HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1990-03-14, Page 25research finds
some plus
have genes
that can. make
'antifreeze'
BY David. Young
Montreal biologists have taken a step
closer to crops, that earswithstand
Canada's• winter. '
lr: R.S. Dhindsa, of•Mce ill University!s.
Depant 'of. Biology, has isolated what
he ana his colleagues• believe are the
genes that plants need to survive cold
weather and frosts. -
a Genes are molecules in the cell of all
living things which centre' the growth
and other functions of the organism. and
Its cells.
Dhindsa said these 'cold genes', found:
in alfalfa, could be . transferred to other
plants: for example, wheat might. be
enabled to grow farther north.
When exposed to frost, most alfalfa
seeds are killed when Water inside their
cells freezes, forming ice • particles which
rupture the cell. Inc!branes.. • • k,„
Ilo*ever, if the seeds are acciinnatized
or 'hardened' by keeping .them, in a cool
environment first, the seeds will survive
the freezing, the Montreal researchers
say. Dhindsa says the seeds have genes
that are sensitiveto cold weather and tell
the seeds to start producing their own an-
tifreeze, which prevents cell water from
freezing.
He "and his colleagues have. ,isolated
four such genes from alfalfa. The foQur
appear to act in concert. If, as Dhindsa
believes, these genes cause the produc-
genes would survive frqst and would be
able to start growing earlier and last
later in the season • -
Dr. Ian Grant, ill the seed department
of Allelic Inc., an Ontario biotechnology
corpafiy, says Allelic already hais a type
of grain that will grow earlier in the
season, but that in a really cold winter
the plants won't survive. • Dhindsa's `cold
genes' might be able to prevent that.
In addition to transferring the genes in-
to other plants, Dhindsa thinks they could
be useful in the production of some
drugs.
Some pharmaceuticals are produced by
bacteria altered by biotechnology. For ex-
ample bacteria are engineered to produce
insulin in great quantities.
However, it is difficult to keep the in-
sulin free of `other bacteria and their
waste products.
If the 'cold genes' were transferred into
bacteria that: produce insulin, then the
bacteria could work to produce insulin in.
temperatures too low for other bacteria
to survive.
Dhindsa admits this work is still a few.
years away. First, the researchers need
to find out how the genes work — not an
easy task, since they still have to deter-
mine whether all four genes, or only cer
tain of them, are the essential .ones.
The task is further complicated by the
fact that these genes are not similar to
other known `antifreeze' genes — for ex-
ample, those from certain kinds of fish.
The McGill team is now working on
finding out how the gene is turned on by.
cold weather.
This work was funded by the Province
of Quebec and the Natural Sciences and
Engineering Research Council.
(Canadian Science News).
?situ IPSOGIUMIS—PAGS
Scientists transplant
fish antifreeze gene
• frown page 4
like Florida citrus fruits.
Georges is optimistic about the
research but is careful not to imply that
frost -resistant plants are just around the
corner,
been
qpl �ltlt
early stases. As time gees b }�y
,
intoare discovering that putting a
a plant and having it produce
the deeirted protein is not as die as it
"We halve shown that theoretically it
should be possible to produce frost,
tolerant pl,don't see man ,,, `���"` ed
plants in the
yet, which proves difficult that
we .have a very task �,
The Plot Biotefteloa. Institute is an
of the National Urea Council
of Canada, which funded Georges'
research.
(Cataaalltau Science New/
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