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La Real Academia Sueca de Ciencias otorgó el Premio Nobel de Química 2020 a dos científicas, la Dra. Emmanuelle Charpentier de la Unidad Max Planck para la Ciencia de los Patógenos (Berlín, Alemania), y la Dra. Jennifer A. Doudna de la Universidad de California (Berkeley, Estados Unidos), por el desarrollo de un método para la edición del genoma, una de las herramientas más resonantes de la última década: las tijeras genéticas CRISPR/Cas9. Actualmente, los científicos pueden modificar el ADN de animales, plantas y microorganismos con una precisión extremadamente alta. La nueva tecnología CRISPR/Cas9 también tiene un impacto revolucionario en la medicina humana, y contribuye a generar nuevas terapias contra el cáncer e, incluso, a curar enfermedades hereditarias. Los objetivos del presente trabajo son mencionar los antecedentes, la importancia del descubrimiento de la edición genómica con CRISPR/Cas9, el mecanismo molecular y las aplicaciones actuales de esta valiosa herramienta biotecnológica en humanos, animales, plantas y microorganismos.

This study investigates the historical variability in annual average precipitation in the northwest region of Mexico, aiming to evaluate the cumulative impact of precipitation on soil degradation and associated risks posed by rainfall. Despite being known as “The Agricultural Heart of Mexico”, the region’s soil has experienced significant damage to its granulometric structure due to unpredictable rainfall patterns attributed to climate change. Sixteen historical series of average annual rainfall were analyzed as stationary stochastic processes for spectral analysis. The results revealed exponential decay curves in each radial spectrum, indicating a linear relationship between frequency and amplitude. These curves identified initial impulses correlated with moments of severity for structural damages caused by rainfall-induced degradation. The degradation process, exacerbated by water stress, accelerates, as evidenced by maps illustrating approximately 75% soil damage. In the context of climate change and the uncertainty surrounding soil responses to extreme meteorological events, understanding this phenomenon becomes crucial. Recognizing the dynamic nature of soil responses to environmental stressors is essential for effective soil management. Emphasizing the need to employ numerical processes tailored to new environmental considerations related to observed soil damages is crucial for sustainable soil management practices in any region.

ABSTRACT: Two chemical treatments, five enzymatic (pectinase, lipase, hemicellulase, hemicellulose-cellulase or lipase-pectinase) and one microbiological (Bacillus subtilis) treatment were evaluated to obtain glucosamine hydrochloride (Gluc-HCl) from the chitin obtained from crab (Callinectes bellicosus) exoskeletons. Chemical treatments were referred as Method A (HCl hydrolysis during 75 min at 90°C) and Method B (HCl hydrolysis during 20 min and 14 h of rest). Glucosamine and, in some cases, N-acetyl-D-glucosamine were identified and quantified by HPLC. Treatments with the greater concentrations of Gluc-HCl in descending order were: lipase (94.4 mg/g), microbiological (45.7 mg/g), lipase-pectinase (22.9 mg/g), hemicellulase-cellulase (20.9 mg/g), hemicellulase (15.3 mg/g), pectinase (10.7 mg/g), Chemical A (7.3mg/g) and Chemical B (7.3mg/g). In terms of yield, the best treatments in descending order were: pectinase (94%), microbiological (94%), hemicellulase (92%), lipase (91%), Chemical B (88%), lipase-pectinase (88%), hemicellulase-cellulase (86%) and Chemical A (28.5%). The two most profound treatments were lipase and microbiological, so they are proposed as part of a viable method to produce Gluc-HCl from crab exoskeletons; they are ecofriendly procedures and could add value to the crab´s productive chain.

In the state of Sinaloa, rainfall presents considerable irregularities, and the climate is mainly semiarid, which highlights the importance of studying the sensitivity of various indices of meteorological drought. The goal is to evaluate the sensitivity of four indices of meteorological drought from five weather stations in Sinaloa for the prediction of rainfed maize yield. Using DrinC software and data from the period 1982–2013, the following were calculated: the standardized precipitation index (SPI), agricultural standardized precipitation index (aSPI), reconnaissance drought index (RDI) and effective reconnaissance drought index (eRDI). The observed rainfed maize yield (RMYob) was obtained online, through free access from the database of the Agrifood and Fisheries Information Service of the government of Mexico. Sensitivities between the drought indices and RMYob were estimated using Pearson and Spearman correlations. Predictive models of rainfed maize yield (RMYpr) were calculated using multiple linear and nonlinear regressions. In the models, aSPI and eRDI with reference periods and time steps of one month (January), two months (December–January) and three months (November–January), were the most sensitive. The correlation coefficients between RMYob and RMYpr ranged from 0.423 to 0.706, all being significantly different from zero. This study provides new models for the early calculation of RMYpr. Through appropriate planning of the planting–harvesting cycle of dryland maize, substantial socioeconomic damage can be avoided in one of the most important agricultural regions of Mexico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review of the situation of bio-fuels in the world, mainly of biodiesel is made. A comparison among the different raw materials for the synthesis of biodiesel is done and it is emphasized in the production of biodiesel from microalgae. The different fresh and salt water micro-algae in its lipid content and productivity are compared. A review of the process of biosynthesis of lipids in microalgae and how to improve the production of lipids in microalgae is shown. It is discussed the importance of the genetic manipulation to highly lipid-producing microalgae (example: Botryrococuus braunni, Nannochloropsis sp, Noechlorisoleobundans and Nitschia sp.). A study of the advantages and disadvantages of the different systems of cultivation of microalgae is also made. Finally, it is shown a perspective of biofuels from microalgae. Among the main challenges to overcome to produce biodiesel from microalgae are: the cost of production of biomass, which involves the optimization of media, selection and manipulation of strains and photobioreactors design. The processof separation of biomass, the extraction of oils and by-products, the optimization of the process of transesterification, purification and use of by-products must also be considered.