Albert Katz Department - BGUAlbert Katz Department of Dryland Biotechnologies Chairpersons: Prof....

Albert Katz Departmentof Dryland Biotechnologies

Chairpersons: Prof. Sammy Boussiba � Jan.-Oct. 15, 2001Prof. Avi Golan-Goldhirsh � Oct. 16-Dec. 31, 2001

The discipline of biotechnology employs living organisms (or parts of organisms) to make ormodify substances, and it develops techniques for altering living organisms for specific uses. Itoffers efficient and cost-effective methods for producing an array of novel products. The fieldis particularly valuable in arid lands, where special innovations are necessary because traditionalor conventional methods of agriculture are difficult or impossible to implement.

Scientists in the Albert Katz Department of Dryland Biotechnologies use molecular tools toimprove the productivity of arid lands. Our approach involves techniques that foster sustainabledevelopment of desert regions. Some of the biotechnologies developed in the Katz Departmenthave potential for increasing food production, reducing the dependence of agriculture onenvironmentally damaging chemicals, lowering the cost of raw materials, or reducing the ecologicalimpact of traditional manufacturing processes.

Phone: 972-8-659-6838 • Fax: 972-8-659-6742 • E-mail: [email protected]

ACADEMIC STAFFAppelbaum, SamuelBirnbaum, ElliottBoussiba, SammyCohen, ZviGale, JosephGolan-Goldhirsh, AviGuy, MichaHeimer, Yair M.Lips, HermanRichmond, AmosVolokita, Micha (Left: January 15, 2001)Vonshak, AvigadZilberg, Dina

ASSOCIATE STAFFKhozin-Goldberg, InnaKostiukovsky, VladimirOrlovsky, NicolaiVolvich, Liobov (Luba)

87biotechnologiesdryland

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

AQUACULTURE

Activities of the Bengis Center for Desert Aquaculture include investigations in the areas of fishbiology, nutrition, behavior and reproduction, as well as shrimp nutrition and husbandry. Researchemphasizes the development of integrated polyculture systems in which different species of fishand crustaceans are reared in a series of tanks forming a chain system, where water effluentfrom the tank raising one species flows into the tank where a second species can feed on thewater’s suspended organic material. Development of new, improved, environmentally friendlyand economically viable aquaculture equipment and techniques with commercial promise is alsounder way at the Center.

We are developing technology for the polyculture of aquatic organism (fish, shrimp) in a circulatingsystem that minimizes water use and maximizes its reuse. In this system, different aquatic specieswere stocked at high densities in separate rearing tanks whose water is linked by a commonsystem. The water flows from one tank to another until it reaches the last tank in the chain, whichis filled with aerated water and volcanic gravel that serves as a submerged biological filter. Thewater from this biological filter is then pumped to the first tank of the chain, thereby creating arecirculating system. In this approach, suspended organic material generated by feeding theprimary species in the first tank is very efficiently utilized by the subsequent, unfed species, inthe following tank. In this manner, the system operates as a sustainable, self-cleaning polyculturesystem.With: G. Oron, BIDR; M. Siebel, J. Garada

The feeding biology and nutritional requirements of the penaeid Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeusvannamei) are under study; this species is extensively cultured in many countries because ofits ecological and commercial importance. Live microalgae have generally been the source ofnutrition in penaeid larviculture. Conventionally in the indoor rearing of penaeid larvae, culturedmicroalgae are fed to the protozoan and early mysis stages. Thereafter, live brine shrimp (Artemianauplii) are provided during the latter mysis and early postlarval stages. Total replacement ofthe live algal component without affecting larval growth of the Kuruma prawn (Penaeus japonicusBate) has been reported.

The diatom Chaetoceros gracilis has been effectively used in the hatcheries as the exclusivefood for the protozoan stages of Penaeus styorostris and Penaeus vannamei. We are investigatingthe effect of live Chaetoceros muelleri on the growth and survival of postlarval Litopenaeusvannamei. It was found that when live C. mulleri was supplemented with live A. nauplii at theearly postlarval stage, shrimp growth rate, as well as survival rate, improved. It was also observedthat, in addition to its nutritional value, the alga helps lower ammonia levels in the water.With: J. Garada

Thirty-one-day old juvenile Pacific white shrimp (P. vannamei) were reared for seven days in atank (700 L) of seawater and gradually acclimated to brackish water (2–3 ppt), over 15 days.They were initially fed live Artemia nauplii for a week, followed by dry feed. Thereafter, thejuveniles( = 0.0197 0.009 g) were randomly stocked in duplicate in experimental containers at densitiesof 2000/m3 and 5000/m3 and fed a dry shrimp feed, 8 times a day. Mortality was recorded dailyand growth was determined at intervals of 10–12 days. Growth was more rapid (p>0.05) at thelower density and mortality set in later. After 72 days, shrimp reared at densities 2000/m3 and5000/m3 weighed = 5.806 0.82 g and = 4.167 0.48 g, respectively. The respective weeklygrowth rates were 0.579 0.72 and 0.415 0.24 g. The SGR% was 8.67 and 8.02; and theFCR was 2.01 and 2.36.

These results indicate that the culturing P. vannamei juveniles at a density of 2000/m3 intanks with brackish geothermal water, found in large quantities under the Negev desert, seemspromising. In general, the lower the density, the faster shrimp grow. However, in arid lands withlittle water, culture at higher density is obligatory.With: J. Garada, J.K. Mishra

88

AN INTENSIVE, INTEGRATED

RECIRCULATION SYSTEM FOR

AQUATIC POLYCULTURE

APPELBAUM, VOLVICH

GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF

LITOPENAEUS VANNAMEI

POSTLARVAE FED LIVE ALGAE

(CHAETOCEROS MUELLERI)

APPELBAUM

GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF

THE PACIFIC WHITE SHRIMP

(PENAEUS VANNAMEI)

REARED INTENSIVELY IN

BRACKISH WATER OF THE

NEGEV DESERT

APPELBAUM

biotechnologiesdryland

The European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is known to penetrate naturally from the Mediterranean intoIsrael’s – and even into fishponds. Since 1980, the glass eels†and occasionally elvers of thisspecies were imported from Europe for commercial culture. In 1997, the nematode parasiteAnguillicola crassus was first observed in the†yellow eel†state of A. anguilla reared experimentallyin an indoor recirculation system (of the Blaustein Institute for Desert Research). These eelsexhibited Anguillicola infection (of between 1 and 12 nematodes) on several occasions. Thereis no evidence, however, of increased mortality as a result of this parasite, as the infection wasnot severe. In one observation, it was observed that out of 67 eels, 34% were infected (91%male and 8% female). Possibly the glass eels imported from Europe also included a few specimensat the elver stage that had fed on plankton that included copepods (the Anguillicola host).

Since 1997, A. crassus has also been found, but in decreasing numbers among yellow eelsreared in the open, concrete ponds of Israel’s only eel farm. In a recent observation on 15 eels(>100 g), 30% had Anguillicola. Possibly the nursed eels imported from Sweden were alreadyinfected or the glass eels imported from England included some previously infected elvers.Infected eels could not have penetrated from the Mediterranean Sea into Israel’s estuaries andwater bodies and finally into the farm ponds, as the farm’s location makes this impossible.

AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTHThe Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory was established at the end of 2001. Its staff is interestedin a wide range of subjects that are related to the health of aquatic animals, including parasiticand bacterial infectious disease, structural deformities in ornamental fish, and the introductionof on-farm utilization of algae-culture for raising ornamental fish. The laboratory is concernedwith food fish, ornamental fish and shrimps, all of which are being commercially cultured in thisregion. Research in the lab includes: the search for novel, natural treatments for bacterial diseasesof food fish, monitoring and analyzing the outbreak of a ciliated protozoan disease in guppies,and studying the occurrence of deformities caused by noninflated swim bladders in angelfish.The laboratory also provides consultancy on health-related issues to several farms in the Negevand Arava, including disease diagnosis and treatment, as well as recommendations regardingroutine operations of the farm.

Outbreaks of infectious disease are a major cause of economic loss in aquaculture, with bacteriaserving as a major disease-causing agent. To ensure production, fish farmers tend to rely onantibiotics, which can be problematic. Few antibiotics are permitted in raising food fish, leavingfish unprotected against resistant organisms, and antibiotic use must be discontinued sometime before harvesting. There is also a growing interest in organically raised fish, which preventsthe sale of antibiotic treated output in this lucrative market. We are testing the use of extractsfrom various local desert plants, as well as allicin, the active compound of garlic, as treatmentsagainst bacterial diseases of fish. So far, over 250 plant extracts were screened in vito againstfour different bacterial isolates from sick fish. About ten plants had extracts showing antibacterialactivity, with allicin being the most effective. We plan to examine the efficiency of these extractsin vivo, along with their ability to cure infected fish.With: R. Ofir, BIDR

A commercial ornamental fish farm culturing angelfish in the Arava has noted the occurrenceof deformities in their fish, characterized by severe body curvature. The affected fish are nicknamedhelicopters.†The worthless, deformed fish often amounted to 40% of the crop – and sometimeseven more. We found that all deformed fish have no inflated swim bladder. Research has startedto characterize the problem and find ways of minimizing its occurrence. Histological examinationof deformed and normal fish revealed that the swim bladder cells of the affected fish becomehypertrophic (grow beyond their normal dimensions), and the rete mirabilis, a specialized glandstabilizing pressure in the swim bladder becomes hyperplastic (cells multiply to abnormalnumbers). We are now characterizing the development and inflation of the bladder in healthyfish, and to examine the possibility that this deformity is genetically induced. We will then seekenvironmental conditions that trigger the occurrence of this disease.With: R. Ofir, BIDR

