Browsing Department of Biotechnology by Title
Now showing items 28-47 of 362
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Biochemical characterization of β-xylosidase and β-glucosidase isolated from a thermophilic horse manure metagenomic library
(University of the Western Cape, 2020)The complete degradation of recalcitrant lignocellulose biomass into value-added products requires the efficient and synergistic action of lignocellulose degrading enzymes. This has resulted in a need for the discovery of ... -
Biocontrol potential of fungal endophytes against Fusarium proliferatum in maize
(University of the Western Cape, 2022)Fusarium proliferatum is a fungal pathogen that is the cause of numerous diseases in various crops of fruit and vegetables. About 25% of the maize crops harvested annually are affected by mycotoxins produced by F. ... -
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 ... -
Biological approach to improving the evaporation rates of mine wastewater desalination brine treated in evaporation ponds
(University of the Western Cape, 2021)The disposal of brine effluent from inland wastewater desalination plants is a growing global problem with adverse economic and environmental implications because of the substantial cost associated with its disposal and ... -
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. ... -
The C-economy, nutritional benefits and symbiotic performance of dual inoculated Phaseolus vulgaris (L.) plants, under variable nutrient conditions
(University of the Western Cape, 2010)The tripartite symbiosis between Phaseolus vulgaris, arbuscular-mycorrhiza and the nodule bacteria, Rhizobia have been the focus of many studies ranging over a number of decades, however these studies have failed to answer ... -
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 AtPNP-A - a novel arabidopsis thaliana gene with role in water and salt homeostasis
(University of the Western Cape, 2009)Plant natriuretic peptides (PNPs) are a novel class of extracellular, systemically mobile molecules that elicit a number of plant responses important in homeostasis and growth. Natriuretic peptides were first identified ... -
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 microbial communities associated with hypolithic environments in Antarctic Dry Valley soils
(University of the Western Cape, 2008)The Eastern Antarctic Dry Valley region is a polar desert, where conditions of extreme aridity, high temperature fluctuations and high irradiation levels make it one of the most extreme environments on earth. Despite the ... -
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 and engineering of Bacillus megaterium AS-35, for use in biodegradation of processed olive wastewater
(University of Western Cape, 2005)The popularization and health benefits associated with the "Mediterranean diet" saw a world wide increase in the production and consumption of processed olives and olive oil. During the brining of table olives large ... -
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 ...