Department of Biotechnology: Recent submissions
Now showing items 41-60 of 362
-
Comparison of multi-gene integration strategies in CRISPR-based transformation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
(University of Western Cape, 2021)Saccharomyces cerevisiae is an important host in industrial biotechnology. This yeast is the host of choice for the first and second-generation biofuels for ethanol production. Genome modification in S. cerevisiae has been ... -
Molecular detection and characterisation of RNA viruses of honeybees
(University of the Western Cape, 2009)Honeybees have evolved through the centuries to inhabit most parts of the world except for the extreme Polar Regions. These insects have also been susceptible to pathogens and disease which has always been part of the ... -
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 ... -
Analysis of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria associated with the roots of Proteaceae plant species in soils of Fynbos ecosystem
(University of the Western Cape, 2005)Molecular methods were used to investigate the microbial diversity and community structure of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) associated with the roots of the Proteaceae plant family. The identification of ammonia ... -
Microbiology of fly ash-acid mine drainage co-disposal processes
(University of the Western Cape, 2005)The waste products acid mine drainage (AMD), formed during coal mining and fly ash (FA) from coal burning power generation, pose substantial environmental and economic problems for South Africa. Eskom has developed a ... -
Recombinant expression of the pRb- and p53-interacting domains from the human RBBP6 protein for in vitro binding studies
(University of the Western Cape, 2004)This thesis describes the cloning and recombinant expression of domains from the human RBBP6 protein for future in vitro binding studies with pRb and p53. RBBP6 is a splicing-associated protein that is known to interact ... -
Structural characterisation of the interaction between RBBP6 and the multifunctional protein YB-l
(University of the Western Cape, 2010)Retinoblastoma binding protein 6 (RBBP6) is a 250 kDa RING finger-containing protein whose function is known to be mediated through interaction with other proteins. RBBP6 plays a role in the regulation of the tumour ... -
Laccases from actinomycetes for lignocellulose degradation
(University of the Western Cape, 2012)Lignocellulose has a complex structure composed mainly of lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose. Several enzymes are needed for the degradation of lignocellulose into simple sugars. Actinomycetes are known to produce laecases ... -
Identification and validation of putative therapeutic and diagnostic antimicrobial peptides against HIV: An in silico approach
(University of the Western Cape, 2013)Background: Despite the effort of scientific research on HIV therapies and to reduce the rate of HIV infection, AIDS still remains one of the major causes of death in the world and mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa. To date, ... -
Evaluation of the capacity of hydrogen sulfide to reduce infection of maize
(University of the Western Cape, 2020)Maize (Zea mays L.) is grown globally as an important grain crop in South Africa, United States, China and Brazil and plays a major role in the worldwide economy. In South Africa, the grain is utilised for food consumption, ... -
The impact of different storage temperatures and storage period on the antioxidant activity of pomegranate
(University of Western Cape, 2021)Fruit storage at cold temperatures is normally used to delay decay while maintaining the fruit’s quality. However, storage at low temperatures for a prolonged period causes some important metabolic functions within the ... -
Effects of nitric oxide and hydrogen peroxide on antioxidant enzyme activity in zea mays subjected to drought
(University of Western Cape, 2021)Agricultural practices are significantly affected by drought. Drought is one of the most important plant stresses, causing several physiological, morphological, biochemical, and molecular changes in plants. Drought stress ... -
Genomic and proteomic analysis of drought tolerance in Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)
(University of the Western Cape, 2014)Drought is the most complex phenomenon that remained to be a potential and historic challenge to human welfare. It affects plant productivity by eliciting perturbations related to a pathway that controls a normal, ... -
Cloning, expression and characterization of Novel Lipase and Esterases from Burkholderia multivorans UWC10
(2005)An esterase and lipase producing Burkholderia multivorans strain was isolated by culture enrichment strategies. A shotgun library of Burkholderia multivorans genomic DNA (prepared in E. coli/pUC18) was screened for lipase ... -
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 ... -
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. ... -
Bioactive actinobacteria associated with two South African medicinal plants, Aloe ferox and Sutherlandia frutescens
(University of Western Cape, 2021)Actinobacteria, a Gram-positive phylum of bacteria found in both terrestrial and aquatic environments, are well-known producers of antibiotics and other bioactive compounds. The isolation of actinobacteria from unique ... -
Improvement of cell-surface adhered cellulase activities in recombinant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae engineered for consolidated bioprocessing
(University of Western Cape, 2021)Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP), in which a single organism in a single reactor is responsible for the conversion of pretreated lignocellulosic biomass to bioethanol, remains an attractive option for production of commodity ... -
Massively-Parallel Computational Identification of Novel Broad Spectrum Antivirals to Combat Coronavirus Infection
(University of the Western Cape, 2015)Given the significant disease burden caused by human coronaviruses, the discovery of an effective antiviral strategy is paramount, however there is still no effective therapy to combat infection. This thesis details the ... -
Signalling molecule “calcium” improves germination and growth of Sorghum bicolor seedlings under salt stress
(University of the Western Cape, 2021)Abiotic stress, mainly in the form of extreme temperatures, drought and salinity has caused major crop losses worldwide, putting a severe strain on agriculture. Salinity severely limits plant growth and productivity and ...