Zwei Populus-Pfropfchimären (MA und AI), die aus P. x canadensis ‘Marilandica’ (M), P. maximowizcii x P. trichocarpa ‘Androscoggin’ (A) and P. nigra L. ’Italica’ (I) aufgebaut sind, wurden für Untersuchungen zur Laub- und Blütenblattentwicklung genutzt. In MA bildet M die äußere Lage (L1) und ihr Derivat, die Epidermis, während die inneren Lagen (L2, L3 etc.) von A gebildet werden. Bei AI stammt die L1 von A und L2, L3 etc. werden von I gebildet. Die genotypisch andersartige Epidermis bedingt bei Periklinal-Chimären morphologische Effekte wie zum Beispiel einen Fruchtknoten in einigen MA-Blüten. Morphologische Besonderheiten verschiedener Gewebe sowohl von M und A als auch von MA wurden verglichen, um festzustellen, wie sie durch die Gewebetransplantation verändert oder beeinflusst wurden und, um mögliche Genotyp- Interaktionen oder -Wechselwirkungen in einem Gewebe ausfindig zu machen. Für die Genotypidentifizierung in verschiedenen Organen wurde die RAPD-PCR getestet. Einer von 20 getesteten 10mer Zufallsprimern (GGAGTGGACA) ermöglichte bei der Verwendung von DNA aus Blattmaterial die Erzeugung verschiedener Bandenmuster für M und A. Bei der Verwendung von MA-Blattmaterial zeigte sich eine Kombination der Muster von M und A, sodass ein Chimärennachweis für das MA-Blattmaterial erbracht wurde. Für ein übertragbares System wurde die spezifische PCR getestet. Unter Verwendung spezifischer Primer für die 16s-rDNA zeigten die PCR-Produkte einheitliche Banden und nach anschließender Sequenzierung eine weitgehende Übereinstimmung der phylogenetischen Verwandtschaft von I, M und A. Weiterhin wurden die kernkodierten rDNA Bereiche ITS 1 und ITS 2 zwischen 18S und 25S getestet. Für I, M und A konnten jeweils zwei Banden von unterschiedlicher Größe und Sequenz ermittelt werden, die vermutlich auf funktionierende rDNA aber auch auf Pseudogene (beschnitten) in niedriger Kopienzahl hinweisen. Die ITS-Regionen von I, M und A wurden charakterisiert, um einen Einblick in die Struktur und Phylogenie der Salicacaee-Familie zu erhalten. Aus den Sequenzunterschieden konnten für I und A spezifische Primerpaare abgeleitet werden, die für die Identifizierung von I und A in AI und MA verwendet werden können. Mittels A-Marker konnte nachgewiesen werden, dass Fruchtknoten aus MA-Blüten neben M-Gewebe auch den A-Genotyp enthalten. / Two Populus graft chimeras (MA and AI) produced of P. x canadensis ‘Marilandica’ (M), P. maximowizcii x P. trichocarpa ‘Androscoggin’ (A) and P. nigra L. ’Italica’ (I) were used for investigations of leaf and flower development. In MA the exogenous layer (L1) forms the epidermis and is derived from M while inner layers (L2, L3 etc.) descend from A whereas in AI L1 is formed by A while L2, L3 etc. descend from I. The exogenous epidermis of the periclinal chimeras imposes morphological effects such as an extra female sex in some of the MA flowers. The morphological characteristics of different plant tissues of parents and chimera were compared to determine how they were modified or altered by the tissue transplantation and possibly identify co-existing or interacting genotypes in one tissue. RAPD-PCR was tested for its usefulness to amplify polymorphic fingerprints including donor specific DNA fragments. One random 10mer primer (GGAGTGGACA) out of 20 tested revealed the amplification of patterns including donor specific DNA bands using extracts from leaf tissues of the M and A parents that were combined using extract from leaf tissue of the MA chimera. This indicates that the leaves of the MA chimera are formed by tissues of M and A. However, the inherent disadvantage of RAPD-PCR is the reproducibility of PCR product generation. Therefore the discriminative potential of the ITS region located between the rRNA genes was investigated. The application of specific 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) primers for amplification and sequencing of PCR products revealed a closely phylogenetic relationship between I, M and A. Consequently the ITS1 and ITS2 of nuclear rDNA between 18S and 25S were used. The amplified fragments were purified, cloned in E. coli and sequenced. Analyses of multiple clones demonstrated extensive paralogy within and between I, M and A ITS operons. For each parent were at least two rDNA operons as well as multiple paralogous sequences within operons identified. The use of PCR and sequence analyses showed that one of the operons encodes a putative expressed (functional) rDNA whereas the second encodes a pseudogen (truncated) in low copy number. We also characterized the ITS regions of I, M and A to gain insights into structure and phylogeny of the Salicacaee family. Based on sequence divergence primers were designed for A and I and used for the identification of A in MA carpels.

