Biotecnologia Aplicada, vol. 15, no. 04, 1998
BIOSCI Administrator
CC Vol. 15 No. 4 (October-December, 1998)
CC ISSN 0864-4551 (printed)
CC ISSN 1027-2852 (electronic)
CC Copyright 1998, Elfos Scientiae.
CC Founded in 1983 and published as Interferon y
CC Biotecnologia until 1990, Biotecnologia Aplicada is a
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CC of Biotechnology Applied to Health.
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AU José Esparza
IN Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS),
20, avenue Appia CH-1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland. Phone:
(41) 7914393; Fax: (41) 7914165; E-mail: espa...@who.ch
TI Aids vaccines in a global perspective
DE AIDS vaccines
DE HIV/AIDS epidemics
DE HIV prevention
DE vaccine trials
SO Biotecnología Aplicada 1998;15:213-217
AB The undoubtable effectiveness achieved by the multidrug
therapy, should not hamper the willingness and efforts of
governments, the private sector and health organizations,
nor diminish the interest of researchers, in the
development of effective vaccines to control the HIV
pandemics. The accessibility to retroviral
polychemiotherapy of large masses of infected and sick
persons, as well as the long term persistence of the
effectiveness of this approach, are far from being
confirmed and even less, guaranteed. For these reasons
many specialists are convinced that a safe, effective and
accessible vaccine continues as a priority to bring the
HIV/AIDS epidemics under control, specially in developing
countries. Here a number of obstacles in the scientific
field are analyzed which must be overcome or in some way
circumvented to advance in the vaccine race. The multiple
candidates and ingenious vaccine concepts explored at a
laboratory, preclinical or clinical level are also
reviewed, which demonstrate the motivation, imagination
and creativeness of researchers facing the complex nature
of this virus and the enormous challenge imposed by its
global spreading. The state of the art regarding human
trials at different phases is updated, including the
efforts of developing countries involved in the trial and
two of them in the development and trial of vaccine
candidates, under strict ethical and methodological
standards. The role of UNAIDS in the integration,
coordination and support of these efforts is pointed out
CC Review article
CC Language: English
AU Enrique Iglesias
IN División de Vacunas, Centro de Ingeniería Genética y
Biotecnología. apartado postal 6162,Ciudad de La Habana,
Cuba. E-mail: si...@serverdos.cigb.edu.cu
TI Human Immunodeficence Virus Type 1 Co-receptors
DE co-receptor
DE CCR2b
DE CCR3
DE CCR5
DE CXCR4
DE HIV
SO Biotecnología Aplicada 1998;15:219-226
AB For a long time ago is known that CD4 molecule is not
enough to promote viral entry. A new period in the viral
studies began when the first correceptor was reported in
May 1996. The 5% of the people resistant to HIV infection
can be explained by the knowledge of the genetic
polymorphism of one of them (CCR5). Without any doubt
their inclusion in HIV-1 pathogenesis models make
possible to predict in a more accurate way the chain of
phenomena associated with infection. Although it is
possible that new therapeutic strategies are generated
based on the selective blockade of the second HIV-1
receptors.
CC Review article
CC Language: Spanish
AU Bianca García, Manuel Raíces, Julio Delgado,
Göran Pettersson
IN Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología. Ave. 31
entre 158 y 190, CP 10600, La Habana, Cuba. E-mail:
ba...@cigb.edu.cu
Department of Biochemistry, University of Uppsala,
Uppsala, Sweden
TI PCC2, a new transposon-like element in the white rot
fungus phanerochaete chrysosporium
DE cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH)
DE gene
DE Phanerochaete chrysosporium
DE transposon-like element
SO Biotecnología Aplicada 1998;15:227-231
AB The gene encoding cellobiose dehydrogenase from
Phanerochaete chrysosporium K3 was isolated through PCR
and its 3045 bp nucleotide sequence determined. Two
distinct 5' flanking sequences were identified by
Southern blot hybridization, both having a common 650 bp
region, but one of them interrupted by a 2657 bp
transposon-like element located at 425 bp upstream from
the initial ATG. This element, named Pcc2, carried 14 bp
inverted terminal repeats while lacking the conserved
transposase motif it is flanked by a 2 bp (GT) target
duplication site and is present at a high copy number
throughout the P. chrysosporium K3 genome
CC Research Article
CC Language: English
AU Aida Díaz-Ruano, Magdalena Segura-Nieto, Berenice Cuevas,
Thierry Prangè3
IN Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología PO Box
6162, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. Telf: (53-7) 21 8164,
21 8466; Fax: (53-7) 21 8070; E-mail: mo...@cigb.edu.cu
Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del
Instituto Politécnico Nacional de México Unidad Irapuato,
PO Box 629, 36 500, Irapuato. Gto., México.
Laboratoire pour l Útilisation du Rayonnement
Electromagnetique (LURE), Bâtiment 209-D, Centre
Universitaire Paris Sud. 91405 Orsay Cedex. France.
