BioBased Digest

Grandevo Bioinsecticide removes bee warning from label

Tom Saidak — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:32:05 +0000

In California, Marrone Bio Innovations reports they have received U.S. EPA approval to delete the bee toxicity warning statement from its Grandevo Bioinsecticide label following a review. The removal of the toxicity statement is supported by third-party field evaluations that show Grandevo has no increased mortality or detrimental effects to honeybees. The key study was conducted in central North Carolina during the summer of 2012. The month-long hive study compared the mortality rates of Grandevo versus a known toxic pesticide reference treatment and a water treatment control.

Reactive Surfaces launches self-decontaminating coating to protect firearms, equipment and soldiers from chemical agents

Tom Saidak — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:30:08 +0000

In Texas, Reactive Surfaces today announced the general availability of WMDtox, a self-decontaminating coating that protects firearms, vehicles, equipment and uniforms by neutralizing organophosphorous chemical agents such as sarin. The coating can be applied months in advance. Reactive Surfaces conducts research, design and manufacturing of environmentally-friendly enzyme and peptide technology. Originally designed for decontamination and remediation of chemical and biological threat agents, Reactive Surfaces is developing additives for self-cleaning surfaces, biocidal surfaces, mold-inhibiting surfaces, deodorizing surfaces, textiles with reactive coatings, self-healing coatings and catalytic column coatings for liquid and gaseous waste-stream decontamination.

BIO Issues Call for Paper and Panel Submissions for 2013 Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotech and Bioenergy

Tom Saidak — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:28:38 +0000

In Washington, the Biotechnology Industry Organization is inviting leaders from the biotechnology, chemical and agricultural industries to submit proposals and abstracts for panels, individual papers and posters for the 2013 Pacific Rim Summit on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioenergy. This unique conference will be held Dec. 8-11, in San Diego. “The Pacific Rim Summit is designed to keep you on the cutting edge of industrial biotech, and the breakout sessions fueled by these submissions will highlight how important industrial and environmental biotechnology is for generating clean tech jobs, making biobased products, new transportation fuels and cleaner processes all aimed at building a biobased economy,” said Brent Erickson, executive vice president of BIO’s Industrial & Environmental Section.

AB Enzymes chooses Genedata Selector for production strain development and optimization

Tom Saidak — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:27:04 +0000

In Switzerland, AB Enzymes has selected Genedata Selector as its bioinformatics platform for strain genome data manament on all its production-relevant organisms. Genedata will provide AB Enzymes, one of the world’s oldest and best-known enzyme manufacturers, with a hosted solution of Genedata Selector accompanied by bioinformatics consulting services. “We looked for a bioinformatics solution that enables us to extract as much information as possible from all available data,” noted Dr. Jari Vehmaanperä, global R&D director at AB Enzymes. “In particular, we wanted a solution to help us better understand underlying genotype-phenotype relationships – Genedata Selector was the clear choice.”

Roquette resume production of sorbitol-based clarifiers, launches DISORBENE 3

Tom Saidak — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:25:22 +0000

In France, Roquette has resumed production of sorbitol-based clarifiers for polymers, restarting their production unit for DISORBENE sorbitol-based clarifiers in Lestrem, France. Roquette has also launched DISORBENE 3, a third generation sorbitol-based clarifier. By offering DISORBENE 3, Roquette opens a new source for bis-DMBS, a state-of-the-art clarifier developed and sold by Milliken under the registered trade name Millad® 3988, and provides additional capacity for this widely used clarifier to meet the growing needs of the polymer industry.

UPM and Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences build Biofore concept car

Tom Saidak — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:23:42 +0000

In Finland, UPM and students from Helsinki Metropolia University of Applied Sciences are building a Biofore concept car utilising UPM’s innovative biomaterials as main raw material for many parts and components. Together with Metropolia, UPM is now able to test the use of renewable biomaterials in automotive applications. The automotive engineering students of Metropolia lead the design and manufacture of the car. The project is a cooperation of several organizations, including also the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation.

Engineered Microbes Grow in the Dark

Tom Saidak — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:21:07 +0000

In California, University of California scientists have engineered a strain of photosynthetic cyanobacteria to grow without the need for light. Synechococcus elongatus strain PCC 7942 was modified by inserting foreign genes to grow in either light or dark conditions. Jordan McEwen, the lead researcher on the study stated, “With recent, increased focus on cyanobacteria-based industrial applications, this advancement is desirable for more efficient, economical and controllable bioproduction systems.”

Statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on meeting with Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture

Tom Saidak — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:19:35 +0000

In Mexico, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today issued the following statement following his meeting with Mexico’s new Secretary of Agriculture, Enrique Martínez y Martínez, which reads in part:

“In our wide-ranging discussions, Secretary Martínez and I committed to reenergize and revitalize the U.S.-Mexico Consultative Committee on Agriculture, a forum that will enable us to address bilateral trade issues and continue to identify opportunities for cooperation. We also discussed market access for many agricultural products, including U.S. beef, potatoes, and produce, and received assurances that Mexico continues to progress in their regulatory processes to meet our request. I indicated the United States would like to continue our collaboration on both biotechnology and organic agriculture as they continue to be important trade priorities of the Obama Administration and USDA.”

Class action lawsuit filed against Amyris over alleged fraud concerning Biofene production claims

Tom Saidak — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:30:51 +0000

In New York, the law firm of Wohl & Fruchter reports they have filed a securities class action against Amyris, and its President and CEO, John G. Melo. The action, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, is on behalf of purchasers of Amyris securities between April 29, 2011 and February 8, 2012. The class action seeks relief for violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, based on what Wohl & Fruchter allege as false and misleading statements, and omissions of material information concerning, among other things, Amyris’ ability to produce Biofene in commercially meaningful volumes.

USPTO issues two new patents to Cellectis for TAL-effector nuclease

Tom Saidak — Tue, 21 May 2013 14:28:34 +0000

In Minnesota, Cellectis, a genome engineering specialist, announced the issuance by the USPTO on May 14th, 2013 of two new US patents (US 8,440,431 and US 8,440,432) directed to TAL-effector nucleases. The molecules produced by Cellectis have been distributed to prestigious laboratories over the world under the trademark TALEN. The inventors of both patents are Pr. Daniel Voytas, from the University of Minnesota, Dr. Adam Bogdanove from the Iowa State University and Dr. Feng Zhang who serves as Chief Operating Officer of Cellectis Plant Sciences in New Brighton, a subsidiary dedicated to applying sequence-specific nucleases in plants for agricultural biotechnology applications. Pr. Daniel Voytas is also the Chief Scientific Officer of Cellectis Plant Sciences.