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and cell biological techniques like GUS and green
fluorescent protein (GFP) expression. Currently transgenic Allium plants are available harbouring bar or
acetolactate synthase (ALS) genes for herbicide resistance, Bt genes for insect resistance and antisense alliinase
genes for a milder taste. Transgenic onion and shallot plants proved to have a normal phenotype, were fertile,
had a normal ploidy level and inherited their genes in a Mendelian fashion. As a last topic in this review safety
assessment of genetically modified (GM) Allium crops will be discussed.
50
Visualization of Single Myoblasts by High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging on a 1.5T Clinical
Scanner
Zhuoli Zhang
Erasmus MC Department of Radiology, Room-Ee 2338, Post box 1738, 3000 Dr Rotterdam, NL, Dr.
Molewaterplein 50. [[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]]
Purpose: To validate a method for efficient labeling of myoblasts using superparamagnetic iron oxides (SPIOs)
and liposome complexes and demonstrate that single cells may be detected on a conventional 1.5T clinical
scanner.
Methods: Pig skeletal myoblasts were isolated and cultured. A clinically approved liver contrast agent, Endorem
(Guerbet, France), was used as SPIO source for labeling the myoblasts. To facilitate SPIOs uptake two
suspensions (30 µl lipofectamine 2000 in 0.5 ml of Opti-MEM and 100µg of iron in 0.5 ml of Opti-MEM) were
mixed. After 20 minutes, the resulting suspension was added to dishes containing myoblasts and incubated for
24 hours. The labeled cells were then collected and fixed in 2% buffered formaldehyde in PBS with 1.5% (w/v)
gelatin. 4 myoblast concentrations were prepared: 225, 550, 820 and 1100, respectively and a monolayer of 10
µl of each cell suspension were sandwiched between gelatin (3%, w/v) and placed in 1 cm culture inserts. To
enhance cell visibility, the gelatin contained Gd-DTPA (1:200 solution in PBS) providing a T1 ~ 65 msec.
Culture inserts with unlabeled myoblasts were used as controls. High-resolution MR imaging was performed on
the culture inserts on a GE 1.5T Signa CVi scanner (General Electric Medical Systems, Milwaukee, USA). A
3D SPGR sequence (TR/TE/flip angle/BW = 108/15.4 ms / 60o / 7.81 Khz) and a round surface coil (inner
diameter 1.5 cm) were used. Scans were performed with the frequency encoding gradient along Bo. Scan time
per sample was 3 hours.
Results: The lipofectamine labeling method resulted in 100% labeled myoblasts with rapid SPIO uptake. Single
labeled myoblasts could be detected as signal voids in the gel with a maximum resolution achieved of 20×26×50
µm3 voxels. Lower resolution provided good visualization as well. All 4 concentrations demonstrated labeled
cells with a calculated distribution in the monolayer of 11 l ± 2.1 l. Unlabeled cells could not be detected in
any of the control samples.
Conclusions: Good SPIO labeling efficiency was shown using lipofectamine 2000 without disadvantages to cell
function and division. Clinical MRI units may be used for detecting SPIO labeled cell lines at high resolution
and provide in the near future a feasible tool for tracking stem cells engraftment in vivo.
51
Frm-8, a putative downstream effector of Ras-like small GTPases.
Zhongchun Zhang
Biltstraat 196 Room 010, 3572 BR UTRECHT, Netherlands
Frm-8 homologous proteins are found in a wide variety of species, from C.elegans to mosquito and fruitfly to
human. By yeast two-hybrid screen we found that rrp-1, which is C.elegans homolog of mammalian Rap1
interacts with Frm-8. On the other hand, by using Frm-8 as a bait and C. elegans cDNA as a library we found
interactions between Frm-8 and some Ras family proteins via yeast two-hybrid screen.
To confirm these interactions in mammalian cells, we used NIH3T3-A14 cells, which stably overexpress the
insulin receptors, and performed co-immunoprecipitation experiments. Unfortunately, we were unable to detect
interaction between Frm-8 and Ras family proteins.
We concluded that in NIH3T3-A14 cells either there is no interaction between full-length Frm-8 and Ras family
proteins or the interaction is undetectable by using co-immunoprecipitation.
