Browsing Magister Scientiae - MSc (Biotechnology) by Title
Now showing items 24-43 of 262
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Biodiscovery of Novel Bioactivities from the South African Marine Environment
(University of the Western Cape, 2016)There is currently a global health crisis taking place, which is the increasing occurrence of drug-resistant pathogens within clinical microorganisms. Drugresistant pathogens are increasingly becoming more difficult to ... -
Biogenic synthesis of gold nanoparticles using red and green pear fruit extracts
(University of the Western Cape, 2019)There has been a growing interest in the design of biocompatible and environmentally affable nanoparticles (NPs) among scientists to develop novel and safe biomaterials for use in various biomedical applications. This can ... -
Biological and enzymatic activity of actinobacteria associated with aloe ferox
(University of the Western Cape, 2023)Antimicrobial resistance is a global crisis that has been on the rise for decades, threatening the health and safety of many nations. This highlights the need to discover novel antimicrobial compounds to combat already ... -
Bioprospecting for bioactive polysaccharides from marine algae endemic to South Africa
(University of the Western Cape, 2016)Fucoidan is a marine-derived sulphated polysaccharide with bioactive properties ideal for the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The polysaccharide consists largely of L-fucose, has a highly heterogeneous structure ... -
Biosurfactant screening through metagenomic and culture-based approaches
(University of the Western Cape, 2022)The biosurfactant market is still predominantly represented by the three main products: surfactin, sophorolipids, and rhamnolipids, mainly as a result of the high cost and low yield associated with biosurfactant production. ... -
Characterisation of a DNA ligase from an Antarctic metagenomic library
(University of the Western Cape, 2011)A metagenomic gene library prepared from soil found beneath a mummified seal carcass in the Miers Valley, Antarctica, suggests an environment rich in uncharacterised biodiversity including enzymes with possible application ... -
Characterisation of a lignocellulosic degrading bacillus strain isolated from thermophilic compost
(University of the Western Cape, 2011)The negative environmental impact of fossil fuels and growing concerns about petroleum supplies has driven the search for alternative, renewable transportation fuels. An 'ideal' fuel replacement would be a biofuel produced ... -
Characterisation of a novel soybean candidate glutathione peroxidase/thioredoxin-dependent peroxidase in soybean exposed to osmotic/drought stress
(University of the Western Cape, 2012)Drought stress is a major contributor to reduced soybean crop yield and quality, this can however be mitigated by the plant’s antioxidant defence mechanisms. One group of antioxidant enzymes that are active in these defence ... -
Characterisation of eight non-codis Ministrs in four South African populations to aid the analysis of degraded DNA
(University of the Western Cape, 2009)In many forensic cases, such as mass disasters reconstruction cases, the recovered DNA is highly degraded. In such incidences, typing of STR loci has become one of the most powerful tools for retrieving information from ... -
Characterisation of N-terminal fragments of Retinoblastoma Binding Protein 6 for structural analysis
(University of the Western Cape, 2016)Retinoblastoma Binding Protein 6 (RBBP6) is a 200 kDa RING finger-containing protein that plays a role in 3'-end poly-adenylation of mRNA transcripts as well as acting as an E3 ubiquitin ligase against a number of proteins ... -
Characterisation of the endophytic bacterial communities associated with South African sorghum plants: looking for potential plant growth-promoting endophytes
(University of Western Cape, 2012)The term endophyte is used to define all microorganisms that, during a part of their life cycle, colonize the internal tissues of a plant host. Many endophytes have been found to promote plant growth by acting either as ... -
Characterization of a novel soybean candidate glutathione peroxidase/thioredoxin-dependent peroxidase under salt stress
(2012)The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is prominent in all aerobic metabolisms including plants. For this reason, the redox homeostasis of the production and scavenging of these intermediates is imperative for ... -
Characterization of ATP-binding cassette drug transporters and their role in breast cancer treatment using in silico approach
(University of the Western Cape, 2019)Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide, and is the second most common cancer in the world, responsible for more than 500 000 deaths annually. Estimates are that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer ... -
Characterization of the role of a cycloartenol synthase gene (ZMCAS494) in Zea mays responses to drought stress
(University of the Western Cape, 2016)Plant Sterols are an important part of the membrane and their role is to control cell membrane fluidity and permeability. Several studies have indicated that plants that are mutant for genes that play a role in the sterol ... -
Characterization of the role of single domain soybean cystatins in regulating drought responses in soybean
(University of the Western Cape, 2015)This study investigated the effects that drought stress imposed on the growth and development of soybean plants. Soybeans were initially observed at the whole-plant level in order to identify the physical changes that had ... -
Cloning and characterization of three compost metagenome-derived α‑L‑Arabinofuranosidases with differing thermal stabilities
(University of the Western Cape, 2014)Second generation biofuels production requires a suite of lignocellulolytic enzymes, acting synergistically to liberate the fermentable monosaccharides contained within agricultural waste materials. The use of thermostable ... -
Cloning, expression and characterisation of Amidase Genes from a psychrotolerant Nesterenkonia isolate
(University of the Western Cape, 2009)A nitrile and amide hydrolysing Nesterenkonia sp. was isolated from Antarctic soil and was characterised as a psychrotolerant, halotolerant and alkaliphilic extremophile. Amidases are widely distributed in both prokaryotic ... -
Comparative analysis of 3, 3'- diindolylmethane and indole-3-carbinol respective treatments in Brassica napus L.
(University of the Western Cape, 2017)Lately, there has been serious contamination of soils and ground water caused by mineral mining and environmental pollution leading to heavy metal accumulation within soils and over time rendering the soil infertile. The ... -
Comparative analysis of molecular and physiological responses of two canola genotypes to drought stress
(University of the Western Cape, 2016)Food security has always been one of the priority concerns in Africa, and it is mostly threatened by drought stress due to climate change. Drought-induced stress is one of the serious limiting factors of plant production, ... -
Comparative analysis of sorghum and other South African grains for sustainable bioethanol production
(University of the Western Cape, 2012)The depletion of oil reserves and the constant discharge of greenhouse gasses (GHG) that are associated with global warming have forced both political and scientific sectors to pursue alternative, renewable and sustainable ...