Antibiotic resistanceAccording to data presented at the FirstAnnual Resistant Gram-Positive Infectionsconference, findings from the internationalsurveillance study PROTEKT (ProspectiveResistant Organism Tracking andEpidemiology for the KetolideTelithromycin) indicate a high prevalence ofglobal bacterial resistance to antibiotics.PROTEKT data include isolates fromcountries spanning North America, Europe,Latin America and the Asia Pacific. It is anongoing study, where researchers analysethe susceptibility of seven common andatypical community-acquired respiratorytract infection (RTI)-causing bacteria tomost current treatments includingpenicillins (such as amoxicillin),cephalosporins and commonly usedmacrolides (such as azithromycin andclarithromycin). D.M.

Arabidopsis genomesequencedFor those of you who haven’t heard (Is thatpossible?), the sequencing of the genome ofthe model flowering plant Arabidopsisthaliana has been completed and isreported in the 14 December issue ofNature. The plant’s 125 megabase genomecontains ~26 000 genes, but because ofsubstantial gene duplication, the number ofdifferent genes is ~15 000 – around thesame as the number of genes predicted forthe fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster andthe nematode Caenorhabitis elegans. To getthe full story on Arabidopsis, go to theNature genomics Web site athttp://www.nature.com/genomics. Here youwill find links to full text papers, news andviews and a slide show that explains theusefulness of Arabidopsis as a modelorganism. D.M.

I’m not dead yet!Mutating a single gene, Indy, which standsfor ‘I’m not dead yet’, can double the lifespanof fruitflies from 37 days to between 69 and71 days. Reported in the 14 December issueof Science, the authors B. Rogina et al.speculate that the way the Indy genemutation works to extend life might be viachanges in the normal metabolism of food.‘What is interesting about this line ofresearch is the recurrence of the link betweenmetabolism, caloric restriction andlongevity’ said Dr. David Finkelstein, research

director for metabolic regulation research atthe National Institute on Aging. D.M.

Increased funding forgenomicsThe European Union (EU) is to increase itsfunding for genomics research by US$21million, to support construction of newgenome and proteome databases, and hasalso earmarked a further US$25 million forlarge trans-national research and trainingnetworks (reported in Nature). The EUhopes that applications of functionalgenomics will become an important part ofits healthcare policy in the future. M.J.D.

Speedy amplificationRecently, British company MolecularSensing plc demonstrated its uniqueGenedrive technology that combines thePCR, microfluidics and sensor technologywith a PC computer, to perform real-timeDNA analysis (Laboratory News, December2000). The Genedrive system consists of a‘smartcard’ that has 32 independentlyregulated wells, into which a DNA-containingsample is added. The card is then slotted intoa drive bay that, in turn, is mounted within aG4 Apple Macintosh computer. PCRamplification of the samples proceeds in thewells within the drive, with all reagents beingdelivered to the wells by microfluidics. Userscan directly observe on-screen the course ofthe reaction and amount of target DNAproduced, and the manufacturers claim thatresults are available up to six times fasterthan if ‘conventional’ PCR is used. TheGenedrive quantifies DNA by measuringchanges in electrical conductivity ofmagnesium ions associated with the DNAproduced during amplification. M.J.D.

Biotech company dispelsstockmarket doubtsUK biotechnology company, OxfordGlycosciences (OGS), threw off stockmarketdoubts about technology stocks by raisingmore than £170m/$240m in a recent shareoffering, which was nearly three timesoversubscribed (see http://www.ft.com).The placement will also be followed by asecondary listing on the US Nasdaq index,which will allow OGS to make USacquisitions. OGS will use the proceeds ofthe offering to strengthen its position in theproteomics market, and to fund more in-house drug development. M.J.D.

Nanotube ribbons andartificial musclesLike latter-day Rumplestiltskins, researchersat the University of Bordeaux, led by P. Poulin,have developed a method for manufacturingsuper-strong carbon nanotube fibres, by‘spinning’ individual nanotubes into ribbon-like structures (Science 290). By dispersingnanotube ‘soot’ in a detergent solution, andthen injecting this mixture into a flowingpolymer stream, the nanotubes areencouraged to associate into a mesh of fibres.These fibres are strong enough to be bent andeven tied into knots, and the Bordeaux teamforesee applications for these in spaceelevator cables and artificial muscles. M.J.D.

The Pfizer Innovation Award2000 winnerJohn Sulston, the former director of theSanger Centre in Cambridge, UK, hasreceived the Pfizer 2000 Innovation Award(Chemistry and Industry, November 2000).Sulston led the UK’s contribution to thehuman genome sequencing project, andKeith James, Pfizer’s vice-president formedicinal drug discovery, commended himfor his role in ensuring that the informationgenerated by the project was made availableto the public. The Pfizer Innovation Award ispresented annually to a researcher at aEuropean academic institute whoseinnovative work has made a significantimpact on the discovery and development ofnew medicines. M.J.D.

Safety assessment board setup for NIHThe US National Institutes of Health (NIH) isto establish a Gene Transfer SafetyAssessment Board, under the auspices ofthe NIH Office of Biotechnology Activities(OBA) as reported in The Blue Sheet, 13December. The board will be responsiblefor monitoring toxicity and safety data fromgene therapy trials, and in particular willreport any ‘fatal or life-threatening’ adverseeffects to the OBA. This brings the NIHreporting practices into line with those ofthe US Food and Drug Administration, amove that has been welcomed by the USgene therapy research community. M.J.D.

TRENDS in Biotechnology Vol.19 No.2 February 2001

http://tibtech.trends.com

42 News&CommentNews&Comment

David McKay (dmckay@usc.edu.au)

and Martin J. Davies

(M.J.Davies@greenwich.ac.uk)