In this article we will discuss about:- 1. Introduction to AGERI 2. Location of AGERI 3. Goals 4. Contribution 5. Research and Scientific Collaboration 6. Examples of Projects.
Contents:
- Introduction to AGERI
- Location of AGERI
- Goals of AGERI in the Agricultural Community
- Contribution by AGERI
- Research and Scientific Collaboration of AGERI
- Examples of Projects at AGERI
1. Introduction to AGERI:
The Agricultural Genetic Engineering Research Institute (AGERI) represents a vehicle within the agricultural arena for the transfer and application of this new technology. The original establishment of AGERI in 1990 was the result of a commitment to expertise in agricultural biotechnology. At the time of its genesis, AGERI was named the National Agricultural Genetic Engineering Laboratory (NAGEL).
The rapid progress of its activities during the first three years encouraged the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation to authorize the foundation of AGERI, constituting the second phase of the national goal for excellence in genetic engineering and biotechnology. AGERI aims to adopt the most recent technologies available worldwide and apply them to address existing problems in Egyptian agriculture.
2.
Location of AGERI:
The physical location of AGERI is within the Agricultural Research Center (ARC) in Giza. This not only facilitates an interface with ARC’s ongoing research programmes, but also provides a focal point for biotechnology and genetic engineering for crop applications in Egypt. AGERI has upgraded the existing laboratory and has a total net area of 1116 m2, consisting of 14 modernly equipped laboratories, the Bio-Computing and Networks Unit, a central facility, a preparation/washing facility and a supply repository.
In addition, the physical infrastructure at AGERI includes:
a. Recently completed ‘Conviron’ controlled environment chambers (140 m2) used to acclimatize transgenic plant material.
b. A fibre-glass greenhouse (307 m2).
A containment greenhouse (412 m2), consisting of eight units, three laboratories and a head-house and complying with biosafety and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and EPA (Environment Protection Agency) regulations. This greenhouse supports various lines of locally produced transgenic plants with new traits. Experiments which test the level of gene expression in transgenic plants take place in this modern facility.
To establish the core nucleus of biotechnology in Egypt, AGERI is adopting the most recent technologies available worldwide and applying them to address existing challenges in Egyptian agriculture. This includes employing the Bio-Computing and Networks Unit, an information centre which supports the research activities at AGERI, to provide worldwide networking capabilities to access databases and biotechnology information centres located abroad, as well as a forum for discussion of technical issues with experts from all over the world through the e-mail facility. The unit provides electronic literature searches on CD-ROM and maintains a software library to meet the bio-computing and publishing needs of the institute.
Term Paper # 3.
Goals of AGERI in the Agricultural Community:
a. Advance agriculture using biotechnology and genetic engineering capabilities available worldwide to meet contemporary problems of Egyptian agriculture.
b. Broaden the research and development capabilities and scope of the Agricultural Research Center in the public and private sectors i.e. initiation of new programme areas and application to a wider array of crop species.
c. Expand and diversify the pool of highly qualified trained professionals in the area of biotechnology and genetic engineering.
d. Provide opportunities for university trained professionals, e.g. faculty researchers and teachers, the Ministry of Agriculture (professional researchers) and private venture companies to cooperate in agricultural genetic engineering research.
e. Promote opportunities for private sector development.
f. Achieve the desired level of self-reliance and self-financing within AGERI to mobilize the funds necessary for maintaining laboratories.
AGERI is seeking to fulfil in Africa and the Middle East, as an emerging center of excellence for plant genetic engineering and biotechnology. AGERI will act as an interface between elite centers and laboratories from the international scientific community and research centres, universities and the private sector in Egypt, the Middle East and Africa. The major goal is to assist and provide the mechanism for proper technology transfer to benefit relevant agricultural mandates.
Term Paper # 4.
Contribution by AGERI:
One of many vital contributions made by AGERI is the identification and recruitment of a collective group of 17 high calibre, dedicated senior scientists.
Each one is a vital link in achieving programme goals for crop improvement. The senior scientists have institutional affiliations within Egypt as well as their scientific responsibilities within AGERI. They are representatives and practicing faculty members from six Egyptian universities, as well as various national agricultural research centers, and work at AGERI on a joint-appointment basis which maximizes their interaction between the academic and research domains.
Their high level of international training, in conjunction with their enthusiasm to invest their talents into AGERI’s biotechnology programmes, is an encouraging addition to Egypt’s agricultural technology development.
Another vital contribution of AGERI has been its role as an interface between the international scientific community and Egypt. Once AGERI became fully commissioned, the research and postdoctoral education components of the project commenced.
