'Genome sequencing of local jute disclosed'

Bangladeshi scientists have sequenced the DNA of the traditional variety of jute having already unravelled the genome for ‘Tosha’ jute, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has announced.

Dr Maqsudul Alam who led the painstaking but secretive research was present in a prime ministerial media briefing that began at Ganabhaban at 4pm on Sunday.

The decoding will enable Bangladesh to own all the genetic documents of the natural fibre which has reappeared as a crucial resource in the campaign for environmental friendliness.

Earlier in 2010, Hasina disclosed in Parliament that Bangladeshi researchers had done genome sequencing of jute which would help develop the jute fibre, production of new jute seeds compatible with hostile weather caused by the climate change, curb diseases and help develop the jute industry.

Jute is the second largest fibre crop in terms of cultivation and usage next to cotton. Bangladesh is the world's second-largest producer of jute after India, and the world's largest exporter of the fibre.

The Prime Minister said, “Our scientists have finished decoding the DNA sequencing for local jute alongside ‘Tosha’ jute. Now the mystery of jute's life cycle is within our grasp.”

“This is our asset. And the country’s scientists have discovered its mysteries.”

Hasina thanked everyone involved in the research of jute which is expected to regain its lost glory of being the golden fibre after the two breakthroughs in its genome sequencing.

She added that initiatives were now underway to lodge Bangladesh's Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) over the jute genome sequencing as the scientific achievement came amid tough competition from other countries.

Hasina mentioned that Bangladesh's jute has lost out on the international market after an agreement with the World Bank during the BNP regime led to the closure of the jute mills.

Dr Alam, researcher for Bangladesh Jute Research Institute, present in the briefing, said, “No one who studies jute in any part of the world can ignore our achievements. The keys to all its mysteries are in our hands.”

He invited reporters to visit the research centre at 10am on Monday and witness for themselves the overall progress of the research.

Dr Alam and his team shot to global fame after they discovered the genome sequence for ‘Tosha’ jute -- the Jute Plant Draft Genome – in June, 2010. .

Their triumph continued as they sequenced the DNA make-up of a fungus, Macrophomina Phaseolina, which reduces yield of more than 500 species of crops including jute, soybean, cotton, tobacco, maize and sunflower.

Hasina announced both of these ground-breaking achievements to the nation.

Dr Alam, who also teaches the University of Hawaii at Manoa, has achieved two more milestones in genomics - sequencing the genomes of Papaya in the US and Rubber in Malaysia.

Experts say this gene sequencing will help improve the fibre length and quality, including colours and strength; and develop high yielding, saline soil-and pest-tolerant jute varieties through genetic engineering.

A genome is all of a living thing's genetic material and it is the entire set of hereditary instructions for building, running, maintaining an organism, and passing life on to the next generation.

Genome sequencing is a laboratory process that determines the complete DNA sequence of an organism's genome at a single time. The process is often compared to "decoding", but a sequence is still very much in code.