Abbreviations
The abbreviation used in this report are HA, Hemagglutinin–tagged; PDZ, protein Dlg/Zo-1; RBD, Ras binding
domain; FERM, F for 4.1 protein, E for ezrin, R for radixin and M for moesin); Y2H,yeast two hybrid; GST,
glutathione S-transferase; cAMP, cyclic-adenosine-monophosphate; MAPK, mitogen-activiated-protein-kinase;
IP, immunoprecipitation; SD, Sabouraud dextrose
52
List of participants
53
China
Chong, Kang, PhD, Professor, Deputy Director
Institute of Botany
Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
[email protected]
Duan, Zi-yuan, PhD, Professor
Bureau of Life Science and Biotechnology Chinese
Academy of Sciences, China
[email protected]
Fang, Rong-xiang, PhD, Professor
Director, Institute of Microbiology
Ling, Hong-Qing, PhD, Professor
Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology,
[email protected]
Xu, Zhi-hong, PhD, Professor, President
Peking University, China
[email protected]
Xue, Hong-Wei, PhD, Professor
Shanghai Institute of Plant physiology
[email protected]
Zheng Rachel, PhD
Foreign Affair
Peking University, China
[email protected]
Zhu, Zhen, PhD, Professor
Deputy Director, Bureau of Life Science and
Biotechnology
[email protected]
Chinese Embassy
Dong, Hui-Qing, Education Section, Chinese
Embassy of Netherlands, Den Haag, NL
Tong, Guangwu, Education Section,
Chinese Embassy of Netherlands, Den Haag, NL
[email protected]
Wu, Jian, The First Secretary
Science and Technology Section
Chinese Embassy of Netherlands, Den Haag, NL
[email protected]
Xue, Hanqin, H.E., D.Law, Ambassador
The Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom of the
Netherlands, Den Haag, NL
KNAW
Bantjes, Marisa, PhD
Acting Head of the Department of International Cooperation and Quality Assessment
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
(KNAW), Amsterdam, NL
[email protected]
Tso, Anouk, PhD, China Desk
Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences
(KNAW), Amsterdam, NL
[email protected]
Amsterdam
Li, Ka Wan, PhD, Assistant Professor
The Neuroscience Institute
Free University, Amsterdam, NL
De Boelelaan 1085 Amsterdam
031-20-4447107
Email: [email protected]
Li Ting, PhD, Junior Project Manager
GXS, Amstelveen office
Tel: 020-5035505 (office) 0655155332 (cell)
[email protected]
Qin, Yong-jun, Ph.D researcher
Section Neurobiology
Swammerdam institute for life science
Kruislaan 320, 1098SM,
Amsterdam, NL
Tel: 020 525 7646; 0630546382
Fax: 020 525 7709;
[email protected]
Tong Shen
PhD candidate
Molecular Biology & Microbial Food Safety,
Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences
University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 166,
1018 WV Amsterdam
31-10-4605220; 0629 397 039
[email protected]
Xiao-ling Liu, PhD
Dept. Molecular Biology, The Netherlands
Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital,
Plesmanlaan 121
1066CX, Amsterdam, NL
Tel: 020-5122000
[email protected]
Yang, Xiaoxian, M.Phil
Ph.D researcher
54
Dept. of Chemistry
Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV
Amsterdam, NL
Tel:031-20-4447568; Fax: 031-20-4447553
PhD researcher
Groningen Institute for Educational Research,
University of Groningen, NL
Tel: 050-3636678
[email protected]
[email protected]
Delft
Shi, Fuxin, PhD researcher
Membrane Cell Biology Dept., University of
Groningen, NL
Liang, Wu, ir
PhD researcher
Kluyver Laboratory for Biotechnology
Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of
Technology, Julianalaan 67, 2628 BC, Delft, NL
Tel: 015 278 2998; Fax: 015 278 2355;
[email protected]
http://www.bt.tudelft.nl
Cao, Lin-Qiu, PhD
Aart van der Leeuwlaan 197
2624 PP Delft, The Netherlands
Tel: 0031(0)15 2560244
http://home.wanadoo.nl/linqiu.cao
Zhou, Yu (Tony)
PhD researcher
Section Enzymology, Kluyver Laboratory for
Biotechnology
Delft University of Technology; Julianalaan 67, 2628
BC Delft, NL
Tel: 015 278 2347; Fax: 015 2782355
