Browsing Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Biotechnology) by Title
Now showing items 76-95 of 100
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New genetic tools to engineer starch production in crops
(University of the Western Cape, 2014)Starch is a major carbohydrate reserve in many plants, providing energy during heterotrophic growth and it is contained in large amounts in staple foods such as potatoes, wheat, maize, rice, sorghum and cassava. Apart from ... -
Pharmacogenomics of solute carrier transporter genes in the Xhosa population
(University of the Western Cape, 2014)Solute carrier transporters belonging to the major facilitator family of membrane transporter are increasingly being recognized as a possible mechanism to explain inter-individual variation in drug efficacy and response. ... -
Plant natriuretic peptides - elucidation of the mechanisms of action
(University of the Western Cape, 2009)Several lines of cellular and physiological evidence have suggested the presence of a novel class of systemically mobile plant molecules that are recognized by antibodies generated against vertebrate atrial natriuretic ... -
Population structure and demographics in Nigerian populations utilizing Y-chromosome markers
(University of the Western Cape, 2014)Nigeria is peopled by ethnically and linguistically diverse populations of which little were known until the last few millennial. The absence of major natural geographical barrier increases the possibility of the populations ... -
A proteomic analysis of drought and salt stress responsive proteins of different sorghum varieties
(University of the Western Cape, 2009)This study reports on a proteomic analysis of sorghum proteomes in response to salt and hyperosmotic stresses. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) in combination with mass spectrometry (MS) was used to separate, ... -
A proteomic analysis of drought and salt stress responsive proteins of different sorghum varieties
(University of the Western Cape, 2009)Sorghum (Sorghum bicolorï, a drought tolerant cereal crop, is not only an important food source in the semi arid/arid regions but also a potential model for studying and gaining a better understanding of the molecular ... -
Proteomic and functional characterisation of biofilm formation in Xylophilus ampelinus
(University of the Western Cape, 2019)Xylophilus ampelinus, the causal agent of bacterial blight of grapevine, inhabits the vascular tissues of infected plants where the cells appear to form assemblages resembling biofilms. Bacterial blight of grapevine ... -
Proteomic and metabolomic characterisation of novel wine yeasts: towards the evaluation and improvements of their ability to produce aromatic sauvignon blanc wines
(University of the Western Cape, 2017)Wine yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and wild yeasts e.g. Torulaspora delbrueckii forms an integral part of wine production by converting relatively 'neutral' flavoured Sauvignon blanc grape must into varietal aromatic ... -
Public participation as governance the role of catchment forums in water governance Mluleki Matiwane
(2012)Catchment forums are concerned groups of people that come together on a voluntary basis in a specific area. They share the same goal and purpose to achieve - sustainable water resources management. These Catchment Forums ... -
The relationship between structure and thermostability of a nitrile hydratase from Goebacillus pallidus RAPc8
(University of the Western Cape, 2008)Nitrile hydratases (NHases) are very important biocatalysts for the enzymatic conversion of nitriles to industrially important amides such as acrylamide and nicotinamide. An “ideal” NHase should fulfil several essential ... -
Respiratory and photosynthetic C and N metabolism of nodulated Lupin roots during phosphorus deficiency
(University of the Western Cape, 2010)Growth of symbiotic legume hosts is P limited, because of the high energetic requirements associated with N2 fixation. Attempts to overcome P deficiency in soils where legumes are grown involve addition of P-based fertilisers. ... -
The role of p-coumaric acid on physiological and biochemical response of chia seedling under salt stress
(University of the Western Cape, 2020)The role of phenolic acids in mitigating salt stress tolerance have been well documented. However, there are contradicting reports on the effect of exogenously applied phenolic acids on the growth and development of various ... -
Saturation sequencing, characterisation and mapping of the NBS-LRR resistance gene family in apple, Malus x domestica (Borkh)
(University of the Western Cape, 2008)To date five classes of resistance proteins have been identified in plants and these include the intracellular protein kinases, receptor-like protein kinases with extracellular leucinerich repeat (LRR) domain, LRR proteins ... -
Solution structure of the RING finger domain from the human splicing-associated protein RBBP6 using heteronuclear Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
(2009)Retinoblastoma-binding protein 6 (RBBP6) is a multi-domain human protein known to play a role in mRNA splicing, cell cycle control and apoptosis. The protein interacts with tumour suppressor proteins p53 and pRb and recent ... -
Structural and functional characterisation of a novel signalling molecule in Arabidopsis thaliana
(2011)Nitric Oxide (NO) influences a wide range of physiological processes in plants including growth and development, responses to abiotic and biotic stress and pathogen responses. NO binds to the heme group of the mammalian ... -
Structural and functional studies of XvPrx2, a type II peroxiredoxin protein from the resurrection plant xerophyta viscosa
(University of the Western Cape, 2012)XvPrx2 is a 1-Cys-containing member of the Prx5 subfamily of peroxiredoxins isolated from the resurrection plant Xerophyta viscosa. It is reported to be up-regulated during periods of desiccation and to protect nucleic ... -
Structural characterisation of the interaction between RBBP6 and the multifunctional protein YB-1
(University of the Western Cape, 2010)As a means of further localising the interaction, truncated fragments derived from the C-terminal region of YB-1, were tested for their interaction with the RING finger domain of RBBP6 using three different assays: a ... -
Structure, enzymology and genetic engineering of Bacillus sp. RAPc8 nitrile hydratase
(University of the Western Cape, 2005)Microbial nitrile hydratases (NHases) are important industrial enzymes that catalyse the conversion of nitriles to the corresponding amides. A thermostable, cobalt-type Bacillus sp. RAPc8 NHase was previously cloned and ... -
Studies on the population genetics of Euphausiids: a comparison of patterns in plagic taxa displaying different distributions and life-histories
(University of the Western Cape, 2006)The systematic and population genetic relationships were characterised for three ecologically related euphausiid species: Euphausia lucens, E. recurva and E. vallentini. These species have different geographical distributions ... -
The effects of high temperature stress on the enzymatic antioxidant system in Zea mays
(University of the Western Cape, 2017)High temperature stress is synonymous with the attenuation of plant growth, metabolism and eventually death resulting in major loss of crop productivity worldwide. Part of the metabolic perturbations associated with heat ...