TI Human interferon alpha 2b behaves as a trimer at basic
pH. A preliminary x-ray diffraction analysis of human
alpha interferon crystals grown at basic pH
DE crosslinking reagents
DE gel filtration
DE interferon
DE protein crystals
DE quaternary structure
DE sedimentation equilibrium
DE X-ray diffraction
SO Biotecnología Aplicada 1998;15:232-236
AB Recombinant human alpha 2b interferon (hum alpha 2bIFN)
was studied by sedimentation, gel filtration and
crosslinking experiences. These experiences showed that
the quaternary structure of hum alpha 2bIFN changes at
different pH. A preliminary X-ray analysis of low
resolution orthorhombic crystals of this molecule was
done and the crystallographic asymmetric unit contains 12
molecules, possibly four trimers according to the
previous sedimentation, gel filtration and crosslinking
experiences. The role of the Zn2+ ions in the
stabilization of the quaternary structure of alpha
interferon is discussed
CC Research Article
CC Language: English
AU Pedro A Prats, Lázaro O Castañeda, Viviana Falcón,
Rafael Ortega, María C de la Rosa, Ivón Menéndez,
Violeta Labarta, Raúl Gómez
IN Departamento de Estudios Preclínicos, Departamento de
Microscopía Electrónica, División de Estudios Clínicos,
Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología. AP 6162,
CP 10600, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. Fax: (53-7) 21 8070;
E-mail: bio...@cigb.edu.cu. 3Departamento de Cirugía
Experimental, Centro de Investigaciones Médico-
Quirúrgicas. Calle 216 y 11-B, Siboney, Playa, AP 6096,
Habana 6, Cuba.
TI Efecto del factor de crecimiento epidérmico sobre la
regeneración del nervio ciático transectado en ratas
DE EGF
DE peripheral nerve injury
DE sciatic nerve
SO Biotecnologia Aplicada 1998;15:237-241
AB Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a well known mitogen
involved in the reparation process of a variety of
tissues, however, no action on peripheral nerve system
has been reported so far. In this study we evaluate the
effects of EGF administration on some ultrastructural
indicators of sciatic nerve regeneration after
transection in Sprague Dawley rats. The design included
five groups (non operated control, saline control, and
three EGF treated groups: 0.5; 5.0, and 10 mg/mL). The
administration lasted 20 days. The animals were
sacrificed and the samples were ultrastructurally
evaluated at days 21, 60 and 90 post-lesion. It was
demonstrated a dose-dependent effect of EGF on axonal
regeneration levels, more pronounced in the group treated
with EGF 10 mg/mL. This result suggests that EGF is a
potential candidate for the treatment of peripheral nerve
disorders
CC Research Article
CC Language: Spanish
AU Alejandro D Fuentes, Natacha Soto, Dubiel Alfonso, Pedro
Oramas
IN División de Plantas, Centro de Ingeniería Genética y
Biotecnología. AP 6162, CP 10600, Ciudad de La Habana,
Cuba. Fax: (53-7) 21 8070; E-mail: virp...@cigb.edu.cu
TI Estudio de las condiciones de cultivo para la
regeneración de plantas de tomate (lycopersicon
esculentum mill), a partir de cotiledones y hojas de la
variedad campbell 28
DE Lycopersicon esculentum
DE regeneration
DE tomato
SO Biotecnología Aplicada 1998;15:242-245
AB The influence of different compounds of the culture media
such as hormone and sucrose concentrations and the type
of gelling agent on regeneration of tomato (Lycopersicon
esculentum Mill) plants from cotyledons and leaves of
cultivar Campbell 28 was studied. It was established
that, for cotyledons, the optimal concentrations of
zeatine and indolacetic acid are 0.5 and 0.1 mg/L,
respectively, in a culture media with 20 g/L of sucrose
and 0.2% of Gel-Rite, where the average amount of shoots
obtained per explant was 2.75. In the case of leaves, the
optimal conditions for regeneration were achieved with
0.5 mg/L of zeatine and 0.4 mg/L of indolacetic acid in a
culture media, containing 20 g/L of sucrose and 0.7% of
agar, and reaching three shoots per explant
CC Research Article
CC Language: Spanish
AU Santiago Dueñas, Rolando Pajón, Maité Delgado, Erick C
Nogueiras, Alejandro Martín
IN Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología. AP 6162,
CP 10600, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba. Fax: (53-7) 218070;
E-mail: ricard...@cigb.edu.cu
TI Electroporation of neisseria meningitidis with plasmid
DNA
DE electroporation
DE N. meningitidis
DE transformation efficiency
SO Biotecnología Aplicada 1998;15:247-249
AB In this paper we describe an electroporation protocol for
Neisseria meningitidis. Plasmid vectors up to 12.5 kb,
containing a selection marker, flanked by genomic
regions, were constructed and used to select
electroporation conditions. When nonpiliated B385 cells,
suspended in electroporation buffer (glycerol 15%; MgCl2