[email protected];
http://www.bt.tudelft.nl
Groningen
Jing, Hai-Chun
PhD Researcher
Molecular Biology of Plants
[email protected]
Liao, Yi, PhD
Managing director
Axon Biochemicals BV
Postbus 770, 9700 AT Groningen, NL
Tel: 050-3118008 (office); Fax: 050-3600390
Liu, Danyang
PhD candidate
Department of Med. Chem.University of Groningen
[email protected]
Liu, Yan
PhD researcher
Dept pediatrics, AZG, Groningen, NL
Tel: 050-3611261; [email protected]
Sun, He-chuan
[email protected]
Tang, Lixia
PhD candidate
[email protected]
Tao He, PhD Researcher
University of Groningen, Medische Microbiologie
Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, NL
Tel: 0628828277
[email protected]
Wang, Dong-yuan PhD
Lab of Eukaryotic Microbiology
Groningen University , NL
[email protected]
Wang, Xiaoqin
PhD candidate
Biomade Technology Foundation, Nijenborgh 4,
9747 AG, GRONINGEN, NL
Tel: 31-50-3635523 (w); 31-50-5799464 (h);
[email protected]
Xu Dongming
PhD candidate, AZG, Radiology, GRONINGEN, NL
Tel: 0031-503611151
[email protected]
Yang, Liping
PhD researcher
Lab of Plant Physiology, University of Groningen
[email protected]
Yan, Xuedong, MSc
PhD Researcher
RUG, Dept. of Cell Biology, NL
Tel: (050) 363 2446
Fax: (050) 363 2728
[email protected]
Zhu, You-Ping, MD
Director
Hua-Tuo Acupuncture, Groningen, NL
Tel: 050-5733127
[email protected]
Leiden
Cong, Shuyan, PhD
55
LUMC / Division 5, Human and Clinical Genetics,
Wassenaarseweg 72, Room 4304, 2333 AL Leiden,
NL
Tel: 071-5276101
[email protected]
Dang, Zhichao, PhD
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolic
Diseases (c4-R81), Leiden University Medical
Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2300 RC, Leiden, NL
Tel: 071-5261830
[email protected]
Guo, Jian
PhD researcher
Division of Biopharmaceutics
Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research
(LACDR)
Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University
Einsteinweg 55, PO Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, NL
Tel: 071 5276238 (o), 071-3014309 (h); 0641439058 (mobile)
Fax: 071-5276032
[email protected]
Huang, Yanchao
M.Sc. Dept of Pharmacognosy, Leiden Amsterdam
center for drug research
PhD candidate, Leiden University Medical center,
ijndijk 281, 2331AD, Leiden, NL
Tel: 071-5271993
[email protected]
Li, Li
MSc student
Leiden University, Stationsplein 242, K611, Leiden,
NL
Tel: 0629324896, 031-71-5324207
[email protected]
Libin Ma, Ph.D.
Senior Scientist
Galapagos Genomics BV, Leiden
Mr. F. Bordewijklaan
11, 2343 KS Oegstgeest, NL
Tel: 071-515 4254 (h), 071-524 8806 (o)
[email protected]
Liu, Qin-xiang
MSc student
Leiden University, NL
Tel: 0630114622
Institute of Biology (former IMP), Leiden University
Clusius Laboratory
Wassenaarseweg 64
2333 AL Leiden
The Netherlands
Tel: 31-71-5275052/4791
Fax: 31-71-5274999
Email: [email protected] or
[email protected]
URL: http://rulbim.leidenuniv.nl/~meijer
Wang, Yajie
Bioorganic chemistry
Leiden University, NL
Tel: 071-5155328
[email protected]
Xu, Wei
PhD candidate
Dept. of Nephrology, D3-P,
Leiden Univeristy Medical Center,
P.O.Box 9600, 2300 RC, Leiden, NL
Tel: 071-5262011; 0618357035
Fax: +31-71-5248118
[email protected]
Yu, Haixiang
PhD researcher
Division of Biopharmaceutics
Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research
(LACDR)
Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University
Einsteinweg 55, PO Box 9502, 2300 RA Leiden, NL
Tel: 071 5274498; 06-18073148 (mobile)
Fax: 0031-71-5276032
[email protected]
Yuan, Xiaolian, PhD
Institute of Biology, Wassenaarseweg 64, 2333 AL,
Leiden, NL
Tel: +31 71 5274861
[email protected]
Zhang, Yinghui, PhD
LIC, Leiden University
PO Box 9502, 2300 RA, Leiden, NL
Tel: 071 527 4414
Fax: 071 527 4357
[email protected]
[email protected]
Nijmegen
Liu, Ying Ying, PhD
Merelstraat 11, 2333XJ, Leiden, NL
Tel: 071-5261213
[email protected]
Ouwerkerk, Pieter B.F.
