Nature makes cover story on Bangladesh scientist
The Nature, an authoritative US science journal and among the most prestigious in the world, has made a cover story on a paper of a Bangladeshi scientist recently.
The paper titled "The draft genome of the transgenic tropical fruit tree papaya (Carica papaya Linnaeus)" has been prepared by Prof Maqsudul Alam, director of Advanced Studies in Genomics, Proteomics and Bioinformatics at Hawaii University of the USA, along with 84 associates, said a press release.
“Maqsudul Alam and a collaboration of scientists from around the world have produced a genome assembly for 'SunUp', a genetically engineered and commercially produced fruit tree that is virus resistant," writes the Nature.
"Comparing the genome sequence with that of a distant relative, the grass Arabidopsis, the authors find that the papaya genome is three times larger but in fact contains fewer genes--which could provide clues about the evolution of seed-producing plants. The sequence contains features that offer insight into the plant's adaptation to day length in the tropics, and into how it attracts seed-dispersal agents and creates the volatile compounds responsible for its delicious flavour," it adds.
Prof Alam also earned fame and recognition he mapped the genetic patterns of the bacteria that thrive in Hawaii's inhospitable environments, says the press release. His work led to a number of medical breakthroughs including creation of a blood substitute.
Prof Alam was a visiting scientist at Washington State University, senior research scientist at Russia's Academy of Sciences, and the Humboldt Fellow at the Max-Planck Institute in Germany.
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