89

THE FIRST RECORDED

INCIDENCE OF ANGUILLICOLA

CRASSUS IN ISRAEL-REARED

EUROPEAN EEL (ANGUILLA

ANGUILLA)

APPELBAUM

NATURAL COMPOUNDS FOR

THE TREATMENT OF

BACTERIAL DISEASES IN

AQUACULTURE

ZILBERG, GOLAN-GOLDHIRSH

DEFECTIVE SWIM BLADDER

IN ANGELFISH (HELICOPTER

DISEASE): DETERMINING THE

CAUSE AND FINDING A

SOLUTION

ZILBERG


CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGYTo better understand the coordinated expression of genes involved in photosynthesis andphotorespiration, we studied the expression of the glycolate oxidase (GLO) gene in tobacco(Nicotiana tabacum cv. Samsun NN) seedlings. Using norflurazone to catalyze the photo-oxidative destruction of chloroplasts, we found that the light-dependent increase in GLOtranscription and its enzymatic activity were inhibited. Using the glucuronidase (GUS) reportergene driven by the GLO promoter, we showed that this plastid-controlled inhibition operates atthe transcription level. Several lines of evidence point to the existence of a plastid-independent,light-dependent, posttranscriptional regulation of GLO expression. In photo-oxidized GLO-GUSseedlings, the transcript level of GUS was similar to that found in light-deprived seedlings, alight-dependent increase in GUS activity was evident. Moreover, the GUS mRNA level in light-grown GLO-GUS seedlings was only 2% of that observed in 35S-GUS seedlings (in which theexpression of the reporter gene is driven by a constitutive promoter). This was so despite thefact that GUS activity in both transgenic lines was similar. We suggest that GLO expression isregulated by plastid signals at the transcriptional level and by light in a plastid-independentmanner at the posttranscriptional level.With: S. Barak, A. Nejidat, BIDR

Local germplasm of high-yielding traditional cultivars and open-pollinated (OP) progenies ofsweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) were screened for drought tolerance in swidden (land clearedby slashing/burning) and post-rice paddy conditions in the Philippine highlands. Several clonesobtained from OP progenies and from traditional cultivars displayed drought tolerance, basedon the production of marketable storage-roots, while others failed. Under swidden conditions,the local cultivar Tokano produced the highest yield. The traditional cultivar Kalbo-oy alsooutyielded others in the post-rice paddies. In a search for genetic markers for future breeding,we analyzed the genetic diversity of various germ lines. Using seven genotypes, selected fromthose that produced storage roots under drought conditions, their genomic DNA was subjectedto random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Twenty decamer primers were testedand 16 yielded DNA-amplification products. Among the 97 scored bands, 77 were polymorphic(79.38%); genotype-specific DNA markers were also identified. The pairwise marker differencebetween genotypes ranged from 0.378 to 0.936, indicating a broad range of genetic diversity.With: B.A. Anselmo, Benguet State University, The Philippines; A. Nejidat, BIDR

The response of the antioxidant system to salt stress was studied in the roots of the cultivatedtomato Lycopersicon esculentum (Lem) and its wild salt-tolerant relative Lycopersicon pennellii(Lpa). Roots of control and salt-stressed plants were sampled at various times after commencingsalinization. A gradual increase in membrane lipid peroxidation in salt-stressed root of Lem wasaccompanied by decreased activities of several antioxidant enzymes and decreased contentof the antioxidants ascorbate and glutathione. In contrast, increased activities of antioxidantenzymes and increased content of the reduced forms of ascorbate and glutathione were foundin salt-stressed roots of Lpa; the level of membrane lipid peroxidation remained unchanged inthis wild tomato. It appears that the protection of Lpa roots from salt-induced oxidative damageresults from the increased activity of their antioxidant system.With: V. Mittova; M. Tal, Ben-Gurion University

The effect of elevated atmospheric CO2, salinity and their combination on the miniature-dwarfdeterminate tomato cultivar Micro-Tom was studied. The following variables were measured:a) growth, b) photosynthesis, c) leaf sugar status, and d) activities of leaf key enzymes involvedin sugar metabolism – acid invertase, neutral invertase, sucrose synthase and sucrose phosphatesynthase. These experiments showed that salt stress was alleviated in plants grown underelevated ambient CO2.With: O. Sourkhi

90

TRANSCRIPTIONAL AND

POSTTRANSCRIPTIONAL

REGULATION OF THE

GLYCOLATE OXIDASE GENE

VOLOKITA, HEIMER

SCREENING OF

SWEETPOTATO GENOTYPES

IN THE PHILIPPINE

HIGHLANDS FOR DROUGHT

TOLERANCE AND GENETIC

DIVERSITY

HEIMER

THE ROLE ANTIOXIDANT

ENZYMATIC SYSTEMS IN SALT

TOLERANCE

GUY, VOLOKITA

THE SHORT AND LONG TERM

EFFECTS OF CO2-

ENRICHMENT ON TOMATO

PLANTS GROWN WITH AND

WITHOUT SALT-STRESS

GUY, VOLOKITA


The ortholog promoters coding for the cytosolic ascorbate peroxidase (APX) in the salt-sensitivecultivated tomato Lycopersicon esculentum (Lem) and in the wild salt-tolerant speciesLycopersicon pennellii (Lpa) were cloned. The DNA sequences of the two ortholog promoterswere compared; two chimeric genes, each composed of one of the ortholog promoters and thereporter gene GUS, were constructed.With: T. Janda, Agricultural Research Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Martonvasar

DESERT PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGYThe Desert Plant Biotechnology Group works toward the identification and characterization ofthe vast resources of unique proteins and biochemicals found in aridland vegetation. Theincreasing commercial interest in adapting natural plant materials for medicinal, food and cosmeticapplications has traditionally sought plants of the tropical and subtropical regions, with desertplants being largely neglected. Desert plants, however, have evolved to withstand biotic andabiotic stresses (temperature extremes, drought, salinity and intense radiation), which may haveled to the development of unique biologically active compounds. These compounds are at thefocus of our investigations.

Plants respond to heavy metal toxicity in a variety of ways, including immobilization, exclusion,chelation and compartmentalization of the metal ions, or the induction of more general stress-response mechanisms, such as the production of stress-related proteins. One such responseis the synthesis of phytochelatins (PCs) enzymatically generated, Cys-rich peptides. In preliminaryexperiments, we showed that Cd has different effects on the PC synthase of various plantspecies. After seven days of treatment, enzyme activity increased in the leaves of Nicotianaglauca and Atriplex halimus. In maize, however, the increased activity occurred after 28 hours,in both the leaves and roots. We have isolated and sequenced the PC synthase from three plantspecies: Atriplex halimur, Mercurialis annua and Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum.With: G. Szalai, Agricultural Research Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Martonvasar; Y. Bakhtiyor, U. Manandhar

Aqueous extracts of 66 desert plants gathered in the Negev and obtained in the Beer-ShevaBedouin-market were tested for antitumor, antimalarial (antiprotozoan) and wheat-rootlet growth-inhibition activities. Extracts of Pteranthus dichotomus, Gypsophila arabica, Achillea fragrantissima,Urginea maritima, and Solanum elaeagnifolium exhibited strong cytotoxicity (above 97%) invitro against melanoma cell lines. Those of Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum, Gypsophilaarabica, Hammada scoparia, Trigonella foenum-graecum and Peganum harmala had morethan 80% inhibition in both the rootlet and melanoma assays. Hammada scoparia, Pulicariacrispa, Centaurea eryngioides, Echinops polyceras, Ephedra aphylla, Teucrium polium, Phlomisbrachyodon, Urginea maritima, Ochradenus baccatus, Verbascum fruiticulosum, Corchorusolitorius and Peganum harmala demonstrated strong growth inhibition (above 96%) of themalaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The plant extracts positive for antimelanoma andantimalarial activities are being further investigated in order to isolate and characterize theanticancer and antimalarial compounds.With: P. Sathiyamoorthy, Gem Research Foundation, India; J. Gopas, Y. Pollack, Ben-Gurion University

The identification of a ribosomal protein L32-like gene from Mercurialis annua by mRNA differentialdisplay is reported. Sequence analysis of a cDNA clone of this gene showed that it encodes aprotein belonging to the eukaryotic ribosomal protein L32 family, hence it was named Ma-rpL32L(Mercurialis annua-rpL32 Like). Northern blot analysis showed a stronger expression of thisgene in female flowers as compared to male flowers. Analysis of the genomic DNA sequenceshowed the presence of one untranslated and three translated exons. The genomic structureof Ma-rpL32L resembled most closely the mouse rpL32 gene, but the translated protein wasmost homologous to Arabidopsis rpL32. Hexaploid Mercurialis showed polymorphism in thenoncoding sequence and conservation in the coding sequence of Ma-rpL32L. The role of rpL32in sexual differentiation is still an open question. However, its differential expression andpolymorphism in Mercurialis suggest a developmental and evolutionary significance.With: D.K. Khadka; A. Nejidat, BIDR; M. Tal, Ben-Gurion University

