(Taiwan) Researchers from Taiwan included in int'l effort decoding rice genome :: BiotechEast - Taiwan and China biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, ^¤å½s×, ^¤å×§ï ::

(David Silver, BiotechEast)

15 August, 2005
A ten-nation scientific consortium has completed the decoding of the entire genomic sequence of rice, with Taiwan playing an important role in the project. The entire sequence was published on Thursday in the prestigious scientific journal Nature.

Coming from years of coordinated effort from the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project, formed seven years ago, the result has important implications for a crop that feeds more than half the world's population. It is the first time a crop plant has been decoded in this way.

Leading the project from Taiwan were genetic specialists from Academia Sinica's Institute of Botany, with other participating institutes including Yang Ming University's Human Genome Sequencing Program, and National Cheng Kung University. Each group contributed scientists and facilities, such as sequencing equipment, to the effort.

Of the ten nations making up the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project, each was responsible for the decoding of one chromosome out of the 12 chromosomes that make up the rice cell nucleus, except for the US and Japan which were responsible for two chromosomes each.

Dr. Shaw Jei-fu, heading up the Institute of Botany at Academia Sinica at the launching of the project and now president of Taichung's National Chung Hsing University, said that the achievement shows Taiwan has talent matching the world's best when it comes to genetic research.

"Taiwan is a small country, but we were able to take on the responsibility of sequencing one whole chromosome. This achievement will bring visibility to the high standing in scientific research in Taiwan," he said.

The effort should also have a positive knock-on effect for Taiwan's growing biotech industry.

"All those involved gained a lot of experience. We also had to train a lot of researchers and technicians over the course of the project in the techniques of genetic sequencing," added Shaw, "and in the future these people will be passing on their knowledge to the industry."

The sequencing of the rice genome will let scientists do new experiments to unlock secrets of the plant.

"We'll see improvements in the crop in terms of disease resistance, the ability to endure drought, and so on. It 's all very exciting," said Shaw.

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