In this study, a halophilic archaea Halobacterium salinarium TG13 which is isolated from Tuz Lake in Central Anatolia was characterized biochemically and genetically. Halobacterium salinarium DSM3754 and Halobacterium salinarium S9 strains were used as a reference strain through the experiments. In biochemical characterization / total protein profiles of strains was compared by using 1D SDS PAGE. Total protein profile of the isolated strain has shown differences. The SDS-PAGE profile of the purified purple membrane showed only single band by coomassie staining. Molecular weight and pI values of the protein isolated from Halobacterium salinarium TG13 and Halobacterium salinarium S9 were estimated by 2D SDS-PAGE as 22 kD and 5.4, respectively. Photoactivity of purple membrane of the strains was investigated. pH change of the purple membranes were observed upon illumination. This protein might be corresponded to bacteriorhodopsin. In genetical characterization / polymorphism of genomic DNA of strains was scanned with RAPD-PCR. Plasmid DNA profiles of strains was determined to make use of RFLP technique. RAPD-PCR and RFLP analyses have shown that Halobacterium salinarium TG13 is different strain from reference Halobacterium salinarium strains (H.s. S9 and H.s. DSM3754).

O setor agropecuário responde atualmente por cerca de 9,2% do Produto interno bruto (PIB) brasileiro, sendo que a cana-de-açúcar ocupa cerca de 9% da área cultivada, fato que lhe confere especial relevância com relação ao desenvolvimento nacional. Os dois produtos mais importantes desta cultura são o açúcar e o álcool etílico produzido por fermentação com leveduras. Durante o processo de fermentação alcoólica, o fermento sofre inúmeras reciclagens e interferências externas advindas do caldo, do ambiente e de outras fontes, tornando-se vulnerável à contaminação por outros microrganismos e mesmo leveduras indesejáveis. Métodos de monitoramento microbiológico que possibilitem a discriminação das linhagens de forma rápida e inequívoca, além de baratos, são altamente desejáveis. A utilização de meios diferenciais e seletivos, métodos bioquímicos e análise molecular tem se mostrado eficientes, porém são demorados e dispendiosos. A reação ‘killer’ é um fenômeno descoberto há 40 anos em S. cerevisiae, e resultados satisfatórios já foram obtidos na caracterização de leveduras, considerando-se o perfil de sensibilidade ‘killer’. O padrão de sensibilidade às toxinas killer foi utilizado nesse projeto em leveduras industriais (isoladas de processo fermentativo para produção de etanol). Os dados gerados com os testes de sensibilidade às toxinas Killer geraram polimorfismos entre as linhagens, mesmo em nível intra-específico, validando a metodologia na biotipagem das leveduras. As informações obtidas subsidiam o desenvolvimento de uma metodologia de biotipagem aplicável para o monitoramento microbiológico na indústria sucro-alcooleira, com a seleção de nove leveduras killer contra as quais as leveduras industriais apresentaram um perfil característico de sensibilidade, dependendo do grupo ao qual pertencem (S. cerevisiae ou não Saccharomyces). Finalmente, vale citar que os testes foram corroborados pelos resultados obtidos com a taxonomia clássica e pelos métodos de biologia molecular com reações de PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) e RAPD (Random Amplified Polimorphism DNA). / Agriculture is an important sector in the economy of Brazil. The sugar cane occupies 9% of the cultivated area in this country. The most important products from the sugar cane industry are sugar and alcohol, the latest produced by fermentative process by yeasts. During the fermentation the yeast population changes due to the interferences coming from the sugar cane juice or other sources, turning the process susceptible to undesirable contaminations. In this way, fast, reliable and cheap methods for microbiological monitoring can be helpful. Selective culture media, biochemical tests and molecular analyses have been used but they are time-consuming or expensive. The killer phenomenon discovered initially in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have shown interesting results to yeast biotyping. The sensibility pattern to different killer toxins was used to make a "fingerprinting" and successfully separate different strains of yeasts. This method was corroborated by classical taxonomy and molecular biology results (PCR and RAPD-PCR). The results obtained gives support to development of a methodology useful on fermenting microbiologic monitoring with the selection of nine strains of killers yeasts with highly discrimination between industrial bakker yeasts and contaminants of the fermentation process.