91

FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS OF

ORTHOLOG APX PROMOTERS

IN TOMATO

VOLOKITA, GUY

HEAVY METAL ACCUMULATION

IN DESERT PLANTS

GOLAN-GOLDHIRSH

SCREENING FOR CYTOTOXIC

AND ANTIMALARIAL

ACTIVITIES IN NEGEV DESERT

PLANTS

GOLAN-GOLDHIRSH

CLONING AND

CHARACTERIZATION OF A

GENE FROM MERCURIALIS

ANNUA L. ENCODING

RIBOSOMAL PROTEIN L32

GOLAN-GOLDHIRSH


In this study, two male-specific random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers – OPB01-1562 and OPC07-303 – were identified and sequenced in dioecious Mercurialis annua. Basedon the sequenced RAPD fragments, we designed sequence-characterized amplified region(SCAR) primers. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology, several internal segmentsof OPB01-1562 were amplified as male-specific SCAR markers from strong, intermediate andweak subtypes of the male. The markers showed high sequence homology. The OPB01-1562internal markers were absent in females as well as in hexaploid Mercurialis male and monoeciousindividuals. The gender relationship of the markers was maintained in all ecotypes tested. Therewere two internal fragments of OPB01-1562, which were PCR amplified from all genotypes ofdiploid and hexaploid Mercurialis. We suggest that identification of gender-specific DNA impliesa dimorphic differentiation of the genome of dioecious Mercurialis annua.With: D.K. Khadka, A. Nejidat, BIDR; M. Tal, Ben-Gurion University

Polymorphisms between Mediterranean basin Pistacia species and ecotypes within specieswere assessed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis. Twenty-nine Pistaciaaccessions from seven species, selected from geographically diverse locations in the Mediterraneanarea, were analyzed. A total of 302 DNA fragments were amplified by 27 primers. There were264 (87.5%) polymorphic fragments. Of these, 108 (35.8%) were polymorphic for the twelve P.atlantica accessions, and 90 (29.8%) were polymorphic for the seven P. lentiscus accessions.Ten P. atlantica and fourteen P. lentiscus species-specific RAPD markers were identified. Clusteranalyses of the data showed that these Pistacia species could be clustered into two groups:one, containing all the P. lentiscus accessions and the second, containing all the other accessions.The latter could be divided into two subgroups: one, consisting of P. palaestina, P. terebinthusand P. chinensis, and the other, consisting of P. atlantica, P. khinjuk and P. vera. The lattertwo species were highly similar, as were P. palaestina and P. terebinthus.With: D.K. Khadka; Z.S. Wang, Beijing University, China; L.J. Rowland, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, USDA,Beltsville, MD

A full-length dehydrin cDNA clone was obtained from a Pistacia vera L. cDNA library. It wassequenced and the deduced protein consisted of 230 amino acids with a molecular weight of25.870 kDa. The deduced protein is glycine rich and highly hydrophilic, containing 47.39%charged amino acids and belonging to the Kn-type dehydrins. It is composed of five repetitiveunits, each of them containing the characteristic K-box, but with neither a serine tract nor a Ysegment, which is characteristic of certain dehydrins. A similar pattern of repetitive units wasreported in other dehydrins of deciduous trees, as well as in Kn-type dehydrins. The functionof these repetitive sequences is not known. Accumulation of the dehydrin transcripts occurs atabout the same time as protein accumulation, which stays high in the inflorescence bud throughoutwinter. It was suggested that the inflorescence bud protein (Ibp) dehydrin of pistachio may havea dual function, the provision of tolerance to cold, as well as a winter store of nitrogen andcarbon for spring growth.With: B. Yakubov, A. Shachak, BIDR; O. Shoseyov, Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University, Rehovot

The genus Pistacia (Anacardiaceae) is comprised of 11 species, six of which grow natively inthe Mediterranean basin and four of which can be found in Israel (P. lentiscus, P. atlantica, P.palaestina and P. saportae). Due to the economical importance of P. vera (the common pistachionut), research has mainly focused on this species. Other aspects of P. vera and other Pistaciasp. have been rather neglected, including their potential biotechnological applications (such asimplementing the cytotoxic activity of extracts from the bark of P. vera), using the seeds for oilor as a source of nutritious protein, extracting essential oils from the leaves of P. lentiscus andin forestation. We are therefore studying salt-stress effects on the development of Pistacia sp.and on the expression of dehydrin, as well as the chemicals in Pistacia sp. and their biotechnologicalpotentials.With: O. Barazani

92

DNA MARKERS FOR

GENDER IN DIOECIOUS

MERCURIALIS ANNUA L.

GOLAN-GOLDHIRSH

GENETIC RELATIONSHIPS

AMONG MEDITERRANEAN

PISTACIA SPECIES

EVALUATED BY RAPD

GOLAN-GOLDHIRSH,

KOSTIUKOVSKY

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE

CODING SEQUENCE OF

PISTACIA VERA DEHYDRIN

GOLAN-GOLDHIRSH

BIOTECHNOLOGICAL

POTENTIALS OF PISTACIA

GERMPLASM

GOLAN-GOLDHIRSH


The jojoba, Simmondsia chinensis, is a characteristic desert plant native to the Sonoran desertof the southwest U.S. After oil extraction its meal is rich in protein. We studied the fractionationof jojoba meal proteins, their in vitro digestibility and identified serine protease inhibitory activity.The major jojoba proteins were albumins (79%) and globulins (21%). SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) showed two major proteins at 50 kDa and 25 kDain the albumins and globulins. The 25-kDa protein of jojoba seed meal has trypsinlike proteaseinhibitory activity. The amino acid composition of the albumins and globulins is similar, reflectingthe same major protein bands, with both fractions showing trypsin-, chymotrypsin- and thrombin-inhibitory activities. The increased digestibility of the albumins and globulins by boiling may reflectinactivation of the protease inhibitors and denaturation of the proteins. There is much interestin obtaining jojoba meal proteins for industrial, cosmetic and food uses.With: M. Shrestha; Y. Birk, I Peri, Faculty of Agriculture, Hebrew University, Rehovot

MICROALGAL BIOTECHNOLOGYThe Microalgal Biotechnology Laboratory develops systems for large-scale production ofmicroalgae for commercial purposes, taking advantage of the high temperatures, brackish waterand solar irradiance abounding in the Negev desert. Research concentrates on algae thatproduce valuable natural products, which include pigments and food-chain components usedin aquaculture, as well as pharmaceuticals and polyunsaturated fatty acids with applications ininfant nutrition. Members of the Laboratory investigate the biosynthesis of natural algal products;the environmental factors governing biomass production in outdoor cultures; potential applicationsof nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria as biological vectors to counter environmental problems; andthe development of suitable photobioreactors for large-scale cultivation of photoautotrophicmicroorganisms.

Because of the relative ease of growing microalgae, these organisms are important resourcesfor various commercial products. Haematococcus is being studied for the production of carotenoidpigments, such as astaxanthin, the material that gives salmon its attractive pink color. Astaxanthincan be fed to pen-raised fish to impart a similar hue and improve product marketability. Thefundamental aspects of Haematococcus cell morphology and structure, along with the molecularand cellular aspects of the biosynthesis of this natural product, are under investigation. Wedesigned a process for large-scale manufacture of this microalga for use as a fish and poultryfeed.

Astaxanthin accumulation in Haematococcus pluvialis is induced by environmental stressconditions that inhibit cell growth. When this occurs, a remarkable morphological and biochemicaltransformation†takes place, turning the normally green, motile cells into inert, red cysts. We haveexamined the possibility that this exceptional stress response is mediated by reactive oxygenspecies (ROS). We are now elucidating the role of ROS in the regulation of astaxanthin biosynthesisin H. pluvialis and seeking to determine whether its accumulation functions to relieve oxidativestress. Investigations include: monitoring ROS generated under stress conditions and studyingtheir role in mediating astaxanthin biosynthesis; identification of proteins and genes involved inastaxanthin accumulation and studying their regulation by ROS; localization of the subcellularsites of astaxanthin biosynthesis and ROS generation; and clarification of the biological role ofastaxanthin and isolation of mutants with enhanced or impaired capacities to synthesizeastaxanthin. Elucidation of the role of ROS in mediating astaxanthin biosynthesis in H. pluvialismay contribute to our understanding of the responses to oxidative stress in other plant systems.It may also assist the commercial production of astaxanthin from Haematococcus.With: A. Zarka, B. Wang

93

JOJOBA SEED MEAL

PROTEINS AND ASSOCIATED

PROTEOLYTIC ACTIVITIES

GOLAN-GOLDHIRSH

HAEMATOCOCCUS – MODEL

ORGANISMS FOR HIGH-VALUE

PRODUCTS

BOUSSIBA

OXIDATIVE STRESS

REGULATES ASTAXANTHIN

BIOSYNTHESIS IN

HAEMATOCOCCUS PLUVIALIS

BOUSSIBA


Green and red cells ofHaematococcus under the

microscope

Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria, such as Anabaena PCC 7120, are being studied for use asbiological vectors for controlling hazardous environmental agents. In one project, desirable genesare being introduced into this microalga, such as those of the antimalarial-larva toxin found inBacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis (BTI). When grown together with larva of the malaria-carrying mosquito (Aedes aegypti), the genetically engineered cyanobacterium killed 91% ofthe larvae within 24 h. The modified Anabaena strains are expected to be as efficient as BTIitself, which has a very short half-life in nature.With: X.-Q. Wu, Capital Normal University, Beijing, China

Spirulina platensis flourishes naturally in certain alkaline lakes of Africa, Asia and Mexico. Becauseof its commercial importance and extremely specific conditions for growth, we are studying thephysiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms facilitating the survival of Spirulina. Wefound that sodium ions are essential to the organism’s durability in high pH environments andthat a special membrane protein (an Na+/H+ antiporter) is involved in keeping the alga’s internalpH within an acceptable range.With: A. Zarka