Various seminars and conferences have been held at AGERI with highly qualified international consultants. Over 60 study tours have taken both senior scientists and junior assistants of AGERI to various international biotechnology centres in Europe, North America and Asia to attend conferences or training courses.
Condensed, short courses and seminars concentrating on the basics of biotechnology have been conducted by members of our local staff. Educational activities have been promoted as a result of this linkage and have encouraged cooperation with international researchers and laboratories. Opportunities have been supplied for the exchange of genetic probes, DNA libraries and vectors. Contacts with research centers worldwide have been encouraged and initiated to facilitate meaningful interactions.
Training Courses at AGERI:
These include:
a. An International Training Course on the Use of Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms (RFLPs) and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) for Crop Improvement, November 1991.
b. A Regional Training Course on the Application of PCR and Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) in Plant Virus Diagnostics, May 1992.
c. A Course in Modern Methods in Microbial Molecular Biology, April 1993.
d. A Regional Training Course on Tissue Culture and Micro-propagation in Plants with Special Emphasis on Date Palm.
Term Paper # 5.
Research and Scientific Collaboration of AGERI:
AGERI has been successful in attracting funds to sponsor its research from the following international organizations:
a. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), as a co-funding agency which supported the initial research at NAGEL, currently AGERI.
b. A cooperative research agreement between AGERI and the Agricultural Biotechnology for Sustainable Productivity (ABSP) project based at Michigan State University, which is funded by United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/Cairo, under the Agricultural Technology Utilization and Transfer (ATUT) project.
This activity facilitates interaction between AGERI’s scientists and researchers from a number of prominent American universities and private industry, i.e. Michigan State University, Cornell University, University of Wyoming, University of Arizona, Pioneer Hi-Bred, and the Scripps Research Institute. Moreover, other USAID funded research has been collaboratively executed with the University of Maryland, and the USDA-ARS, Beltsville.
c. Recently, the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), located in Aleppo, Syria, has contracted AGERI to conduct research on their mandated crops.
The projects conducted at AGERI are based on the concept of maintaining a programme that is focused on the problems of Egypt. The immediate objectives are to develop and deliver transgenic cultivars of major crops of economic importance in Egypt.
The most recent and successful genetic engineering technologies are used to address this need. These projects also represent a spectrum of increasingly complex scientific challenges which require the state-of-the-art technologies of genetic engineering and gene transfer.
Gene manipulation techniques such as cloning, sequencing, coding modifications, construction of genomic and cDNA libraries, and plant regeneration in tissue culture, are just a few examples of the cellular and molecular biology methodologies that are utilized for the production of transgenic plants. The successful implementation of these projects is establishing a national capacity within Egypt for the sustainable production of crops crucial to the economy and a safer, cleaner environment.
Term Paper # 6.
Examples of Projects at AGERI:
a. Genetic engineering of virus resistance in a number of crops including – production of potato resistant to important viruses in Egypt [potato potyvirus X (PVX), potato potyvirus Y (PVY), potato leaf roll leutovirus (PLRV)]; production of transgenic tomatoes resistant to geminiviruses such as tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV); introduction of virus resistance in squash and melon against zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV); and finally the production of transgenic faba bean conferring resistance to bean yellow mosaic virus (BYMV) and faba bean necrotic yellow virus (FBNYV).
b. Engineering of insect-resistant plants with Bacillus thuringiensis crystal protein genes. Bt genes are used in transformed cotton, maize, potato and tomato plants to resist major insect pests.
c. Genetic engineering for fungal resistance using the chitinase gene concept for the development of transgenic maize, tomato and faba bean expressing resistance to fungal diseases caused by Fusarium sp., Alternaria sp. and Botrytis fabae.
d. Enhancing the nutritional quality of faba bean seed protein by the successful transfer of the methionine gene to faba bean plants.
e. Cloning the genes encoding important economic traits in tomatoes, faba beans and cotton especially those related to stress tolerance i.e. heat shock proteins and genes responsible for osmoregulation.
f. Mapping the rapeseed genome in order to develop cultivars adapted to the constraints of the Egyptian environment and thus securing a good source of edible oil.
g. Developing efficient diagnostic tools for the identification and characterization of major viruses in Egypt.
These projects are relevant to Egyptian agriculture since they reflect a significant positive impact on agricultural productivity and foreign exchange. To illustrate, Egyptian Bt transgenic cotton, resistant to major insect pests, would result in substantial savings of US$50 million spent annually on the purchase of imported pesticides.
Mapping of oilseed rape has the potential to substantially reduce the 400,000 tons of edible oil which is imported into Egypt annually. Similarly, transgenic potato varieties resistant to selected viruses and insect pests would prevent the expenditure of approximately US$33 million per annum in the import of seed potatoes.