September 2013 - Seminars - maillist.psb.ugent.be

PSB event reminder
by contact＠psb.vib-ugent.be 11 Sep '13

11 Sep '13

Calendar Name: seminars Scheduled for: Wednesday, September 11 2013, 11:00 - 12:30 Event text: Em. Prof Marc Van Montagu VIB Ghent University IPBO Gent BELGIUM Details: �Science & Technology and the Social and Economic Importance of GM-Crops� ABSTRACT The discovery and use of Agrobacterium mediated gene transfer to plants brought the tools for studying the molecular basis of plant basic physiology, growth and development, stress response and information on the establishment of ecological niches of plant species. Genomic studies taught us that the plant genome, unlike the Mendelian concept of mid 20th century, is a quite dynamic structure full of rearrangements and translocations. The fast adaptation of phenotypes is a very complex process controlled by a diversity of regulatory RNA's and peptides. There was immediately great interest in using this new transgene technology for the production of improved and high yielding crops, better adapted to different agro-ecological environments. This is indeed an urgent need because the unprecedented population growth and the inequity in resource availability generated huge famines, massive deforestation and intensive industrial pollution in the last century. Despite the Green Revolution, more than a billion people today are still undernourished and half of the world population lives in deep poverty. Unfortunately, political movements started spreading disinformation on plant biotechnology, and over the years opposition against GM-crops grew in many European countries, blocking further applications of the technology in Europe and by extension in many developing countries. This moratorium was established without proof of any danger for the health of humans or other vertebrates, or detriment to the environment. The 170 million ha GM-crops now cultivated yearly in a limited number of countries, comprise only corn, soy, cotton and some canola. Only six multinational companies provide the seeds and extension services. How could such an anti-science situation arise? Can a better understanding of the fears and beliefs that guide our decision-making help to engage in a better dialogue with society? How can we turn a fear aversion into a positive action for science and technology? This year the World Food Prize, which recognizes achievements extremely precious for society, was given to the scientists who develop transgenic plants. I hope this recognition will help to convey this important message to society: GM agriculture is our biggest opportunity for having a less environmentally damaging agriculture, while still meeting the food needs of an ever-growing population. Only through cooperation and mutual understanding will it be possible to capture and develop the true potential of this exciting technology, to create a more livable and environmentally stable society. ��______________________________________________________________________________________________ Van Montagu M. (2011) It is a Long Way to GM Agriculture. Annual Review of Plant Biology 62: 1-23

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PSB event reminder
by contact＠psb.vib-ugent.be 09 Sep '13

09 Sep '13

Calendar Name: seminars Scheduled for: Wednesday, September 11 2013, 11:00 - 12:30 Event text: Em. Prof Marc Van Montagu VIB Ghent University IPBO Gent BELGIUM Details: �Science & Technology and the Social and Economic Importance of GM-Crops� ABSTRACT The discovery and use of Agrobacterium mediated gene transfer to plants brought the tools for studying the molecular basis of plant basic physiology, growth and development, stress response and information on the establishment of ecological niches of plant species. Genomic studies taught us that the plant genome, unlike the Mendelian concept of mid 20th century, is a quite dynamic structure full of rearrangements and translocations. The fast adaptation of phenotypes is a very complex process controlled by a diversity of regulatory RNA's and peptides. There was immediately great interest in using this new transgene technology for the production of improved and high yielding crops, better adapted to different agro-ecological environments. This is indeed an urgent need because the unprecedented population growth and the inequity in resource availability generated huge famines, massive deforestation and intensive industrial pollution in the last century. Despite the Green Revolution, more than a billion people today are still undernourished and half of the world population lives in deep poverty. Unfortunately, political movements started spreading disinformation on plant biotechnology, and over the years opposition against GM-crops grew in many European countries, blocking further applications of the technology in Europe and by extension in many developing countries. This moratorium was established without proof of any danger for the health of humans or other vertebrates, or detriment to the environment. The 170 million ha GM-crops now cultivated yearly in a limited number of countries, comprise only corn, soy, cotton and some canola. Only six multinational companies provide the seeds and extension services. How could such an anti-science situation arise? Can a better understanding of the fears and beliefs that guide our decision-making help to engage in a better dialogue with society? How can we turn a fear aversion into a positive action for science and technology? This year the World Food Prize, which recognizes achievements extremely precious for society, was given to the scientists who develop transgenic plants. I hope this recognition will help to convey this important message to society: GM agriculture is our biggest opportunity for having a less environmentally damaging agriculture, while still meeting the food needs of an ever-growing population. Only through cooperation and mutual understanding will it be possible to capture and develop the true potential of this exciting technology, to create a more livable and environmentally stable society. ��______________________________________________________________________________________________ Van Montagu M. (2011) It is a Long Way to GM Agriculture. Annual Review of Plant Biology 62: 1-23