When exposed to stress conditions, the alga Haematococcus pluvialis accumulates the carotenoidastaxanthin, which concentrates within oily pigment globules in the cell cytoplasm. We haveattempted to isolate and characterize these globules. Red Haematococcus cells loaded withthe pigment were broken and the crude extract was fractionated on a sucrose density gradient,producing three distinct fractions. Each of these was repurified on a second gradient, resultingin fractions free of contaminating elements. The ratio of astaxanthin to protein increased by afactor of 13 throughout the isolation and was about 3.2:1 in the purified globule fraction.Preparation of samples for SDS-PAGE analysis was carried out by solubilization in NP-40,followed by extraction in 2:1 methanol:chloroform. The purified globule fractions were enrichedwith four low molecular weight polypeptides of about 30, 31, 33, 34 kDa. The possible role ofthese polypeptides in stabilizing the globules is under investigation.With: A. Zarka

When exposed to an environmental stress, the green alga Haematococcus pluvialis undergoesdramatic changes, including accumulation of the ketocarotenoid astaxanthin and an increasein size and dry weight, as reflected by cell wall thickening. We tested the correlation betweenpigment synthesis and wall formation, which may be of further help in developing biotechnologyfor the production of astaxanthin-rich Haematococcus. Our results point to the direct correlationof carotenoid accumulation, cellular volume and dry weight. Electron microscopic observationsshow that during pigment accumulation, wall thickness increases 2- to 3-fold, contributing inpart to the increase in cellular dryweight. Enzymatic digestion of the green- and red-cell wallsreveals differences in their chemical compositions. We found that Haematococcus pluvialiscontains ARM (acetolysis-resistant material), probably sporopolleninlike substances, which arealso found in the cell walls of other Chlorophyta. However, there were no differences in ARMcontent of the green and red cysts. Our results support a connection between pigment and wallsynthesis. But at this stage, one cannot define the nature of this connection.With: A. Zarka

The larvicidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis ssp. israelensis (Bti), caused by insecticidal crystalproteins (ICP) produced during sporulation, is not recycled nor is it amplified under field conditions.The use of Bti as biological control agent is thus limited. To overcome this drawback, a clusterof -endotoxin genes containing cry4A, cry11A and p20 have been cloned into the nitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120. This organism serves as a food sourcefor mosquitoes and can multiply in their breeding sites. We tested whether this transgenicmicroorganism (containing pSBJ2) protects the expressed Bti heterologous toxin proteins fromthe damage inflicted by UV-B light (280-330 nm). An exponentially growing culture of pSBJ2-containing Anabaena was UV-B-irradiated in water suspension and residual toxicity against 3-instar Aedes aegypti larvae was determined by bioassays at LC80. Similar larval mortality wasobserved in both the irradiated and nonirradiated samples, even after 8 h of irradiation. Thus,the high mosquito larvicidal activity of this transgenic Anabaena may be protected from theharmful affect of the UV-B in sunlight.With: E. Ben-Dov, R. Manasherob, A. Zaritsky, Ben-Gurion University

94

POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS OF

NITROGEN-FIXING

CYANOBACTERIA

BOUSSIBA

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE

CELL WALL AND ASTAXANTHIN

ACCUMULATION IN


BOUSSIBA

PROTECTION OF

HETEROLOGOUS

B. THURINGIENSIS SSP.

ISRAELENSIS TOXIN FROM

UV-B IN ANABAENA PCC 7120

BOUSSIBA

SURVIVAL OF SPIRULINA IN

ALKALINE ENVIRONMENTS

BOUSSIBA

THE ISOLATION AND PROTEIN

CHARACTERIZATION OF

ASTAXANTHIN-RICH GLOBULES

IN HAEMATOCOCCUS PLUVIALIS

BOUSSIBA


Herbicides, the ubiquitous agrochemicals used in weed control, operate as enzyme inhibitors:they disrupt basic metabolic processes essential for plant life. A prominent herbicide familyincludes compounds that block ammonia assimilation by inhibition of glutamine synthetase (GS),the key enzyme involved in ammonia assimilation. One member of this family is glufosinate –also known as phosphinothricin or commercially as BASTA. This glutamate analog competeswith the plant’s natural glutamate by initially forming a transient-state inhibitor that eventuallybinds covalently to GS in the ratio of 1:1. We found that in the unicellular green alga Haematococcuspluvialis, glufosinate efficiently inhibits cell growth, induces astaxanthin accumulation and blocksthe activity of GS both in cultures and in cell-free extracts. Conversely, methionine-S-sulfoximine(MSX), a well-known GS inhibitor, had no effect on either these parameters. When GS activitywas tested in vitro, it was inhibited by MSX at high concentrations (mM), while glufosinate waseffective in the M range. We provide evidence that in the presence of glufosinate, ammoniamay be extruded from the algae. We suggest that the latter process enables Haematococcuscells to escape the detrimental effect of glufosinate, a well-known plant killer.With: B. Wang, A. Zarka

The role of the ketocarotenoid astaxanthin in protecting the green alga Haematococcus pluvialisagainst high light irradiance is still unclear. We have previously demonstrated that in Haematococcus,singlet oxygen is the main reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to astaxanthin accumulation.Since most ROS are likely to be produced via photosystem II (PS-II), we studied the changesin this complex during light irradiation of Haematococcus cells. The response of PS-II to highlight is well studied in higher plants and a few algae. In this so-called photoinhibition†process,PS-II activity is down-regulated and, in particular, one of the reaction-center polypeptides, D1,may be degraded. We investigated the fate of D1 by immunoblotting in green cultures that wereinduced to accumulate astaxanthin by exposure to high light (300 E). We also followed D1 ingreen (low-light grown, 70 E) and red (high-light grown, 300 E) Haematococcus cultureswhen exposed to photoinhibitory light (3000 E). The results show that the amount of D1 perchlorophyll is slightly reduced during astaxanthin accumulation. Under photoinhibitoryconditions, the D1 protein level in both green and red cells remains high. By blocking thetranslation system with chloramphenicol (CAP), we could show that D1 degradation was intensivein green but not in red cells. This indicates that in the green cells, D1 is rapidly turning over, butnot in the red cells. Oxygen evolution rates follow strictly the amount of D1 protein present, i.e.,they are high in green and red cells and also in red cells + CAP. But oxygen evolution drops ingreen cells + CAP. In these experiments, it was also noted that the xanthophyll cycle operatesin Haematococcus: high light increases the concentration of zeaxanthin and decreases that ofviolaxanthin. This suggests that in addition to astaxanthin accumulation other mechanisms forlight protection operate in this alga.With: A. Zarka, B. Wang

Both Porphyridium cruentum and Parietochloris incisa accumulate large quantities of arachidonicacid (AA)-rich triacylglycerols (TAG). This accumulation is enhanced when the biomass is keptat relatively high density, which implies that individual cells experience low luminosity. However,most algal cells accumulate more TAG under high luminosity. Yet, even in PUFA-rich algae, theTAG is almost entirely made of saturated and mono-unsaturated fatty acids. We hypothesizethat in such algae, excess light is converted to chemical energy in the form of TAG. Algae thataccumulate PUFA-rich TAG were found in shallow water or snow patches. Such locations arecharacterized by rapid changes in the environmental conditions. Apparently, a decrease in lightavailability per cell, which is typical of the stationary phase, serves as a signal to accumulatePUFAs in TAG. These building blocks can then serve for the future construction of chloroplasticmembranes. This is necessary because the de novo synthesis of PUFAs takes several hours,during which the cell can’t grow. However, the window of opportunity for rapid growth mayrapidly close due to changes in environmental conditions. Thus, the need for a reservoir of PUFAsis even further accentuated. Based on this hypothesis, we have indeed isolated the AA-rich algaP. incisa.With: C. Bigogno

95

EFFECTS OF THE HERBICIDE

GLUFOSINATE (BASTA) ON

ASTAXANTHIN

ACCUMULATION IN


BOUSSIBA

CHANGES IN THE D1 PROTEIN

SUBUNIT OF PHOTOSYSTEM II

DURING ACCUMULATION OF

ASTAXANTHIN IN


BOUSSIBA

CELL CONCENTRATION AND

TRIACYLGLYCEROL CONTENT

IN POLYUNSATURATED FATTY

ACID (PUFA)-ACCUMULATING

ALGAE

COHEN, KHOZIN-GOLDBERG


The freshwater chlorophytic green alga Parietochloris incisa comb. nov. (Trebuxiophyceae) wasfound to be the richest plant source of the pharmaceutically valuable, long chain polyunsaturatedfatty acid (LC-PUFA) arachidonic acid (20:4 6, AA). Over 90% of total AA is deposited intriacylglycerols (TAG). Under nitrogen starvation, fatty acid content was over 35% of dry weightand the proportion of AA exceeded 60% of total fatty acids. Consequently, we have obtainedan alga with AA content of over 20%. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the highest reportedcontent of any PUFA in algae. Under nitrogen starvation, the major molecular species of TAG(40% of total TAG) was triarachidonin; three other molecular species, each containing twoarachidonyl moieties, constituted 54% of TAG. Increasing the biomass concentration resultedin an enhancement of both the proportions of AA and the fatty acid content. We hypothesizethat one of the roles of TAG in P. incisa is as a reservoir of AA, which can be utilized for theconstruction of membranal lipids.With: C. Bigogno; P. Shrestha