Dept. of Mol. Cell. Biology-Rice Group
Song, Dongyu
QA assistant
Master (at Farmaceutische Wetenschappen,
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium)
Zwanenveld 37-54, Nijmegen, 6538 XZ, NL
Tel: 0243440219 (h)
[email protected]
56
www.emcm.com
Rotterdam
Zhou, Zhi-gang, PhD
Department of Pharmacology, UMCN, KUN
Tel:06-41934286
Fang, Yue, PhD
Room Ee575
Genetic Laboratory of Internal Medicine
Erasmus Medical Center Rotterdam
Dr. Molewaterplein 50, 3015 GD Rotterdam, NL Tel:
+31-10-4087771,4087645
Fax:+31-10-4635430,4089461
[email protected]
Wang Liangchun, PhD
Postdoc
Dept. of Cellular Animal Physiology
University of Nijmegen
Toernooiveld 1, 6525 ED Nijmegen.
Andoornstraat 8-1, 6841 BG Arnhem, NL
Tel: 024-3652550; Fax:024-3652714
[email protected]
[email protected]
Wang Ling
PhD candidate
Dept. of Environmental Science, Postbus 9010,
6500 GL Nijmegen, NL
Tel: 024-3652423
[email protected]
[email protected]
Yu, Zhenhua, PhD
Civil Engineer Arentsburg 25,
Dordrecht
031-78-6513852
[email protected]
Zhang, Zhuoli, PhD
Erasmus MC Department of Radiology,
Room-Ee 2338, Post box 1738,
3000 Dr Rotterdam, NL
Tel: 31-104088001;Fax:31-104089467
[email protected]; [email protected]
[email protected]
PPO and industrial institutes
Beek, Afra, van der, MSc
Assistant Editor Kluwer, Mr. F. Bordewijklaan 11,
2343 KS Oegstgeest, NL
Tel: 071-515 4254
[email protected]
Jin Xing, PhD
Senior Failure Analysis Engineer Process FA
group/Quality and Analytical Services
Philips Semiconductors, Nijmegen, NL
[email protected]
van Wijk, H.J. (Rik) ir
IPG - Institute for Pig Genetics B.V., Schoenaker 6,
6641 SZ Beuningen, P.O. Box 43, 6640 AA
Beuningen, NL
Tel: 031-24-6779999
Utrecht
Che, Yi
MSc student
Utrecht University, Faculty of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, drug innovation, Cambridgelaan 701 K22,
3584 DT Utrecht, NL
Tel: 030-2542579 [email protected]
Chen, Xin
MSc student
Plant Biology, Utrecht University,
Park Rheyngaerde 100 A 17a,
3545 NB UTRECHT, NL
Tel: 030-2142815, 0645870679; Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
Zhang Xinmin
The Europe Office
Zhongguancun Science Park, Amssterdam, , NL
Shao, Lei
Computer simulation in biochemistry
Utrecht University, NL
Tel: 071-5155328
[email protected]
Zhu Yang, PhD
Senior Scientist
Praktijkonderzoek Plant & Omgeving (PPO) B.V.
