Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Identification of differentially expressed genes in the commercially important agarophyte, Gracilaria gracilis, following nitrogen deprivation
Includes bibliographical references.
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology
2014
|
| Subjects: | |
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867614273182629888 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Lebi, Tanya |
| author2 | Coyne, Vernon |
| author_browse | Coyne, Vernon Lebi, Tanya |
| author_facet | Coyne, Vernon Lebi, Tanya |
| author_sort | Lebi, Tanya |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Includes bibliographical references. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/4286 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:49:25.288Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publishDateRange | 2014 |
| publishDateSort | 2014 |
| publisher | Department of Molecular and Cell Biology |
| publisherStr | Department of Molecular and Cell Biology |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/4286 Identification of differentially expressed genes in the commercially important agarophyte, Gracilaria gracilis, following nitrogen deprivation Lebi, Tanya Coyne, Vernon Cell Biology Includes bibliographical references. The red agarophytic alga, Gracilaria gracilis, occurs naturally within Saldahna Bay, South Africa. Gracilaria species are commercially exploited for their hydrocolloid agar, valued at US$132 million per annum (FAO, 2002). G. gracilis is thus a valuable resource for South Africa in terms of generating foreign currency through export. Nitrogen limitation occurring within Saldahna Bay during the summer to autumn months, however, is considered to be the major factor preventing commercial cultivation of G. gracilis. Algae possess various survival mechanisms that generally involve the activation or repression of various gene regulatory systems. Such regulatory systems aid in preserving energetic homeostasis at a cellular level, thereby allowing maximal algal survival during adverse environmental conditions. Microarray technology is a highthroughput global gene analysis tool, allowing for the simultaneous identification of thousands of differentially expressed genes in a single assay. Combined with genomic technologies such as genetic engineering, microarray technology has the potential to identify genes that confer enhanced in vivo tolerance to a specific stress. In the current investigation, microarray technology was utilized to identify genes differentially expressed in G. gracilis in response to nitrogen limitation. A total of 39 differentially expressed genes were identified. Ofthe 35 genes that were sequenced, 13 were assigned a putative function based on sequence similarity to genes deposited in various databases. The remaining sequences corresponded to either unknown hypothetical proteins or else had no significant homology to any of the sequences in the databases. Overall, the current investigation has provided a foundation for future research into the biological role(s) of each of the identified differentially expressed genes within their true isogenic background. Future studies may thus allow for improved crop tolerance and stability, enhancing aquaculture of this valuable resource in Southern Africa. 2014-07-30T17:38:49Z 2014-07-30T17:38:49Z 2006 Master Thesis Masters Masters http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4286 eng application/pdf Department of Molecular and Cell Biology Faculty of Science University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Cell Biology Lebi, Tanya Identification of differentially expressed genes in the commercially important agarophyte, Gracilaria gracilis, following nitrogen deprivation |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Identification of differentially expressed genes in the commercially important agarophyte, Gracilaria gracilis, following nitrogen deprivation |
| title_full | Identification of differentially expressed genes in the commercially important agarophyte, Gracilaria gracilis, following nitrogen deprivation |
| title_fullStr | Identification of differentially expressed genes in the commercially important agarophyte, Gracilaria gracilis, following nitrogen deprivation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification of differentially expressed genes in the commercially important agarophyte, Gracilaria gracilis, following nitrogen deprivation |
| title_short | Identification of differentially expressed genes in the commercially important agarophyte, Gracilaria gracilis, following nitrogen deprivation |
| title_sort | identification of differentially expressed genes in the commercially important agarophyte gracilaria gracilis following nitrogen deprivation |
| topic | Cell Biology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/4286 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT lebitanya identificationofdifferentiallyexpressedgenesinthecommerciallyimportantagarophytegracilariagracilisfollowingnitrogendeprivation |