The Asia Pacific Journal for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology is moving up a gear. Many changes are taking place and readers and contributors can expect to see the journal taking a more proactive approach to publication while maintaining our commitment to open access. We are streamlining our processes and timelines, and for Volume18, 4 issues will be published in February, May, August and November of 2010. As a taste to the exciting volumes coming out in 2009, we are happy to announce the publication of our first special issue. The coming issue will be the first of a series of special issues targeting emerging areas which have an important impact particularly on the Asia Pacific Region. The special issue focusing on TRANSGENIC INSECTS: From laboratory to field, (APJMBB vol. 17. No 3) is published with the support of the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases of the World Health Organization (WHO/TDR) and University of Malaya’s Biotechnology and Bioproduct Cluster (UMBIO). Guest Editor Dr.S.S Vasan from Oxford, who has also come on board as associate editor of our upcoming editions, has put together an exciting and important collection of articles in what many believe will be a viable and important approach for combating the ever increasing problem of vectorborne diseases. Diseases such as Dengue and Malaria continue to elude eradication and complimentary strategies have to be developed to ensure a multi-pronged attack on every facet of these diseases.

     Look forward also to guest reviews by some of Asia Pacific’s leading scientists and biotechnologists as well as special features on Institutes, initiatives and organizations in the region. We will also be bringing back our popular events calendar and would like invite all organizers to submit their 2010 events as soon as possible for listing in our February Issue. A letters page will also mean that our readership will be able to send their comments, commentaries on current issues in molecular biology and biotechnology. We hope that the new APJMBB will not only provide an important resource for current readers and contributors in terms of scientific content but will also become a focus journal for updates and discussion on the Asia Pacific’s issues and progress in the field of molecular biology and biotechnology.

Rofina Yasmin Othman PhD
Chief Editor
Asia Pacific Journal for Molecular Biology and Biotechnology

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*Author for Correspondence.
Department of Bio &s; Nano Technology,
Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology,
Hisar-125001(Haryana) India.
Tel: +91-1662-263306; Fax: +91-1662-276240;
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Abstract.
Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub commonly known as guar belongs to leguminoseae family. Guar seed has an important place in industry because of its galactomannan rich endosperm. Good quality genomic DNA was isolated from 34 independent cluster bean varieties and conditions were optimized for further amplification by PCR using random ten decamer operon primers. An evaluation was made for the application of RAPD as a genetic marker system in commercially important cluster bean varieties and a dendrogram was prepared. Various factors influencing the RAPD amplification were optimized and the data revealed that 50ng of template DNA, 1.5mM Mg²⁺ ion concentration, 0.5U of Taq DNA polymerase and denaturing temperature of 94°C was found to be essential for reproducible RAPD banding pattern. Cluster bean cultivars revealed significant polymorphism with reference to RAPD markers showing authentic genotypic diversity among its races. Out of a total of seventeen operon primers employed; ten OPT primers showed amplified products in the size range of 50-1200bp, yielding 34 polymorphic and 58 monomorphic reproducible bands with 72.7% polymorphism. Highest polymorphism was obtained in elite cultivars HG-75 and PNB. All the genotypes could be grouped in two major and three minor sub-clusters, when binary matrix was subjected to PAST software analysis and clustered dendrogram was constructed. The results of the present study can be used for molecular breeding and improvement of cluster bean for various desired traits through hybridization in future.

*Author for Correspondence.
Department of Pharmacology,
School of Medical Sciences,
Universiti Sains Malaysia,
Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
Tel. 609-7664187. Fax. 609-7653370.
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Abstract.
Cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2C8 plays a significant role in metabolizing many clinically important drugs such as paclitaxel, amiodarone and amodiaquine. A simultaneous detection of CYP2C8*2, CYP2C8*3, CYP2C8*4 and CYP2C8*5 alleles by a PCR method will be useful for detecting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the CYP2C8 gene that may contribute to the inter-individual variability in metabolizing these drugs. This is a blinded randomised cross over study conducted in 24 healthy normal volunteers who received the anti-malarial drug amodiaquine and artesunate both as individual agents and in a fixed combination, over two study phases to determine the safety profile of the two preparations. Genomic DNA was isolated from the volunteers using a DNA extraction kit. A nested PCR method was applied to detect all of the CYP2C8 variants. Regions from exons 3, 5 and 8 of the gene were simultaneously amplified using a first PCR step (PCR1).

*Author for Correspondence.
Institute of Biological Sciences,
Faculty of Science, University of Malaya,
Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
Tel: 6-03-7967-6740, Fax: 6-03-7967-4178,
E-mail: suffian_ This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract.
Laccase production by a white-rot fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus and its growth in a bubble column reactor were studied as a function of different inducers and superficial gas velocities. Free suspended biomass and immobilized biomass systems were studied where in the latter novel application of coconut husk as simultaneous support matrix and natural laccase inducer was studied. Good biomass growth was observed in the free suspension cultivation but no laccase activity was detected even after known enzyme inducers were applied. In the immobilized biomass system supplied with aeration at superficial gas velocity of 1.14 x 10^-3 m s^-1, the fungus growing on the surface of coconut husk produced significant amount of biomass at 2.4 ± 0.2 g L^-1 dry weight as compared to the non-aerated (control) system where only 0.6 ± 0.1 g L^-1 dry weight of biomass was obtained. Laccase activity was detected only after 36 hours of fermentation and the highest activity i.e. 2.85 ± 0.05 U L^-1 was obtained at 48 hours. No laccase activity was detected in the non-aerated system even after 48 hours of fermentation.