The freshwater green microalga Parietochloris incisa (Trebuxiophyceae, Chlorophyta) is therichest known plant source of the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) arachidonic acid (20:4 6,AA). While many microalgae accumulate triacylglycerols (TAG) in their stationary phase or undercertain stress conditions, these TAG are generally composed of saturated and monounsaturatedfatty acids. In contrast, most cellular AA of P. incisa resides in TAG. Using various inhibitors, wehave attempted to determine whether the induction of the biosynthesis of AA and the accumulationof TAG are codependent. Salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) affected a growth reduction that wasaccompanied with an increase in TAG from 3.0 to 6.2% of dry weight. The proportion of 18:1fatty acids increased sharply in all lipids while that of 18:2 and its down stream products, 18:3 6,20:3 6 and AA, decreased, indicating an inhibition of the 12 desaturation of 18:1. Treatmentwith the herbicide SAN 9785 significantly reduced the proportion of TAG. However, the proportionof AA in TAG, as well as in the polar lipids, increased. These findings indicate that while thereis a preference for AA as a building block of TAG, the latter can be made from other fatty acidswhen the production of AA is inhibited. However, inhibiting TAG construction did not affect theproduction of AA. In order to elucidate the possible role of AA in TAG, we have labeled exponentialcultures of P. incisa kept at 25oC with [1-14C]arachidonic acid and cultivated the cultures foranother 12 h at 25oC, 12oC or 4oC. At the lower temperatures, labeled AA was transferred fromTAG to polar lipids, indicating that TAG of P. incisa may have a role as a depot of AA that canbe incorporated into membranes, enabling the organism to quickly respond to low temperature-induced stress.With: C. Bigogno

In attempt to elucidate the biosynthesis of the polyunsaturated fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid(20:5 3, EPA), we have treated cultures of the eustigmatophyte Monodus subterraneus witheither salicylhydroxamic acid or the herbicide SAN 9785. Labeled linoleic acid was incorporatedinto the cultures in the presence and absence of the latter, and the redistribution of label wasfollowed. Our findings suggest that the major biosynthetic pathway leading to EPA involves fattyacids of the 6 family. In the early stages of the biosynthesis, 18:1 is predominantly incorporatedto the sn-2 position of phosphatidylcholine (PC), where it is stepwise desaturated by the 12and 6 desaturases to 18:3 6. The latter is released from the lipid, elongated to 20:3 6 andreincorporated to both positions of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) where it is further desaturatedby the 5 and 3 desaturases to EPA. We suggest that PE is the donor of the 20:5/20:5diacylglycerol that is imported to the chloroplast to form the eukaryotic-like molecular speciesof monogalactosyldiacylglycerol. Likewise, 20:3 6 can be also incorporated intodigalactosyltrimethylhomoserine, mostly to the sn-2 position and similarly desaturated to 20:4 6and 20:5 3. These fatty acids can be exported and incorporated into the sn-1 position of theprokaryotic-like molecular species of the chloroplastic lipids. We thus suggest that both theeukaryotic-like and the prokaryotic-like molecular species are biosynthesized by differentextraplastidial lipids.

96

BIOSYNTHESIS OF THE PUFA

EICOAPENTAENOIC ACID IN

THE MICROALGA MONODUS

SUBTERRANEUS


NITROGEN STARVATION

INDUCES ACCUMULATION OF

ARACHIDONIC ACID IN

PARIETOCHLORIS INCISA


ACCUMULATION OF

ARACHIDONIC ACID-RICH

TRIACYLGLYCEROLS IN

PARIETOCHLORIS INCISA

(TREBUXIOPHYCEAE,

CHLOROPHYTA)



In aiming to develop large-scale, outdoor cultivation of Porphyridium sp., the impact of light-path length (LP) on cell growth and production of soluble sulfated polysaccharides was studiedin flat plate glass reactors. The LP of the reactors varied from 1.3 to 30 cm, with similar illuminatedsurfaces for all reactors. Maximal day temperature was maintained at 26 1oC and growthconditions were optimal, e.g., pH (7.5), stirring (with compressed air) and provision of mineralnutrients. Maximal volumetric concentration of the soluble sulfated polysaccharide (1.32 g/L)was obtained in winter with the smallest light-path reactor (1.3 cm) at a cell density of1.37 x 1011 cells/L. Highest concentration of soluble polysaccharides (60 g/m2) and cell density(3.01 x 1012/m2) were recorded in the 20-cm LP reactor. Values decreased with decreasing lightpaths. Regarding the areal productivity of polysaccharides, the highest measured was 4.15g/m2/day, produced in the 20cm LP reactor. As viscosity increased with time during culturegrowth, there was a substantial decline in bacterial population. We concluded that under ourconditions, a light path length of 20 cm in flat plate reactors is optimal for maximal areal solublepolysaccharide production of Porphyridium sp.With: S. Singh, R.D. University, Jabalpur, India; S. (Malis) Arad, Ben-Gurion University

Photoacclimation in the marine eustigmatophyte Nannochloropsis sp., used extensively as afood-chain component in aquaculture, was studied both in the laboratory and outdoors. Cellchlorophyll and carotenoids were used as markers to assess photoacclimation to high light, aswell as to decreasing growth irradiance due to cell proliferation. Focusing on practical aspectsinvolved in mass cultivation, three different approaches were used: a) cultures initially exposedto low light (150 E/m2/sec) were then transferred to strong light (1000 to 3000 E/m2/sec);b) initially low cell-density cultures grown in reactors of different light paths were exposed tostrong photon flux density (PFD) in the laboratory and outdoors; and c) cultures initially at lowor high cell density were exposed to strong light. Cell chlorophyll concentrations decreasedsharply upon transferring the culture from low PFD/cell to high PFD/cell. After 7 days ofphotoacclimating to 2000 and 3000 E/m2/sec, chlorophyll a content began to rise at a muchfaster rate than cell number. After acclimation, cell chlorophyll in the culture exposed to2000 E/m2/sec increased earlier and at a faster rate than in the culture exposed to the morestressful 3000 E/m2/sec. Following a sharp increase in PFD, carotenoids in the 1-cm reactorincreased at a much higher rate than chlorophyll, compared with the 3-cm light path reactors.This difference was attributed to the variant illumination regimes present in the two reactors.Finally, growth of low cell-density cultures ceased temporarily upon transfer to strong light,whereas high cell-density cultures continued to grow without a lag following transfer.

We attempted to identify growth conditions for maximal productivity of cell mass and ofeicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in ultrahigh-density cultures of Nannochloropsis sp. Using flat platereactors with a narrow (1 to 2 cm) light path, rigorous stirring and exposure to high photon fluxdensities (1000 to 3000 E/m2/sec), record population densities (1.2 to 1.4x1010 cells/ml) wereobtained. Consequently, the EPA content of the culture (mg/L) was higher by some two ordersof magnitude than that reported hitherto for cultures at much lower cell concentrations. Incontinuous cultures, the highest EPA yield coincided with maximal output rate of cell mass. Thevery high population densities, cell-mass output rates and EPA yields were achievable by replacingthe culture medium was replaced at least every 48 h. Inhibitory activity that would otherwisehave built up (as estimated by a bioassay that we developed) was eliminated. When the mediumwas not replaced – even with the continual addition of nutrients – cell proliferation ceased afterreaching some 30% of the attainable maximal cell number, and the culture gradually deteriorated.Nevertheless, this inhibitor-induced culture deterioration was fully reversible by substituting freshgrowth medium.

The photoprotective regulatory role of calcium and phosphate during photo-oxidative damagewas investigated. The effect of high light stress on pigment bleaching, lipid peroxidation, superoxidedismutase (SOD) activity and glycollate production was measured in Ca2+ and phosphate (Pi)-starved cells of the cyanobacterium Spirulina platensis. Results showed that high light exposureof the Ca2+-starved cells lowered the rate of pigment bleaching and raised the rate of lipidperoxidation in the cells. In the Pi starved cells, both pigment bleaching and lipid peroxidationwere raised. The high rate of peroxidation in the Ca2+-starved cells may be associated with theircharacteristic higher membrane fluidity. Studies of various radical quenchers indicated that

97

PHOTOACCLIMATION IN

RELATION TO LIGHT-PATH

LENGTH AND POPULATION

DENSITY OF

NANNOCHLOROPSIS SP.

(EUSTIGMATOPHYCEAE)

RICHMOND

EXTRACELLULAR

POLYSACCHARIDE PRODUCTION

IN OUTDOOR MASS CULTURES OF

PORPHYRIDIUM SP. IN FLAT PLATE

GLASS REACTORS

RICHMOND

PRODUCTION OF CELL MASS

AND EICOSAPENTAENOIC

ACID IN ULTRAHIGH CELL-

DENSITY CULTURES OF

NANNOCHLOROPSIS SP.

RICHMOND, COHEN

CALCIUM AND PHOSPHATE

REGULATION OF PHOTO-

OXIDATIVE DAMAGE TO

SPIRULINA PLATENSIS UNDER

HIGH LIGHT STRESS

VONSHAK


sodium azide has the most pronounced effect on the rate of high light induced pigment bleaching,suggesting that singlet oxygen is the predominant oxidizing agent. Furthermore, the high rateof nitrite efflux in both the Ca2+ and Pi-starved cells may be easily correlated with higher peroxidativedamage to their membrane systems. Addition of Ca2+ to the high light incubated cells reducedSOD activity, while added Pi increased SOD activity. Therefore, it may be suggested that Ca2+

protects Spirulina cells against the photo-oxidative damage only by strengthening photorespiratoryoxygen consumption. On the other hand, photoprotection of the Spirulina cells in the presenceof Pi is due to higher rates of both the SOD activity as well as photorespiration.With: N. Singh, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India

Chlorophyll fluorescence excitation and emission techniques were used to study the distributionof excitation energy and its transfer from accessory pigment to PS-I and PS-II chlorophyll inoutdoor cultures of Spirulina grown outdoors at different biomass concentrations. The relativefluorescence peak at 670 nm (chl a) was higher in the morning (6 a.m.) than in the afternoon(12 p.m.). But the relative fluorescence was higher in cultures maintained at a concentration of15 g/ml chl a (4.48 at 670 nm) than those maintained at 6 g/ml chl a (3.9 at 669 nm). Thissuggests that the antenna size is larger in cells grown at higher concentrations of chl a.

