Russian Technology Platform «PLANTS for the FUTURE»
for integration with 7-th Framework Programme of EC

European Technology Platform «Plants for the Future» is a stakeholder forum on plant genomics and biotechnology that was initiated by the European Commission in 2003. It involves members from industry, academy and agricultural sector. It provides a short-, medium- and long-term vision for Europe’s plant agricultural sector and sets out a consensus on plant sciences and biotechnology to enhance EU competitiveness and welfare.

As a member of the FP 6/7 Russia sets out 4 trends to fulfill the Russian Platform «Plants for the Future»:

Plant molecular biology and genomics
Plant Biotechnology
Plants as biofactories
Interactions between plants and microorganisms

Molecular Biology and Genomics

Performing complete DNA sequence of potato genome by the end of 2010. This task will be done by the Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium. Centre «Bioengineering» RAS and V.A.Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology RAS are sequencing potato Solanum tuberosum v. RH chromosome 12.

Chloroplast genomics

Complete chloroplast genome of duck-weed, Lemna minor.
Studying of Co-existence of biotechnological crops with different agriculture systems and wild relatives in the centers of origin and diversity. For example, herbicide tolerant soybean in the center of origin and diversity in Far East region of the Russian Federation.

Assessment of biodiversity by new molecular methods for estimation of new sources of agronomically important genes

Developing of new molecular markers and marker systems. Estimation of biodiversity and species delimitation.
Cultivars identification. Molecular phylogeny and taxonomy.

Plants as Biofactories

Development of new expression techniques: viral vectors

Transgenic plants: stable but low level of expression, months/years are required to assemble and test.
Advantages of plant viruses as foreign protein expression vectors and carriers.

No stable transformation of plant: biosafety and regulatory issues.
Plant viruses propagate rapidly (up to grams per kg of fresh plant tissue).
Plant virus-based expression vectors can be assembled and tested for days-to-weeks.

Expression of the B-subunit of E. coli heatlabile enterotoxin - 2% of total plant proteins.

Recombinant particles of cowpea mosaic virus - carriers of epitopes.

Main targets: influenza, rubella, hepatitis, diarrhea

Plant Biotechnology

Potato
Cabbage
Sugar beet
Sunflower
Colorado beetle resistance
Virus resistance
Salt tolerance
Herbicide resistance

Transgenic Nicotiana tabacum plants over expressing the gene encoding membrane H+PPase from photosynthetic bacterium Rhodospirillum rubrum (RPP) were constructed. Preliminary experiments on evaluation of their salt tolerance were performed. We found that these transgenic plants were much more resistant to high concentrations of NaCl than the wild type ones. The transgenic plants accumulate less Na+ ions in their leaf tissue than the wild type under high salinity that could explain increased salt.

Development of the Russian GM potato varieties resistant to Colorado beetle.
For the first time on the basis of varieties of domestic breeding Russian scientists received 2 potato varieties resistant to Colorado beetle. This novel trait was the result of using a new selection method for the Russia-genetic engineering. GM seed production with the distribution system was started in Russia, too.

Field tests
Solanaceae, Poaceae, Lemnaceae.

Potato is the second among most important crops for Russia (after wheat) and thus one of the primary objects of research in plant genomics and molecular biology. GM potato varieties resistant to herbicides, pests, fungal and viral diseases were developed in Russia during last 15 years.
Colorado beetle resistant potato varieties passed all field and biosafety trials and were recognized by the Russian state authorities as safe as traditional ones and have registered for food using.

Obtaining of Brassica oleracea var. capitata transgenic plants with new agrotechnical properties. These lines were bar gene hemizygotic. For the first time the selective process scheme to obtain heterozygotic hybrid of cabbage with transgenic component was developed and applied. As result of this scheme the point of transgenic technology application in traditional selective process was defined.

Integrated Project CO-EXTRA in the frames of FP6
«GM and non-GM supply chains: their CO-Existence and TRAceability»

Project CoExtra (Co-existence and trace-ability of conventional and genetically modified food) is indented to develop novel approaches to meet the technical and eco-nomic challenges raised by the increasing number of GMOs, stacked genes and unapproved and as-yet-unexamined GMOs to be detected.

More than 200 researchers from 18 countries including Russia (from the Centre «Bioengineering» RAS) organized in 8 teams are involved in implementation of the Project.

The objectives of the Centre «Bioengineering» RAS are:
to develop methods for the DNA isolation from a wide variety of foods as well as development of methods to quantify GMOs using real-time polymerase chain reaction.

The methods of GMO detection developed by Russian party are in conformity with the Russian legislation in the area of biological and food safety for GM organisms. In particular, we could mention the Federal law of the Russian Federation «On amending the Law of the RF ”On the Protection of Consumers’ Rights”» and the Nullification of paragraph 28, article 1, of the Federal Law «On amendments to the Russian Fede-ration Law on the Protection of Consumers’ Rights», as well as new technical regulations «On the requirements for biological safety and harmlessness of GM (transgenic) plants», and «On require-ments for the safety of foodstuffs produced from raw materials derived from GM (transgenic) plants and animals».

Interactions between Plants and Microorganisms

The important goal of modern plant genomics and biotechnology is to increase effectiveness of interactions between crops and beneficial microbes which are responsible for improvement of plant nutrition, biocontrol of pathogens and growth stimulation. This will promote to reduce application of agrochemicals, save energy required for agricultural produc-tion, minimize environmental pollution and improve public health in the regions of intensive agriculture.

Members

The Platform «Plants for the Future» unites key research organizations, academy institutions, representatives of different regions of Russia

The Russian Platform members:

Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
Novosibirsk State University;
Saint-Petersburg State Polytechnic University, Dept. of Com-putational Biology, Center for Advanced Studies;
Centre «Bioengineering», Russian Academy of Sciences;
Biological Faculty of the M.V.Lomonosov Moscow State University;
Biological Faculty of the Saint-Petersburg State University;
All-Russian Research Institute for Agricultural Microbiology, Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences;
All-Russian Research Institute of Phytopathology, Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences;
All-Russian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Russian Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Other research institutes are invited.

Contact Information

Centre «Bioengineering» of the Russian Academy of Sciences”
60 let Oktyabrya 7, c. 1,
117312 Moscow, Russia
Tel. +7 (495) 135 73 19;
Fax +7 (495) 135 05 71

E-mail: office(at)biengi.ac.ru