NEW DELHLI (PTI): India has staked its first international patent rights in genetic engineering on a gene that could help create new breeds of crops loaded with the best protein blend for human nutrition.
The gene was isolated two years ago from the Amaranthus plant by Dr. Ashish Datta a senior biologist at the Jawaharlal Nehru University NU) here under a research project supported by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT).
Scientists at the University of Delhi south campus and the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore are among select few research teams in India also in the process of filing patients in the frontiers of biology.
“Our patent will cover isolation of the gene and the construction of an artificial genetic sequence required to transfer the amaranthus gene into other groups,” Dr. Datta said.
The patent claims are significant in the post-gatt era with scientists keen to protect research that could lead 19 commercial gains, “Patenting our work will now be given very high priority,” said Dr. Chittaranjan Bhatia, DBT secretary.
The DBT and Dr. Datta have jointly staked patent rights in the United States and Europe for his work on the Amaranthus DBT officials say the patenting procedure is expected to cost about one million rupees. The Amaranthus gene called “seed storage protein gene produce a protein which corresponds closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended protein standard for optimum human nutrition.
Cereals and legumes do not always have the right levels of the building blocks of proteins called amino acids. Rice, for instance, contains low levels of lysine amine acid, while peas contain low levels of other kinds of amino act
“By inserting this gene into cores like rice, we hope to replace the naturally-occurring proteins to produce a new set of proteins side red best for edible purposes; said Datta.
Under the new World Trade generation (WTO) rules India has the option not to patent naturally-occurring genes. But modified gene sequences used to transfer genes into crops are patentable, Dr. Prasanta Ghosh, a senior DBT official said.
Dr. Vijay Choudhary at the University of Delhi south campuses filing a patent on a “monoclonal antibody” which could find use in diagnostics or biochemical analysis.
More patents in the field of genetic engineering from India are likely to be filed from the Indian institute of science, DBT Secretary Dr. Bhatia said.
One patient will cover a gene that blocks the synthesis of DNA and: could have great relevance for the: pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Bhatia said.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 12, 1994