A comparison of chl a fluorescence spectra of cells grown at different chl a concentrationsclearly shows a decrease in the relative fluorescent intensity at the emission wavelengths of 645nm and 670nm (the reaction-center complex of PS-II), which peaks during the day. This mayindicate a damage to the photosynthetic apparatus due to excess light. The high light induceddecrease in the emission was less prominent in the cells grown at high chlorophyll concentration(15 g/ml) than those grown at low chl a concentration (6 g/ml and 10 g/ml).With: J. Malapascua; N. Singh, Barkatullah University, Bhopal, India

Both algal strains, usually grown at 25oC, were shifted to 15oC with no apparent lag phaseobserved, indicating that the algae acclimate to low temperature (15oC) in a short period witha reduced growth rate. In P. incisa, lowering the growing temperature had no noticeable effecton Fv/Fm and O2 evolution rates, which indicate that both the PS-II and overall photosyntheticactivity were not damaged by the low temperature. In N. cohaerens, however, while loweringgrowth temperature had no significant effect on Fv/Fm, O2 evolution decreased by about 20%,indicating possible damage to the O2 evolution complex induced by low temperature. Exposinglow-temperature grown cells of both strains to a chilling stress (4oC) showed that cells of P.incisa acquired the ability to tolerate chilling stress, but not those of N. cohaerens.With: Q.-T. Gao

Exposing cells of P. incisa and N. cohaerens to elevated concentrations of NaCl revealed thatthe latter was more tolerant to salt stress than the former. In N.cohaerens, no apparent lagphase was observed at 0.1 and 0.2M NaCl, with the growth rates decreasing to 72% and 34%,respectively. In contrast, P. incisa exhibited a two-stage reduction in growth, the first takingplace in the initial 12-18 hours after salt addition. During this stage, growth rate decreased to70% of control. A further reduction of growth rate was subsequently observed. No notabledifference in growth rate was observed in cells grown at the two salt concentrations, onceadaptation took place.With: Q.-T. Gao

Outdoor cultures of Spirulina are exposed to diurnal changes in light and temperature. Identifyingcells that can adapt to low temperature may help in selecting suitable strains for outdoorcultivation. The acclimation of two S. platensis strains (M2, Kenya) to low temperature and theirtolerance to photoinhibition were studied.

Exposing M2 and Kenya cells grown at 30oC to 15oC produced an immediate cessation ofgrowth. After a lag period, growth resumed at a reduced rate of 50% in Kenya and 58% in M2.The light response curve (P-I) of cells grown at both temperatures revealed that cold-acclimatedstrains exhibited a relatively higher photosynthetic efficiency ( ) than strains grown at 30oC. Cold-acclimated Kenya cells showed increases in the light saturation value (Ik) and maximal photosyntheticactivity (Pmax). In M2, Ik decreased. Kenya grown either at 15oC or at 30oC showed higherphotosynthetic efficiency than M2. Exposure of cold-acclimated cells to photoinhibitory stressshowed that Kenya cells were more tolerant to photoinhibition than M2 cells. This was reflected

98

MODIFICATION IN THE

PHOTOSYNTHETIC

APPARATUS OF OUTDOOR

SPIRULINA CULTURES

VONSHAK

RESPONSE OF

PARIETOCHLORIS INCISA AND

NEOCHLORIS COHAERENS TO

SUBOPTIMAL AND CHILLING

TEMPERATURES

VONSHAK, BOUSSIBA

RESPONSE OF P. INCISA AND

N. COHAERENS TO SALT

STRESS

VONSHAK, BOUSSIBA

ACCLIMATION OF TWO

ARTHROSPIRA (SPIRULINA)

PLATENSIS ISOLATES TO LOW

TEMPERATURE

VONSHAK, BOUSSIBA


both in the light-dependent O2 evolution rate and photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm).The increased resistance to photoinhibition of low-temperature acclimated Kenya cells may bedue to the higher photosynthetic capacity of the cold-acclimated Kenya cells with respect tothose grown at 30oC. The tolerance of cold-acclimated Kenya cells to photoinhibition at 30oCis attributed to an enhanced recovery process ascribed to protein synthesis.

TISSUE CULTURE AND PROPAGATIONYam is the major staple for over 200 million people in Africa, parts of southern Asia and theCaribbean. Propagation of this crop by farmers generally involves storing and replanting entireor pieces of harvested tubers, a procedure that significantly cuts down the tubers available forsale and perpetuates the viral and bacterial diseases that further reduce crop yields. We aredeveloping an efficient, bioreactor-based system for low-cost mass propagation of yam, whichwill assist in providing growers with disease-free seed tubers.With: G. Granot; L. Langhansová, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the CzechRepublic

Rangeland-based animal husbandry is a principal source of livelihood for populations of semi-arid lands throughout the world. Overgrazing and poor management of natural rangelands haveled to erosion and desertification. We have initiated a program that aims to establish fodderreserves in semi-arid areas, composed of high-yielding perennial shrubs and trees, therebyfacilitating revegetation and establishment of a sound economic base for impoverished ruralfarmers. Field evaluation of shrubs of species of Atriplex, Cassia and Haloxylon is underway inIsrael and South Africa. Seedlings of three Atriplex species and of Cassia sturtii were introducedto sites in South Africa, and a selection program was undertaken based on plant performanceand palatability. Tissue cultures were initiated and development of micropropagation systemsundertaken for these species, as well as for two Haloxylon species of Israeli and Turkmen origin.The program includes conventional micropropagation, as well as bioreactor-based rapidpropagation and somatic embryogenesis.With: A.A. Degen, BIDR; A. Korchagin, Parveen, A. Ramirez; L. Langhansov , Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry,Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic; N. Rethman, W. van Niekerk, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Coffea arabica, from which most of the world’s coffee is produced, is the most importantcommercial crop for many developing countries. Efforts to improve yields and quality of coffeeinclude adaptation to yield-limiting conditions, resistance to pests and fungal diseases, andselection for physical characteristics that facilitate harvest. In order to maintain the characteristicsselected for, selected plants must be propagated vegetatively. The in vitro technique of somaticembryogenesis has been applied for mass clonal propagation C. arabica. We have improved apublished protocol for high frequency somatic embryogenesis by manipulating parameters ofthe illumination regime and the medium composition of the stages of callus and embryo induction.With: E.C. Guzman

The potato ranks fourth in world food production, after wheat, rice and corn, and first amongdicotyledonous food crops. It is grown in 79% of the countries of the world. Potatoes are normallypropagated vegetatively, from bud (eye)-bearing sections of the tuber. Ever increasing cost ofoverseas transportation of seed tubers and introduction of diseases with imported planting stockjustify the local production of seed tubers in various geographical and climatic situations. Moreover,the import of potato-seed tubers has been banned by law in some countries.

In vitro methods of clonal propagation were developed for potato in order to mass-propagateselected genetic lines that have been cleaned of pathogens. These include micropropagationand microtuber production. We attempted to establish an improved protocol for microtuberinduction in vitro in the important potato cultivars Spunta and Shepody through stimulation ofaxillary shoot proliferation and enhancement of node production during the mass multiplicationphase. The studies focused on effects of various concentrations and sources of nitrogen,potassium, chloride and antigibberellins in the culture medium.With: S. Qian; A. Nachmias, The Center for Potato Research in Hot Climates, Ofaqim

99

ACCELERATED

MICROPROPAGATION OF YAM

(DIOSCOREA SP.)

BIRNBAUM

SELECTION AND CLONAL

PROPAGATION OF FODDER

SHRUBS

BIRNBAUM, ORLOVSKY

PROPAGATION OF COFFEA

ARABICA BY SOMATIC

EMBRYOGENESIS

BIRNBAUM

IMPROVEMENT OF

IN VITRO POTATO

(SOLANUM TUBEROSUM L.)

MICROTUBER PRODUCTION

BIRNBAUM


RESEARCH INTERESTS

Ph.D. University of Hamburg, 1979; Researcher, Grade BBiology, physiology, nutrition and behavior of fish; Culture of warm-water fish; Development andinvention of aquaculture techniques with commercial applications; Establishment of fish farmsutilizing brackish water; High-density fish husbandry in closed systems for the production ofseedlings.Phone: 972-8-659-6810 • Fax: 972-8-659-6810 • E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.D. North Carolina State University, 1972; Researcher Grade ADevelopment of micropropagation systems for woody plant species, root and tuber crops, foddershrubs and ornamentals, including Dioscorea, Solanum tuberosum, Atriplex, Haloxylon andCassia.Phone: 972-8-659-6745 • Fax: 972-8-659-6742 • E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.D. Ben-Gurion University, 1981; ProfessorCarotenogenesis in Haematococcus, from cellular physiology to biotechnology; Haematococcusfor production of biochemicals; Survival of Spirulina under alkaline environments; Environmentalapplications for nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria.Phone: 972-8-659-6795 • Fax: 972-8-659-6802 • E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.D. Weizmann Institute of Science, 1978; Associate ProfessorDeveloping tools for fatty acid studies; Biosynthesis of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA); Productionof arachidonic acid (AA) in algae.Phone: 972-8-659-6801 • Fax: 972-8-659-6802 • E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.D. Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1963; ProfessorBasic environmental plant physiology; Applications to arid-region agriculture.Phone: 972-8-659-6815 • Fax: 972-8-659-6822 • E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.D. University of Alberta, 1979; Associate ProfessorMolecular aspects of plant development; Biologically active compounds from desert plants;Plant-protein biotechnology.Phone: 972-8-659-6753 • Fax: 972-8-659-6742 • E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.D. Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1981; Researcher Grade BPlant transport and bioenergetics; Physiological and biochemical aspects of stress; Effects ofCO2 enrichment on plants.Phone: 972-8-659-6743 • Fax: 972-8-659-6742 • E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.D. Michigan State University, 1970; ProfessorMetabolic engineering of nitrogen and carbon metabolism in plants; Adaptation of plants toenvironmental stresses, including high carbon dioxide, mineral imbalances, heavy metals,herbicides; Biosynthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids in microalgae.Phone: 972-8-659-6740 • Fax: 972-8-659-6742 • E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles, 1964; ProfessorIncumbent of the Benjamin Schwartz Chair in Agricultural BiologyRegulation of plant growth as modulated by inorganic nitrogen ions; Regulation of the influx/effluxof nitrogen-containing ions and phytohormones by xylem parenchyma cells; Molecular studiesof molybdenum enzymes (nitrate reductase, aldehyde oxidase, and xanthine dehydrogenase);Genetic and post-translational regulation of enzyme activity by inorganic nitrogen ions and stress;Determination of the allocation priority of nitrates in greenhouse crops; Physiological andbiochemical aspects of salinity and other stresses in plants.Phone: 972-8-659-6749/50 • Fax: 972-8-659-6752 • E-mail: [email protected]

