Faculty of Science and Technology The Biotechnology Centre

Transcription

1 THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES MONA CAMPUS Faculty of Science and Technology The Biotechnology Centre UWI-UNUBIOLAC International Biotechnology Symposium & Training Workshop DNA Fingerprinting of Plants: Approaches, Applications and Relevance to the Agricultural Sector in the Caribbean and Latin America August 8-12, 2016 Objectives of the Training: Improvement of crop productivity requires the coordinated action of traditional and new biotechnological knowledge which should translate into specific applications beneficial to the agricultural sector. Crop characterization from variety typing to transgenic cultivar identification is relevant in agricultural programs. The present theoretical/practical course aims to train students in different aspects of crop genotyping with emphasis in DNA profiles for cultivar identification and transgenic plants tracing as part of the biotechnological methods needed to enhance productive efficiency in the agro sector in the Caribbean and Latin American region. Course Description: Biotechnological tools have critical roles to play in providing solutions for the many global issues (Reynolds, 1999). To meet these challenges, and capitalize on the wealth of their resources, countries in the region have resorted to the systematic application of biotechnology (ECLAC, 2008a). Applications have focused on fermentation, enzyme technologies, tissue culture and recombinant DNA (rdna) technology. Although plant tissue culture appears to be the most developed, rdna technology has become of paramount importance in agriculture. One such aspect is molecular marker technology, which is used to identify a particular sequence of DNA (ECLAC, 2008a,b; 2009b & Asemota et al, 1996). The most common markers are: (a) Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) (b) Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) (c) Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) (d) Single Sequence repeat (SSR) (e) Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD). The information gained from molecular marker technology, can aid in accelerating breeding, ensuring sustainable systems of resource exploitation, providing traceability through DNA fingerprinting and developing methods of disease diagnosis, all of which are intrinsically linked to ensuring the region s agricultural development goals are met in a sustainable manner. 1

2 The proposed Course has been structured to offer training in DNA typing for cultivar identification and transgenic plant tracing to enhance efficiency and productivity in the agricultural sector in the Caribbean and Latin America. The entire Course will commence with a one day symposium focusing on state of the arts development in biotechnological applications for crop improvement, crop diversity and challenges from climate change; transgenic crops and byproducts development. This will be followed by an intensive four day laboratory-based Course which will introduce students to DNA fingerprinting methodologies - DNA isolation procedures, agarose gel electrophoresis, RAPD-PCR protocol, matrix construction and dendrogram analysis, and detection of transgenic plants. This aspect of the course will be divided into theoretical lectures and student seminars in the mornings and laboratory practical sessions in the afternoons. The target audience includes but not limited to Agricultural Researchers from their home Ministries of Agriculture, Researchers at Plant-based Institutions of Research, Academic Agro-Researchers in Universities, farmers, crop producers and exporters, Biotechnologists, Extension Officers, Scientific Advisers to Governments on Agriculture; Teachers/Lecturers, Policy Advisers, Biotechnology Research Students, Plant Science students, etc. and officers that work towards agricultural biotechnology development in their countries. At the end of the course, the students should be able to use DNA analysis to fingerprint various plant species in their respective countries, which will have an invaluable impact in the agro-developments therein. Participants Selection Criteria for the Training Workshop: Participants should be from around the Caribbean and Latin American countries interested in Biotechnology procedures relevant for boosting agro-based research. The course aims to train graduates in agriculture, biology, and biotechnology areas. The trainees will be selected according to their: 1- Curriculum vitae/research area 2- Affiliation to Agricultural Programmes/Divisions 3- Two letters of recommendation 4- Brief description of routine work and research project by the applicant. Tentative Programme: August 8, :00-08:30 A.M Registration Venue: Montego Bay Suite, PEGASUS 08:30-10:00 A.M UWI -FST, FMS & UNUBIOLAC in collaboration with MSTE, SRC, NCST, MICAF, PIOJ, JIPO Chairperson & Coordinator - Professor Dale Webber, PVC, School of Graduate Studies and Research 2

3 10:00-10:30 A.M Coffee Break 10:30-04:45P.M International Biotechnology Symposium on State of the Arts and Future of Agrobiotechnology in Latin America and the Caribbean Session-I (10:30-12:45P.M) Chairperson: 10:30-11:00 A.M Approaches to crop improvements and value chain extension applicable in the Caribbean 11:00-11:30 A.M 11:30-12:00P.M 12:00-12:30 P.M Development of biological and biotechnological methods for sustainable crop production. Opportunities and constraints to biotechnological applications in Latin America and the Caribbean: Is it an even game in the region? Crop diversity and challenges from climate change: Should we expand the use of minor crops, with better nutritional qualities, environmental sustainability or resilience and require lower inputs than major crops. 12:30-12:45 P.M Questions & Answers 12:45-02:30 P.M Chairperson: Session-II (02:30-04:45 P.M) 02:30-03:00 P.M An insight into the development of virus resistant transgenic crops. 3

4 03:00-03:30 P.M DNA Profiling & its importance in agriculture in the Caribbean 03:30-03:50 P.M Biological approaches for agro improvement: the contribution of the parasitologists 03:50-04:05 P.M Coffee Break 04:05-04:35 P.M By-products development in agriculture 04:35-04:50 P.M Intellectual Property Issues in Agriculture 04:50-05:00 P.M Questions & Answers August 9, 2016 International Biotechnology Training Workshop on DNA Fingerprinting of Plants Lecture 1: Basics of DNA fingerprinting & applications to selected Caribbean crops. 09:30-10:30A.M 10:30-12:00P.M 12:00-01:30P.M 01:30-04:30P.M Lecture 2: Setting up and establishing a DNA fingerprinting laboratory for plant genetic typing. Participants Seminar Preparation Seminar Topics Laboratory 1: DNA isolation from plant tissues of selected Caribbean crops (Yam - Dioscorea spp. at least 20 different accessions from five species. Papaya - Carica papaya several samples & Cocoa.) 4

5 August 10, :30-10:30A.M Lecture 3: Basics of transgenic plants, the case of virus resistant Papaya varieties. Lecture 4: Detection of transgenic plants. 10:30-12:00P.M 12:00-01:30P.M 01:30-04:30P.M Participants Seminar Laboratory 2: DNA Analysis: Gel electrophoresis and spectrophotometric quantification. Set up of PCR for DNA fingerprinting (Yam DNA) and transgenic plant detection (Papaya DNA) & Cocoa. August 11, :30-12:00P.M Lecture 5: Use and application of Dendrogram analysis of fingerprint profiles. Participants Seminar 12:00-01:30P.M 01:30-04:30P.M Laboratory 3: Electrophoresis profiles of DNA fingerprints, further amplifications with selected primers. August 12,

6 09:30-12:30P.M 12:30-01:30P.M Lecture 6: Bioinformatics in plant biotechnology Laboratory 4: Matrix analysis and dendrogram construction Results, Final discussions of results. 01:30-03:30P.M Review of Results & Evaluations 03:30-5:00P.M Certificates presentation. Closing Ceremony. August 13, 2016 Departure 6