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PSB event reminder
by contact＠psb.vib-ugent.be 05 Sep '13

05 Sep '13

Calendar Name: seminars Scheduled for: Thursday, September 5 2013, 14:00 - 15:30 Event text: Prof Catherine Bellini Ume� Plant Sciences Center Department of Plant Physiology Ume� University Ume� SWEDEN Details: �Adventitious rooting: an adaptive response at the crosstalk of auxin and jasmonate� ABSTRACT Adventitious rooting (AR), a limiting step for vegetative propagation of plants, is a quantitative genetic trait with a high phenotypic plasticity due to multiple endogenous and environmental regulatory factors. This highly plastic trait is controlled in Arabidopsis by a subtle balance between positive and negative transcriptional regulators (ARF6, ARF8 and ARF17), themselves regulated by microRNAs (MIR160 and MIR167) and repressors from the Aux/IAA gene family. The three ARF genes control AR by modulating jasmonic acid levels. Thus, AR is an adaptive response at the crosstalk of auxin and jasmonate signaling pathways.

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Seminar Em. Prof Marc Van Montagu on Wednesday, September 11 at 11 am
by Delphine Verspeel 05 Sep '13

05 Sep '13

You are receiving this e-mail because you subscribed to our seminars announcements and reminders service at https://maillist.psb.ugent.be/mailman/listinfo/seminars . If you do not wish to receive this information anymore, please unsubscribe from future mailings at https://maillist.psb.ugent.be/mailman/options/seminars . cid:946540515@15122008-0D1CPSBcid:946540515@15122008-0D23 VIB - Department of Plant Systems Biology Technologiepark 927 B - 9052 Gent/Zwijnaarde Phone: +32 9 33 13 800 Fax: +32 9 33 13 809 Http://www.psb.vib-ugent.be

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PSB event reminder
by contact＠psb.vib-ugent.be 04 Sep '13

04 Sep '13

Calendar Name: seminars Scheduled for: Friday, September 6 2013, 10:00 - 11:30 Event text: Prof J. Chris Pires University of Missouri Columbia Missouri USA Details: �Whole genome duplications and the origin of novelty� ABSTRACT Ancient whole genome duplications (WGDs) are ubiquitous throughout the evolutionary history of higher eukaryotic lineages. These events have been hypothesized to be the basisfor major evolutionary transitions, including the origin of novel traits in large species radiations across plants, fungi, protozoa, and animals. Repeated rounds of WGDs, or polyploid events, have been best documented among the flowering plants, and tend to be phylogenetically near the origin of speciose clades. However, the mechanism driving diversification remains poorly understood. We analyzed the impact of the two most recent WGDs in Arabidopsis on diversification rates and the origin of novel phenotypes. Phylogenetic analyses of these two WGDs show thatboth events occurred following mass extinction events. The origin of two novel classes of chemical defenses, indole and met- derived glucosinolates (i.e. mustard oils), are associated with duplicated regulatory and biosynthetic pathways that arose via WGDs. Our analyses suggest that the origin of these novel defense compounds spurred anevolutionary arms-race with insect herbivores, resulting in massive co-radiations of both the host plant and predatory insects.

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PSB event reminder
by contact＠psb.vib-ugent.be 03 Sep '13

03 Sep '13

Calendar Name: seminars Scheduled for: Thursday, September 5 2013, 14:00 - 15:30 Event text: Prof Catherine Bellini Ume� Plant Sciences Center Department of Plant Physiology Ume� University Ume� SWEDEN Details: �Adventitious rooting: an adaptive response at the crosstalk of auxin and jasmonate� ABSTRACT Adventitious rooting (AR), a limiting step for vegetative propagation of plants, is a quantitative genetic trait with a high phenotypic plasticity due to multiple endogenous and environmental regulatory factors. This highly plastic trait is controlled in Arabidopsis by a subtle balance between positive and negative transcriptional regulators (ARF6, ARF8 and ARF17), themselves regulated by microRNAs (MIR160 and MIR167) and repressors from the Aux/IAA gene family. The three ARF genes control AR by modulating jasmonic acid levels. Thus, AR is an adaptive response at the crosstalk of auxin and jasmonate signaling pathways.

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