100

SAMUEL APPELBAUM

ELLIOTT BIRNBAUM

SAMMY BOUSSIBA

ZVI COHEN

JOSEPH GALE

AVI GOLAN-GOLDHIRSH

MICHA GUY

YAIR M. HEIMER

S. HERMAN LIPS


101

Ph.D. Michigan State University, 1963; ProfessorIncumbent of the Miles and Lillian Cahn Chair in Economic Botany in Arid ZonesEnvironmental physiology; Mass production of microalgae; Photobioreactor design; Photosyntheticproductivity of algae; Industrial biocultivation; Reactor models.Phone: 972-8-659-6797 • Fax: 972-8-659-6802 • E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.D. Ben-Gurion University, 1980; ProfessorReaction of microalgae to light and salt stress; Photoprotective role of astaxanthin in Haematococcuspluvialis; Responses of Spirulina platensis to low-temperature photoinhibition; Biological studiesfor improving mass cultivation of Spirulina.Phone: 972-8-659-6799 • Fax: 972-8-659-6802 • E-mail: [email protected]

Ph.D. Auburn University, Alabama, USA, 1998; Researcher Grade BBacterial and parasitic disease of ornamental and food fish; Seeking natural medicines asalternative to chemicals and antibiotics to treat fish disease; Tertahymena disease of guppies;Deformities of angelfish; Microalgae as a food additive for ornametal fish to improve their healthstatus.Phone: 972-8-659-6818 • Fax: 972-8-659-6742 • E-mail: [email protected]

AMOS RICHMOND

AVIGAD VONSHAK

DINA ZILBERG


Fish-growing facility in the Bengis Center for Desert Aquaculture

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PUBLICATIONS

Appelbaum, S. First recorded incidence of Anguillicola crassus in Israeli reared European eels, Anguilla anguilla. In: Proceedings of the InternationalSymposium Advances in Eel Biology (Eds. K. Aida, K. Tsukamoto, K. Yamauchi), University of Tokyo, Japan (2001)

Degani, C., L.J. Rowland, J.A. Saunders, S.C. Hokanson, E.L. Ogden, A. Golan-Goldhirsh and G.J. Galletta. A comparison of genetic relationshipmeasures in strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) based on AFLPs, RAPDs, and pedigree data. Euphytica 117:1-12 (2001)

Garade, J., S. Appelbaum and A. Richmond. Growth and survival of the pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei fed live Chaetoceros muelleri.In: Third Fish and Shellfish Larviculture Symposium, Ghent, Belgium (2001}

Golan-Goldhirsh, A., R. Jones and L.J. Rowland. AFLP markers for sex determination in an Ilex species. Acta Horticulturae 546:591-595 (2001)Khasdan, V., E. Ben-Dov, R. Manasherov, S. Boussiba and A. Zaritsky. Toxicity and synergism in transgenic Escherichia coli expressing four genes

from Bacillus thuringienesis subsp. israelensis. Environmental Microbiology 3:798-806 (2001)Lluisma, A.O., N. Karmacharya, A. Zarka, E. Ben-Dov, A. Zaritsky and S. Boussiba. Suitability of Anabaena PCC120 expressing mosquitocidal toxin

genes from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis for biotechnological application. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 57:161-166(2001)Lu, C.-M., K. Rao, D. Hall and A.Vonshak. Production of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in Monodus subterraneus grown in a helical tubular photobioreactor

as affected by cell density and light intensity. Journal of Applied Phycology 13:517-522 (2001)Montsant, A., A. Zarka and S. Boussiba. Presence of a nonhydrolysable biopolymer in the cell wall of vegetative cells and astaxanthin-rich cysts of

Haematococcus pluvialis (Chlorophyceae). Marine Biotechnology 3:515-521 (2001)Munday, B.L., D. Zilberg and V.L. Findlay. Gill disease of marine fish caused by infection with Neoparamoeba permaquidensis – A review article.

Journal of Fish Diseases 24:497-507 (2001)Shalata, A., V. Mittova, M. Volokita, M. Guy and M. Tal. Response of the cultivated tomato and its wild salt-tolerant relative Lycopersicon pennellii to

salt-dependent oxidative stress: The root antioxidative system. Physiologia Plantarum 112:487-494 (2001)Volvich, L. and S. Appelbaum. Length/weight relationship of sea bass (Lates calcarifer [Bloch]) reared in a closed recirculation system.

The Israeli Journal of Aquaculture – Bamidgeh 53:158-163 (2001)Vonshak, A., G. Torzillo, J. Masojidek and S. Boussiba. Sub-optimal morning temperature induces photoinhibition in dense outdoor cultures of

the alga Monodus subterraneus (Eustigmatophyta). Plant Cell and Environment 24:1113-1118 (2001)Zhang, C.W., O. Zmora, R. Kopel and A. Richmond. An industrial-size flat plate glass reactor for mass production of Nannochloropsis sp.

(Eustigmatophyceae). Aquaculture 195:35-49 (2001)Zemel, R., S. Gerecht, L. Bachmatove, Y. Birk, A. Golan-Goldhirsh, M. Kunin, Y. Berdichevsky, I. Benhar and R. Tur-Kaspa. Cell transformation

induced by hepatitis C virus NS3 serine protease. Journal of Viral Hepatitis 8:96-102 (2001)Zilberg, D. and B.L. Munday. Responses of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. to Paramoeba antigens administered by a variety of routes.

Journal of Fish Diseases 24:181-183 (2001)


ALBERT KATZ DEPARTMENT OF DRYLAND BIOTECHNOLOGIES

David Ben-ZionShoshana Didi-CohenBen FriehoffGila GranotLarissa LozovskyRina MiaskovskyRam MuslyNurit NovoplanskyRuth ShakedGuenia ShichmanTamar SinaiAlan WassAhuva VonshakDr. Aliza Zarka

Marie Ben-ZionDina FiengoldIlana Saller

Dr. Zerekbai Alikulov – Institute of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Astana, KazakhstanDr. Maria E. Lima-Costa – University of Algarve, PortugalDr. Mkhammet Nepesov – Ministry of Nature Protection, Ashgabad, TurkmenistanDr. Intyk Shayakhmetova – Institute of Plant Physiology, National Academy of Sciences, Republic

of Kazakhstan, Kazakhstan

Dr. Oz Barazani – Tel Aviv UniversityDr. Tibor Janda – Agricultural Research Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Martonvasar,

HungaryDr. Lenka Langhansov – Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences

of the Czech Republic, PragueDr. Arturo Lluisma – Marine Science Institute, University of the Philippines, QuezonDr. Irena Peri – Faculty of Agriculture, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, RehovotDr. Gabriella Szalai – Agricultural Research Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Martonvasar,

Hungary

Shai AbutboulYuval Ben-AbuCiara BigognoAntonio CastiloCohen DrorErika FediucAmir FerberQington GaoJasobanta GaradeEmma Cecilia GuzmaYoram HoffmanMia KardachiNeena KarmacharyaUdhab KhadkaDeepak KhadkaAndrei KorchaginShiri MaimonJose MalapascuaKalpana Manadhar-ShresthaUttam ManandharJeetendra Mishra

TECHNICAL STAFF

SECRETARIAL STAFF

VISITING SCIENTISTS

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

GRADUATE STUDENTS

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Valentina MittovaAnton MontsantParveenShi QianAida RamirezMadan ShresthaPushkar ShresthaOsama SourkhiMargarita SiebelBing WangJudy Xiao-CanBakhtiyor YakubovEdyta ZdunekMirash Zhekisheva


Albert Katz International Schoolfor Desert Studies — M.Sc. Program

The Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies offers a two-year program leading to anM.Sc. or M.A degree in Desert Studies. The teaching faculty includes scientists from the BlausteinInstitute for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University and scholars from the international community.The innovative, multidisciplinary program provides an integrated approach, offering opportunitiesto pursue basic research, as well as its application in the field. Students become familiar witha wide range of subjects designed to complement their areas of specialization. Graduates ofthe School may continue their studies toward higher degrees. They will also be qualified to carryout research, take responsible positions in the management of drylands, and lead the battle tocombat desertification.

The academic year 2001/2002 is the fourth year of School operation. A total of 51 studentscoming from 20 different countries were enrolled in the program.

