Bracknell and Wokingham College

Genetically modified (GM) crops, introduced in the mid-1990s, have undergone extensive scientific scrutiny over the past three decades. While initial regulatory frameworks were stringent due to the nascent nature of the technology and uncertainty regarding their safety, subsequent comprehensive research and independent risk assessments have consistently affirmed their safety for human, animal, and environmental health, leading to widespread global adoption. GM crops have demonstrably enhanced agricultural productivity, mitigated environmental impacts associated with conventional farming, and contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Consequently, many nations have refined their regulatory approaches based on accumulated scientific evidence. However, the European Union (EU) presents a contrasting scenario. Despite significant investments in agricultural biotechnology research and a commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, the EU’s regulatory landscape for GM crops has become increasingly complex, effectively limiting European farmers’ access to these technologies. The EU heavily relies on imports of GM-containing protein-rich crops, while its farmers cannot benefit from their cultivation. The current pre-market assessment for GM crop import and food and feed use authorization is characterized by its lengthy, costly, and unpredictable nature. This paper discusses some of the issues faced by developers when trying to obtain import approvals for GM crops in the EU and the impact that the current regulatory framework is having on innovation. The authors propose a series of practical and feasible adjustments that could be implemented during the EU’s risk assessment process to unlock the benefits of biotechnology for European agriculture without compromising safety standards.

Maleidrides are a class of bioactive secondary metabolites unique to filamentous fungi, which contain one or more maleic anhydrides fused to a 7-, 8- or 9- membered carbocycle (named heptadrides, octadrides and nonadrides respectively). Herein structural and biosynthetic studies on the antifungal octadride, zopfiellin, and nonadrides scytalidin, deoxyscytalidin and castaneiolide are described. A combination of genome sequencing, bioinformatic analyses, gene disruptions, biotransformations, isotopic feeding studies, NMR and X-ray crystallography revealed that they share a common biosynthetic pathway, diverging only after the nonadride deoxyscytalidin. 5-Hydroxylation of deoxyscytalidin occurs prior to ring contraction in the zopfiellin pathway of Diffractella curvata. In Scytalidium album, 6-hydroxylation – confirmed as being catalysed by the α-ketoglutarate dependent oxidoreductase ScyL2 – converts deoxyscytalidin to scytalidin, in the final step in the scytalidin pathway. Feeding scytalidin to a zopfiellin PKS knockout strain led to the production of the nonadride castaneiolide and two novel ring-open maleidrides.

Three novel dimeric xanthones, cryptosporioptides A-C were isolated from Cryptosporiopsis sp. 8999 and their structures elucidated. Methylation of cryptosporioptide A gave a methyl ester with identical NMR data to cryptosporioptide, a compound previously reported to have been isolated from the same fungus. However, HRMS analysis revealed that cryptosporioptide is a symmetrical dimer, not a monomer as previously proposed, and the revised structure was elucidated by extensive NMR analysis. The genome of Cryptosporiopsis sp. 8999 was sequenced and the dimeric xanthone (dmx) biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for the production of the cryptosporioptides was identified. Gene disruption experiments identified a gene (dmxR5) encoding a cytochrome P450 oxygenase as being responsible for the dimerisation step late in the biosynthetic pathway. Disruption of dmxR5 led to the isolation of novel monomeric xanthones. Cryptosporioptide B and C feature an unusual ethylmalonate subunit: a hrPKS and acyl CoA carboxylase are responsible for its formation. Bioinformatic analysis of the genomes of several fungi producing related xanthones, e.g. the widely occurring ergochromes, and related metabolites allows detailed annotation of the biosynthetic genes, and a rational overall biosynthetic scheme for the production of fungal dimeric xanthones to be proposed.

The widespread adoption of earth-abundant metal catalysis lags behind that of the second- and third-row transition metals due to the often challenging practical requirements needed to generate the active low oxidation-state catalysts. Here we report the development of a single endogenous activation protocol across five reaction classes using both iron- and cobalt pre-catalysts. This simple catalytic manifold uses commercially available, bench-stable iron- or cobalt tetrafluoroborate salts to perform regiodivergent alkene and alkyne hydrosilylation, 1,3-diene hydrosilylation, hydrogenation, [2π + 2π]-cycloaddition and C-H borylation. The activation protocol proceeds by fluoride dissociation from the counterion, in situ formation of a hydridic activator and generation of a low oxidation-state catalyst.

A sulfur-directed Fe(iii)-mediated ortho C-H coupling of arenes with unactivated terminal alkenes gives products of regioselective alkene chloroarylation. The novel mechanism involves redox-activation of the arene partner and alkene addition to the resultant aryl radical cation.

The synthesis of poly-acrylates, methacrylates and styrene derivatives by SET-LRP is reported in a user and environmentally friendly “green” solvent, dimethyl lactamide (DML).

Spinal cord injury is a major trauma, with its short and long term effects and consequences to the patient, his friends and family. Spinal cord injury is addressed in the developed countries with standard trauma care system commencing immediately after injury and continuing to the specialized rehabilitation units. Rehabilitation is important to those with spinal injury for both functional and psychosocial reintegration. It has been an emerging concept in Nepal, which has been evident with the establishment of the various hospitals with rehabilitation units, rehabilitation centres and physical therapy units in different institutions. However, the spinal cord injury rehabilitation setting and scenario is different in Nepal from those in the developed countries since spinal cord injury rehabilitation care has not been adequately incorporated into the health care delivery system nor its importance has been realized within the medical community of Nepal. To name few, lack of human resource for the rehabilitation care, awareness among the medical personnel and general population, adequate scientific research evidence regarding situation of spinal injury and exorbitant health care policy are the important hurdles that has led to the current situation. Hence, it is our responsibility to address these apparent barriers to successful implementation and functioning of rehabilitation so that those with spinal injury would benefit from enhanced quality of life.

WeatherVolume 62, Issue 8 p. 228-228 Letter ‘Nor'wester’ thunderstorms of Bengal S. G. Cornford, Corresponding Author S. G. Cornford Bracknell, BerkshireBracknell, BerkshireSearch for more papers by this author S. G. Cornford, Corresponding Author S. G. Cornford Bracknell, BerkshireBracknell, BerkshireSearch for more papers by this author First published: 06 August 2007 https://doi.org/10.1002/wea.122AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article. Volume62, Issue8August 2007Pages 228-228 RelatedInformation