end of food chain
The protein synthesis elongation factor EF-Tu was the first G-protein whose nucleotide binding domain was solved structurally by X-ray crystallography to yield a structural definition of the GDP-bound form, but a still increasing number of new structures of G-proteins are appearing in the literature, in both GDP and GTP bound forms. A common structural core for nucleotide binding is present in all these structures, and this core has long been known to include common consensus sequence elements involved in binding of the nucleotide. Nevertheless, subtle changes in the common sequences reflect functional differences.

Brian FC CLARK



Related studies

First EFBIC Scientific Management Board meeting

Beijing, China, September 7-8, 2002

Memorandum of Understanding

The "European Focus on Biotechnology in China" (EFBIC) is a collaborative project between the Chinese National Center for Biotechnology Development (CNCBD) and the European Federation of Biotechnology (EFB). Its aim is to encourage, develop and facilitate cooperative activities between China and EU in the field of biotechnology and biological science within the framework of the Agreement on Science and Technology between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the European Union signed on the 22 December 1998 in Brussels. In pursuance of the Agreement between CNCBD and EFB on the EFBIC Project signed on 14th April 2002 in Shanghai, China, the first EFBIC Science Management Board meeting was held on September 7-8 2002 in Beijing, China.

The meeting was opened by Prof. WANG Hongguang, Director General of CNCBD, who welcomed all participants and wished the meeting full success. He gave an introduction on the Chinese national high-technology programmes on biotechnology. Prof. Brian CLARK, chairman of the EFB Task Group on International Relations, gave a brief introduction about the EFB and the EFBIC programme. Prof. WANG Yu and Prof. Brian CLARK, as co-chairmen of the SMB, introduced the participants from China and Europe. Mr. CHEN Linhao from the Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) presented the financial support by the Chinese government for the collaborative programme on biotechnology, and Dr. David BENNETT presented the financial support provided by the European commission under its contract with the EFB.

The proposed agenda was accepted by the meeting. The main topics of the meeting were: administrative procedures, workshops and meetings, joint projects, international relations, and advanced training and academic exchanges…

With reference to the items in the attached agenda, after discussion, the following items were jointly agreed.

With reference to item 1 "Administrative Procedures":

1.1 The short-term aims are arranging contacts between Chinese and European scientists for the development of proposals to be submitted to the European commission 6th Framework Programme, together with planning for workshops and conference to be held in the near future.
The mid- to long-term aims are the development of a continuing and broader collaborative programme in biotechnology.

1.2 In order to facilitate collaboration, CNCBD offered to make available office facilities of 100m2 in Beijing together with support services. Secretarial facilities will be also provided by the EFBIC at the Aarhus, Denmark and Delft, Netherlands offices.

With reference to item 2 "Workshops and meetings":

2.1 Joint guidelines for applications and selection were accepted.

o High-level interactive science.

o Establish Chinese-European contacts and cooperations suitable for FP6 applications.

o High Chinese participation

o Selection by SMB

2.2 Workshops in year 2003 were discussed and selected as:

a. Functional Genomics and Technology Transfer, 7 April 2003 in Lyon, France in conjunction with BioVision 2003 Conference
b. Bioinformatics, Autumn 2003, Hinxton Hall, near Cambridge, UK
c. Molecular Mechanisms of Medical Microbiology & Drug Resistance, November 2003, near Shanghai, China

For 2004 to March 2005:

a. New Developments in Pharmaceutical Biotechnology-New Drug Targets and Animal Models, April-May 2004, China
b. GMOs, Biosafety,Regulatory and Trade Issues.
c. New Strategies for Developing Vaccines, dates and venues to be decided.

2.3 Chinese participants will be invited to participate in the following conferences:

a. European Research 2002, 11-13 November 2002, Brussels, Belgium
b. 1st Global HUPO Conference, Versailles, France, 21-24 November 2002
c. European commission "Biotechnology in Developing Countries", Brussels, Belgium, 30-31 January 2003
d. BioVision 2003, Lyon, France, 7-11 April 2003
e. 11th European Congress on Biotechnology, Basel, Switzerland, 24-29 August 2003

European participants will be invited to:

a. 7th International Symposium on the Biosafety of Genetically modified Organisms, Beijing, China, 10-16 October 2002
b. Shenzhen High-Tech Fair, 12-17 October 2002, China
c. Biotech 2003 Beijing, 26-28 May 2003, China

Other meetings and conferences in Europe and China coming to SMB knowledge will be advertised to relevant participants and EFBIC programme will facilitate participation on both sides.

With reference to item 3 "Joint projects":

3.1 Both sides decided to apply to FP6 to co-establish a China-EU Biotechnology network as a Network of Excellence. Practical arrangements will be made by the EFBIC offices.
3.2 CNCBD will provide to EFBIC the projects’ list supported by the Chinese National Research Programmes on biotechnology (863 and 973) to facilitate the participation of Chinese and European scientists in the Chinese and European Programmes.
3.3 The meeting agreed that the pig genome project will be provided for within the calls for proposals to be published in November-December 2002. Joint proposals will be developed for subvision.

Further joint proposals for subvision to FP6 will be developed as more China-EU co-operations are established.

EFBIC will provide advice and support in the development and subvision of the proposals.

With reference to item 4"International Relation":

4.1 The meeting decided that all information and communications will be made available on the CNCBD and EFB websites until the EFBIC website is established.
4.2 The EFBIC website will be developed by cooperation between CNCBD and EFB.
4.3 The meeting stressed the importance of the collaboration with other organisation involved in biotechnology at international level.

">With reference to item 5 "Advanced training and academic exchanges":

.1 The availability of fellowships will be publicised by EFBIC and also by CNCBD in China and by EFB in Europe. Candidates will be selected by EFBIC-SMB.
5.2 The deadline for both short-term fellowships (up to 6 months) and for long-term fellowships (up to 12 months) should be in March and September.
5.3 The funding for fellowship will be provided initially from within the EFBIC budget and further funding will be sought through FP6 and other sources.

With reference to item 6:

6.1 The meeting agreed to hold the 2nd SMB meeting on 5-6 April 2003 in Lyon, France, in conjunction with the 1st High-Level Supervisory Committee meeting.

Signed in Beijing, 8 September 2002 by the EFBIC-SMB co-chairmen:

Prof. Dr. WANG Yu   Prof. Brian CLARK



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