Annual Report 2002–03

(1) 高賴氨酸優質稻米 Lysine-enriched high quality rice (2)高賴氨酸蛋白在稻米 中的高效表達 High-level gene expression of lysine- rich proteins in rice (3) 驗證水稻種子貯藏蛋 白基因啟動子在種子 中的表達 Spatial expression analysis of the promoters of rice seed storage protein genes 傑出研究計劃 理學院 Outstanding Resear ch Pro j ect F a c u l t y o f S c i e n c e 研發髙賴氨酸優質稻米 生物系辛世文敎授帶領的一支跨院校研究隊伍， 於一九九九年獲得敎資會卓越學科領域撥款三千 八百八十萬港元，研究植物及真菌生物科技，以 改良作物。稻米是主要食糧，但因其賴氨酸（一 種人體必需的氨基酸）不足，營養並不均衡。過 去五十年，各種傳統育種方法皆未能提高稻米等 五穀類植物的賴氨酸含量。辛敎授的研究小組於 二零零二年研發出第一代擁有高賴氨酸含量的優 質稻米，其賴氨酸含量增加了四成，達到世界衛 生組織的標準。研究小組正於中國內地積極展開 此種稻米的田間測試，進展良好。研究人員更與 世界著名科學家如「雜交水稻之父」袁隆平敎授作 策略性合作研究，改良雜交水稻的品質。雜交水 稻現佔全國稻田面積逾半，年均產值高達一千億 人民幣。 Development of High Quality Lysine-enriched Rice L ed by Prof. Samuel Sun o f the Department o f Biology, a j o i nt university research team received an allocation of HK$38.8 m i l l i on from the University Grants Committee's Area o f Excellence Award in 1999 for a five-year project on Plant and Fungal Biotechnology, w i th an emphasis on crop improvement. Rice, being one o f the major staples, is deficient in the essential amino acid lysine. Traditional breeding over the last half century has not been able to improve the situation. I n 2002, Prof. Sun and his research team accomplished a major breakthrough in developing a lysine-enriched rice, w i th enhanced nutritional quality (the lysine content having been increased by 40 per cent, reaching the W H O recommendation). Field testing o f this new and improved rice variety i n China is progressing well. The research project has also developed strategic collaborations w i th w o r ld renowned scientists including the 'Father of H y b r id Rice' Prof. L.P. Yuan to improve the quality o f hybrid rice, currently being g r o wn in over half o f China's rice g r o w i ng area and w i th an economic value o f RM B 1 00 billion a year. 5 8 香 港 中 文 大 學 年報 CUHK Annual Report 2002-2003