Peelheideweg 1
5966 PJ, Horst America, NL
Tel: 077-4647575
[email protected]
[email protected]
Teng, Sheng, PhD
Department of Molecular Plant Physiology
University of Utrecht
Padualaan 8, 3584 CH, Utrecht, NL
Tel:030-253-9452(O), 030-253-3918(L),
[email protected]
http://www.bio.uu.nl/molplantphys/
Xu, Jian
57
PhD researcher
Plant Molecular Biology
Utrecht University, NL
[email protected]
Zhang, Zhongchun
PhD researcher
Biltstraat 196 Room 010,3572 BR UTRECHT, NL
Tel: 064143-6458
[email protected]
Zhao, Jun
PhD researcher
Physical Chemistry Department Medical centre of
Utrecht , Utrecht University, NL
[email protected]
Wageningen
Aarts, G.M. Mark, PhD
Lab of Genetics, Wageningen University
Arboretumlaan 4
6703 BD Wageningen, NL
tel: +31-317-485413
fax: +31-317-483146
www: http://www.dpw.wageningen-ur.nl/genetics/
Bai, Yuling
PhD researcher
Lab. of Plant Breeding
WUR, POBox 386, 6700 AJ Wageningen, NL
Tel:00-31-317-482838; Fax: 00-31-317-483457;
[email protected]
Bor, Rien, PhD
International Relations
Wageningen University, NL
[email protected]
Bonnema, Guusje, PhD
Laboratory of PlantBreeding; PO Box 386
6700 AJ Wageningen, NL
Tel: 031-317-484028
[email protected]
Darmo-Jaya-Supena, Ence PhD candidate Plant
Research International, Bioscience BU Bornsesteeg
65, 6708 PD Wageningen, NL
Tel: 031-317-475836
ence.darmo-jaya-supena
Gao, Zhongshan
Visiting Scientist
Bioscience Unit, Plant Research International
P.O. Box 16, 6700AA, Wageningen, NL
Tel: 0031-317-477181
[email protected]
Guo Da-wei, PhD
Organische Chemie, Building 316, Dreijenplein 8,
6703 HB WAGENINGEN, NL
Tel: 0317 4 84895; Fax: 0317 4 84914
[email protected]
Hu, Xue-hua
MSc Wageningen University
Beeldhouwerpad 142, 1315 KB, Almere, NL
Mobile: 06 2632 4961
[email protected]
Huang, Michiel, PhD
Postdoc
Fungal Genomics Section, Lab of Microbiology
Department of Agrotechnology and Food Sciences
Wageningen University, Dreijenlaan 2, 6703 HA
Wageningen, NL
Tel: +31-317-484239; Fax: +31-317-484011;
[email protected]
Huang, San-Wen
PhD researcher (Wageningen University)
Lab. of Plant Breeding, WUR, POBox 386, 6700 AJ
Wageningen, NL
[email protected]
Horsman, Karin, PhD
Experimentele Plantwetenschappen, Building 512,
Binnenhaven 5, Wageningen University, 6709 PD
WAGENINGEN, NL
The Netherlands
Tel: 0317-484757
[email protected]
Jacobsen, Evert PhD, Professor
Research Director
Wageningen Plant Sciences, NL
[email protected]
Ji, Qin
PhD researcher
Graduate School Experimental Plant Sciences,
Laboratory of plant Breeding, Wageningen, NL
University
Tel: 0317 4 83998
[email protected]
Jia, Li
PhD Candidate
Alterra, Droevendaalsesteeg 3
6708 PB WAGENINGEN, NL
Tel: 0317-474200; Fax: 0317 419000
[email protected]
Jiang, Rays
PhD researcher
Lab of Phytopathology, 6700EE, Postbus 8025,
Tel: 0317-483122
[email protected]
58
Li, Shipeng
Visiting Scientist
Plant Research International, Wageningen-UR, PO
Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, NL
Tel: 31-317-475902; Fax: 31-317-423110
Sun, Zhong-kui
PhD researcher
Plant Research International, P.O. Box 16, 6700 AA
Wageningen, NL
Tel: 0317-477327
[email protected]
[email protected]
Liu, Chun-Ming, PhD
Senior Scientist
Tel: 31-317-477330; Fax: 31-317-423110
[email protected]
http://www.hybtech.org/Liu.htm
http://www.plant.wag-ur.nl/
Wan, Xi
PhD researcher
Department of Molecular Biology
Tel: 0317-477113
Liu, Qing
PhD researcher
Lab of Phytopathology, 6700EE, Postbus 8025,
[email protected]
Qin, Ling, PhD
Postdoc
Lab of Nematology, Wageningen University,
Binnenhaven 5, Wageningen, NL
Tel:317-485255; Fax: 317-484254
[email protected]
http://www.dpw.wageningen-ur.nl/nema/
Qiu,Yutong
Lab of Entomology, Wageningen University, NL
Tel: 0317-482328
yu [email protected]
Ren, Xinying
PhD Researcher
Plant Research International
PO Box 16, 6700 AA Wageningen, NL
Tel: 31-317-477189; Mobile: 06-4193-2504
Fax: 31-317-418094
[email protected]
Speelman, Bert, Professor, Rector Magnificus
Wageningen University, Wageningen, NL
