Report on the SCRA Nuts and Bolts Workshop II: case studies of citrus greening, Ultra-low Gossypol Cotton, and blight tolerant, low-acrylamide potato.

To be commercialized and grown in the US, genetically engineered (GE) crops typically go through an extensive food, feed, and environmental safety assessment process which, in certain instances, requires complex consultations with three different US regulatory agencies. Many small market, niche, and specialty crops have been genetically engineered using the modern tools of recombinant DNA but few have been commercialized due to real or perceived regulatory constraints. This workshop discussed the practical aspects of developing dossiers on GE specialty, niche, or small-market crops/products for submission to US regulatory agencies. This workshop focused on actual case studies, and provided an opportunity for public or private sector scientists and crop developers to spend time with regulatory officials to learn the specifics of compiling a dossier for regulatory approval. The objective of the workshop was to explain and demystify data requirements and regulatory dossier compilation by small companies, academics, and other developers.

Development of a green binder system for paper products.

BACKGROUND: It is important for industries to find green chemistries for manufacturing their products that have utility, are cost-effective and that protect the environment. The paper industry is no exception. Renewable resources derived from plant components could be an excellent substitute for the chemicals that are currently used as paper binders. Air laid pressed paper products that are typically used in wet wipes must be bound together so they can resist mechanical tearing during storage and use. The binders must be strong but cost-effective. Although chemical binders are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency, the public is demanding products with lower carbon footprints and that are derived from renewable sources. RESULTS: In this project, carbohydrates, proteins and phenolic compounds were applied to air laid, pressed paper products in order to identify potential renewable green binders that are as strong as the current commercial binders, while being organic and renewable. Each potential green binder was applied to several filter paper strips and tested for strength in the direction perpendicular to the cellulose fibril orientation. Out of the twenty binders surveyed, soy protein, gelatin, zein protein, pectin and Salix lignin provided comparable strength results to a currently employed chemical binder. CONCLUSIONS: These organic and renewable binders can be purchased in large quantities at low cost, require minimal reaction time and do not form viscous solutions that would clog sprayers, characteristics that make them attractive to the non-woven paper industry. As with any new process, a large-scale trial must be conducted along with an economic analysis of the procedure. However, because multiple examples of "green" binders were found that showed strong cross-linking activity, a candidate for commercial application will likely be found.

Delivery of subunit vaccines in maize seed.

The use of recombinant gene technologies by the vaccine industry has revolutionized the way antigens are generated, and has provided safer, more effective means of protecting animals and humans against bacterial and viral pathogens. Viral and bacterial antigens for recombinant subunit vaccines have been produced in a variety of organisms. Transgenic plants are now recognized as legitimate sources for these proteins, especially in the developing area of oral vaccines, because antigens have been shown to be correctly processed in plants into forms that elicit immune responses when fed to animals or humans. Antigens expressed in maize (Zea mays) are particularly attractive since they can be deposited in the natural storage vessel, the corn seed, and can be conveniently delivered to any organism that consumes grain. We have previously demonstrated high level expression of the B-subunit of Escherichia coli heat-labile enterotoxin and the spike protein of swine transmissible gastroenteritis in corn, and have demonstrated that these antigens delivered in the seed elicit protective immune responses. Here we provide additional data to support the potency, efficacy, and stability of recombinant subunit vaccines delivered in maize seed.