1 mM; Sucrose 272 mM; HEPES 1 mM; pH 7.2), were mixed
with 200 ng of plasmid DNA and a single pulse of 11.5
kV/cm, 400 W and 25 mF was applied (in a BioRad Gene
Pulser II), transformation efficiencies up to 6.5 x 104
transformants/mg and survival rates of up to 80% were
reached. The generation with this method, of an lpdA
neisserial knock-out mutant, is also shown. To date this
is the first electroporation report in meningococci
CC Article on Techniques
CC Language: English
AU Rolando Ochoa Azze
IN DACTA, Instituto Finlay, Ave. 27 No. 19805, AP 16017, La
Lisa CP 11600, La Habana, Cuba. Fax: (53-7) 33 6754;
E-mail: inmuno...@finlay.edu.cu
TI A new format ELISA for the detection of HBsAG
DE conjugate stability
DE HBsAg
DE HBsAg stability
DE new format ELISA
DE one step ELISA
SO Biotecnología Aplicada 1998;15:250-253
AB A new ELISA has been standardised, using two monoclonal
antibodies directed against HBsAg. The sheep anti-
HBsAg/alkaline phosphatase conjugate and the positive
control were dehydrated at 37 °C for 18 h and 35%
relative humidity. Sucrose was used as stabiliser with an
optimum concentration of 125 mg/mL. The one step ELISA is
carried out by adding a washing solution into control
wells and samples into the remainder. Sensitivity and
specificity were 100%. Discrimination value was 0.22
U/mL. Stability was studied for coating antibodies,
dehydrated conjugate and the dehydrated positive control.
The stability during their use was over 80% at 150 days
and storage stability at 2-8 °C was over 80% a year after
CC Article on Techniques
CC Language: English
AU Tamara Menéndez, Luis M Alonso, Mairet Pérez, Rolando
Pajón, Ricardo Silva
IN Centro de Ingeniería Genética y Biotecnología. Ave 31
entre 158 y 190.
AP 6162, CP 10600, Cubanacán, Habana, Cuba.
E-mail: Ricard...@cigb.edu.cu
TI Influence of the length of the p64k protein n-terminus
stabilizing peptide on the expression in Escherichia coli
of the fused tbpb from neisseria meningitidis
DE P64k protein
DE transferrin binding proteins
DE TbpB
DE expression system
DE fusion proteins
SO Biotecnología Aplicada 1998;15:254-257
AB In order to improve the previously patented system for
the expression of heterologous antigens in Escherichia
coli, the possibility of reducing the length of the 45
amino acid (aa) stabilizer peptide from the P64k protein
of Neisseria meningitidis, was investigated. The TbpB
protein from N. meningitidis was expressed fused to the
first 23 and 11 aa from the P64k protein and without the
stabilizer peptide. The levels of expression of the TbpB
protein were very low, only detectable by Western
blotting when expressed without the stabilizer peptide or
fused to the first 11 aa from the P64k protein. High
levels of expression were achieved when the protein was
expressed fused to the first 23 aa from the P64k protein.
These results showed that it is possible to reduce the
length of the stabilizer peptide derived from the P64k
protein to one half without affecting the levels of
expression of the fusion protein
CC Article on Techniques
CC Language: English
AU Albert Sasson
IN United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization 7, place de Fontenoy-75352 Paris 07
SP-France. Fax: (33-1) 45685555
TI Biotechnologies in the medical bioindustry
DE bioprocesses
DE biotechnology
DE development strategies
DE pharmaceutical industry
DE research and development
SO Biotecnología Aplicada 1998;15:267-275
AB Developing countries should not arrive late to modern
biotechnology considering it too sophisticated instead of
appropriate and useful for their development strategies.
Making biotechnological products available to the people
who need them to improve their nutrition, health and
welfare is a challenge and a goal to be targeted by the
government agencies, research and technological
development institutes in the field, as well as the
concerned international organizations. The industrial and
financial sectors have a role to play and their points of
view must be sufficiently far-reaching as to devise
specific plans to gain access to the vast, poorly
explored and potentially rewarding market of the Third
World. The integrated use of bioengineering techniques
and suitable genetically-engineered strains will render
bioprocesses more efficient and cheaper, contributing to
obtain products more affordable to people. The
biopharmaceutical industry provides an example where a
compromise is crucial between the people's needs and
industrial need of profits
CC Focus
CC Language: English
AU Agustín Lage
IN Centro de Inmunología Molecular. Calle 216 esq. A 15,
Atabey, Playa, AP 16040, Habana 11600, Cuba.
Telf: (53-7) 21 4335; E-mail: la...@ict.cim.sld.cu
TI Cancer and autoimmunity: Building the bridge
SO Biotecnología Aplicada 1998;15:259-266
CC Report
CC Language: English