[email protected]
Su, Bob, PhD
Senior Scientist
Physical and environmental Science, Alterra,
Droevendaalsesteeg 3
6708 PB WAGENINGEN, NL
[email protected]
Sun, Haojie
MSc Student
103-A Binnenhaven 12 6709 PD Wageningen, NL
Tel: 0624183855
[email protected]
Wang Miqia
PhD candidate
Plant Research International, PO Box 16, 6700 AA
Wageningen
Tel: 0031-317-476819
[email protected]
Xing, Meiqing
Guest Scientist
Tel: 31-317-475902; Fax: 31-317-423110
[email protected]
Xu, Jun
PhD Researcher
Tel: 31-317-475902; Fax: 31-317-423110
[email protected]
Yan, Zhi-fu
PhD researcher
Troelstraweg 135, 6702 AJ Wageningen, NL
Tel: 31-317-422529
[email protected]
Yin, Xin-you, PhD
PhD (Wageningen University)
Postdoc fellow
Tel: 0317-482348
[email protected]
Zheng, Sijun, PhD
Postdoc
TeL: 0317-477283
[email protected]
[email protected]
59
Sponsor information
60
61
62
Research themes:
Theme 1: Developmental biology
Theme 2: Interactions between plants and biotic
agents
Theme 3: Metabolism and adaptation
Theme 4: Genome plasticity
The Graduate School 'Experimental Plant Sciences' (EPS) is an inter-university institution for
collaborative research and PhD/postdoc training of Wageningen University (WU), University of
Nijmegen (KUN), Utrecht University (UU), Leiden University (LU), Amsterdam Free University
(VU) and University of Amsterdam (UvA), WU provides the secretariat of EPS ('penvoerder').
EPS received accreditation by the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1993, 1998
and 2003.
Mission of EPS:
Ø to organize the training of PhD students and postdocs to become self-reliant, societal
skilled researchers in the field of basic and strategic research on healthy plants or plants
affected by biotic or abiotic factors. The understanding of the functioning of plants offers new
means for establishing sustainable agriculture and sustainable production of food, feed, nonfood and green energy, and is also essential for the management of renewable natural
resources.
Ø to create a national platform for academic experimental plant scientists for mutual
consultation, collaboration and co-ordination in research, research policy, fund raising,
societal discussions and representation at the national and international level, thus
contributing to solutions for societal problems.
www.graduateschool-eps.info
63
Plant Research International, Wageningen, Netherlands
Plant Research International is the ideal choice for clients and partners that place a premium on top
quality research. We combine leading-edge scientific research with innovation and an acute eye for
business. In addition, we offer you next-generation facilities and technologies, plus a genuine global
64
outlook. These attributes are further strengthened by our close ties to the market, which means the
organisation is fully prepared today for the research questions of tomorrow.
Plant Research International works within the Plant Sciences Group of Wageningen UR, together with
Applied Plant Research and Wageningen University.
Our strengths
genetics and genomics
biodiversity, biotechnology and developmental biology
biometry and bioinformatics
sustainable production systems and nutrient cycles
environmentally friendly crop protection and interactions between plants and their enemies
Plant Research International
P.O. Box 16
6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
Phone: +31 317 47 70 01
Fax: +31 317 41 80 94
E-mail:[email protected]
Internet site: http://www.plant.wageningen-ur.nl/
Location de Haaff (Building 107)
Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708 PB Wageningen
Location Born-Zuid (Building 122)
Bornsesteeg 65, 6708 PD Wageningen
65
66
Asia Plaza
Oriental Chinese and Japanese Restaurent (the Hu family)
Hoevenstein 217, 6708 AJ Wageningen, The Netherlands
Tel:
0317-450055
Fax:
0317-450101
67
Wageningen Map
o
68

Alterra: your environment is our concern

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