The table below demonstrates the increase in student enrolment over the past three years:

The School’s reputation is growing in Israel, and from a single Israeli student enrolled in theSchool’s first year, 29 Israelis enrolled in 2000-2001.

During the academic year, we offered 4 introductory courses in desert studies and 42 coursesin five specializations:

• Agriculture and Biotechnology for Sustainable Dryland Development;

• Ecology of Drylands;

• Solar Energy and the Physical Environment;

• Water Resources and Management; and

• Man in Drylands.

Construction of the School’s new facilities is in progress, and we anticipate completion of theproject by the end of 2002.

For more information about the M.Sc. program of the Albert Katz International School for DesertStudies, curricula of the five specializations, possible research projects, or information aboutfaculty research interests, please visit the School’s web site: http://www.bgu.ac.il/BIDR/school/.

katz school

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1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002

Semester Semester Semester Semester Semester Semester Semester

A B A B A B A

8 8 30 23 42 43 52

8 16

Enrolled

Graduated

STUDENTS WORKING IN THE LAB AND RESTING AT HOME

International students study at classrooms in the JacobBlaustein International Center for Desert Studies.

Jacob Blaustein Center forScientific Cooperation

Dr. Elliott Birnbaum, Director

The Jacob Blaustein Center for Scientific Cooperation (BCSC) is charged with encouragingscientific collaboration between BIDR faculty and scientists and institutions in Israel and abroad.To fulfill this goal, it

• Extends partial or full financial support for a variety of activities, including• Postdoctoral fellowships,• Short-term visits of foreign scientists to the BIDR and of BIDR faculty members to

institutions abroad in order to prepare joint research proposals and to conduct cooperativeresearch,

• Conferences and workshops, and• Travel grants to postdoctoral fellows and to new-immigrant scientists for attending

conferences abroad;

• Promotes interdisciplinary collaborative programs involving BIDR research groups andorganizations abroad;

• Formalizes and promotes collaborative relations with institutions around the world, whosegoals are similar to those of the BIDR, via bilateral agreements for scientific collaboration –research or training activities taking place under such frameworks being given preferentialsupport;

• Seeks out new sources of financial support for scientific cooperation and training andpromoting research proposals of BIDR faculty members.

The BCSC administers the Negev Desert ARI, a program sponsored by the European Community“Support for Access to Research Infrastructures” framework. During a 3-year contract period,the program allows about 48 users to visit any of the departments and to utilize all of the researchfacilities of the BIDR for an average period of 1 month each (total of 48 man-months). Thissupport covers the costs of travel, food and lodging and use of facilities. ARI funds also areallocated to the host scientists, to cover research expenses of their European guests, to upgraderelevant equipment or facilities, and to the BIDR Housing Administration to improve accommodationsintended for use by ARI guests.

Tel: 972-8-659-6717 • Fax: 972-8-659-6718 • E-mail: [email protected]

COOPERATION WITH THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITYMuch of the activity supported by the BSCS focuses on cooperation with the academic community.One component of this framework involves implementation of agreements of bilateral cooperationthat have been established with institutions the world over. Some of them are long standingwhile others, listed below, were signed in 2001. All of them provide for exchanges of scientists,preparation of research proposals, collaborative research and student training.

This year memoranda of understanding for bilateral collaboration were signed with:

1. The Mirzo Ulugbek National University of Uzbekistan and 2. The Science TechnologyResearch and Application Center of Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.

The Center participated in supporting the following joint research projects in 2001:

1. United States Department of Agriculture; Remote Sensing & Modeling, BARC, WashingtonDC, USA – Quantification of water deficit and carbon source/sink effects on the root to shootratio in cotton (with Dr. Jhonathan E. Ephrath);

2. University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA – Collaborative research on the impact of dehydrationon trans-Sahara migratory birds (with Prof. Berry Pinshow);

3. University of Texas at Austin, USA – Role of ethanol in the physiological ecology of frugivorousbirds and bats in a desert ecosystem (with Prof. Berry Pinshow);

105blaustein center

b i d r

4. Centro di Studio dei Microrganismi Autotrofi, Florence, Italy – Experiments related to stressand photosynthesis of algal cultures in closed photobioreactors (with Prof. Avigad Vonshak);

5. University of Natal, South Africa – Collaborative research on comparative heterothermy ofdesert hedgehogs in predictable and unpredictable climates (with Prof. Berry Pinshow);

6. National University in Tashkent, Uzbekistan – Cooperation between the BIDR and thedepartment of Ecology of Uzbekistan National University, in various topics of dryland ecologyand related issues (with Prof. Uriel Safriel);

7. University of Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil – Influence of human and environmental policy in thedevelopment of desert rural areas (with Dr. Alex Yakirevich).

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMSBlaustein Fellowships are the most prestigious award offered by BCSC. They are given to youngPh.D.’s who are selected on the basis of excellence in research achievements. Dr. Oz Barazani,a graduate of Tel-Aviv University, was selected as the Blaustein Fellow for 2001, to conductresearch under the supervision of Prof. Avi Golan of the Albert Katz Department of DrylandBiotechnologies.

In 2001, the BCSC supported 16 visiting scientists who came to the BIDR from academic andresearch institutions in Europe, North America, Africa, Australia and Asia – all in all some 10countries. They worked with researchers in all of the academic departments of the BIDR, forperiods ranging from 5 days to 3 months.

Fifteen young scientists were given fellowship assistance and travel grants for postdoctoralresearch.

The BCSC awarded 12 travel grants to Ph.D. students during 2001.

WORKSHOPS� CONFERENCES AND COURSESDecember 5, 2000 – January 15, 2001Organized by Prof. M. Guy, Dr. M. Volokita, Albert Katz Department of Dryland BiotechnologiesThe course was taught by members of the department and other members of the BIDR faculty,under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Center for International Cooperation(MASHAV). Thirty participants from Africa, Asia and Eastern Europe attended the course.

February 4-5, 2001Organized by Prof. D. Faiman, Department of Solar Energy and Environmental PhysicsKeynote speakers were Dr. David Mills, University of Sydney, Australia; Mr. Thomas Nordmann,TNC, Horgen, Switzerland and Dr. Harald Ries, OEC, Munich, Germany.

March 8, 2001Organized by Prof. Y. Lubin, Mitrani Department of Desert EcologyThis symposium was dedicated to the memory of Merav Ziv (a former student of the BIDR);lectures were delivered by BIDR scientists and by guests from other Israeli universities.

April 17, 2001Organized by Prof. Y. Gutterman, Wyler Department of Dryland AgricultureThe theme of this conference was: “Soil surface processes in arid zone agriculture: special focuson runoff generation and use, and water evaporation from the soil surface.” Lectures weredelivered by BIDR scientists and by guests from other Israeli Universities.

May 1-26, 2001Organized by Dr. B. Krasnov, Ramon Science CenterThis course was given under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Center for InternationalCooperation (MASHAV) and the BCSC. The course hosted 27 participants from 15 countries:Czech Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, Hungary, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, SlovakRepublic, Russia, Sri Lanka, South-Africa, Tajikistan, Thailand and Turkey.

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THE BLAUSTEIN

FELLOWSHIPS

TWELFTH INTERNATIONAL

COURSE – DESERT

AGROBIOLOGY

BEHAVIORAL AND

PHYSIOLOGICAL

MECHANISMS IN ARTHROPOD

ECOLOGY

VISITING SCIENTISTS

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWS

GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS

TENTH SEDE BOQER

SYMPOSIUM ON SOLAR

ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION

11TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE

ON ADVANCES IN DESERT

RESEARCH, IN MEMORY OF

THE LATE PROF. MICHAEL

EVENARI

CONSERVATION OF

BIODIVERSITY IN DESERT

ECOSYSTEMS

blaustein centerb i d r

May 22-25, 2001Organized by Dr. Eilon Adar, Department of Environmental Hydrology and MicrobiologyKeynote speakers and participants at the workshop included geologists, hydrogeologists,geochemists, microbiologists and modelers whose research over the past decade or more hasfocused on water flow and solute transport in fractured rocks.

October 22-25, 2001Organized by Dr. S. Appelbaum, Albert Katz Department of Dryland BiotechnologiesLectures, provided by Israeli and foreign experts, covered a wide range of aquaculture topics.

BCSC STAFFDr. Elliott Birnbaum, DirectorProf. Amos Zemel, Deputy DirectorMs. Hadassa Sorek, Administrative Assistant to the DirectorMs. Willie Bruins, English Typist

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GROUNDWATER FLOW AND

SOLUTE/CONTAMINANTS

TRANSPORT IN FRACTURED

AQUITARDS

ARID LAND AQUACULTURE

WORKSHOP


BIDR TECHNICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF

Prof. Uriel N. SafrielRuth GolanSimi Oknin

Reuven KopelSima Amar

Sosh AbudramMiriam Gadker

Rachel Guy

Rachel GuyShosh ZeroniBella Freidin

Sarit KarnieliNatalia BrazLarissa Gavrielov

Rafi AzoulaiZehava AfriatYakov Dichter

Nissim ElimelechDavid AfriatYehuda ZaguriMali AvitzrurShimon LeviHenry OchaionMoshe SrurAchmed AlazazmaArmond ElmakaiesMasud Elmaliach

Amos Mesika

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OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR


OFFICE OF THE

ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR

HUMAN RESOURCES

PUBLIC RELATIONS

HOSPITALITY AND

HOUSING

BUDGET AND FINANCE

SUPPLY AND

TRANSPORTATION

MAINTENANCE AND

CONSTRUCTION

COMMUNICATIONS

AND COMPUTERS

Albert Katz Department - BGUAlbert Katz Department of Dryland Biotechnologies Chairpersons: Prof....

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