O setor agropecuário responde atualmente por cerca de 9,2% do Produto interno bruto (PIB) brasileiro, sendo que a cana-de-açúcar ocupa cerca de 9% da área cultivada, fato que lhe confere especial relevância com relação ao desenvolvimento nacional. Os dois produtos mais importantes desta cultura são o açúcar e o álcool etílico produzido por fermentação com leveduras. Durante o processo de fermentação alcoólica, o fermento sofre inúmeras reciclagens e interferências externas advindas do caldo, do ambiente e de outras fontes, tornando-se vulnerável à contaminação por outros microrganismos e mesmo leveduras indesejáveis. Métodos de monitoramento microbiológico que possibilitem a discriminação das linhagens de forma rápida e inequívoca, além de baratos, são altamente desejáveis. A utilização de meios diferenciais e seletivos, métodos bioquímicos e análise molecular tem se mostrado eficientes, porém são demorados e dispendiosos. A reação ‘killer’ é um fenômeno descoberto há 40 anos em S. cerevisiae, e resultados satisfatórios já foram obtidos na caracterização de leveduras, considerando-se o perfil de sensibilidade ‘killer’. O padrão de sensibilidade às toxinas killer foi utilizado nesse projeto em leveduras industriais (isoladas de processo fermentativo para produção de etanol). Os dados gerados com os testes de sensibilidade às toxinas Killer geraram polimorfismos entre as linhagens, mesmo em nível intra-específico, validando a metodologia na biotipagem das leveduras. As informações obtidas subsidiam o desenvolvimento de uma metodologia de biotipagem aplicável para o monitoramento microbiológico na indústria sucro-alcooleira, com a seleção de nove leveduras killer contra as quais as leveduras industriais apresentaram um perfil característico de sensibilidade, dependendo do grupo ao qual pertencem (S. cerevisiae ou não Saccharomyces). Finalmente, vale citar que os testes foram corroborados pelos resultados obtidos com a taxonomia clássica e pelos métodos de biologia molecular com reações de PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) e RAPD (Random Amplified Polimorphism DNA). / Agriculture is an important sector in the economy of Brazil. The sugar cane occupies 9% of the cultivated area in this country. The most important products from the sugar cane industry are sugar and alcohol, the latest produced by fermentative process by yeasts. During the fermentation the yeast population changes due to the interferences coming from the sugar cane juice or other sources, turning the process susceptible to undesirable contaminations. In this way, fast, reliable and cheap methods for microbiological monitoring can be helpful. Selective culture media, biochemical tests and molecular analyses have been used but they are time-consuming or expensive. The killer phenomenon discovered initially in Saccharomyces cerevisiae have shown interesting results to yeast biotyping. The sensibility pattern to different killer toxins was used to make a “fingerprinting” and successfully separate different strains of yeasts. This method was corroborated by classical taxonomy and molecular biology results (PCR and RAPD-PCR). The results obtained gives support to development of a methodology useful on fermenting microbiologic monitoring with the selection of nine strains of killers yeasts with highly discrimination between industrial bakker yeasts and contaminants of the fermentation process.

In many countries, the authorities face extreme difficulties in monitoring and ensuring that food sold on the street is safe, that is, fit for human consumption. This is particularly the case in urban areas, where people buy food on the street because it is readily available and relatively inexpensive. The objective of this study was to determine the food safety knowledge and microbial hazard awareness of street food consumers, and to assess the bacteriological quality of selected ready-to-eat foods sold by street vendors in the Johannesburg municipality. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted and a total of 402 respondents who buy and consume street-vended foods were randomly selected at various street food vending locations. A total of 315 various street-vended samples were purchased from randomly selected street food vendors at different vending locations in Johannesburg metropolis, in order to investigate the bacteriological quality of street-vended foods. Results of the bacteriological analysis revealed that total aerobic counts ranged from 0.3*102 - 0.4*105 cfu/g in cereals and grain-based foods; 0.4*102 - 0.5*105 cfu/g in meat-, dairy- and fish-based foods and 0.7*102 - 0.9*104 cfu/g in fruit- and vegetable-based foods. None of the food samples tested positive for Salmonella spp and Staphylococcus aureus. Results of the survey showed that the majority of respondents were black males younger than 35 years. Individuals of different gender, race, level of education and monthly income groups significantly (p<0.05) differed in their responses regarding the frequency of purchasing and confidence in the safety of street-vended food. Better taste followed closely by affordability and accessibility were the most cited reasons for purchasing street-vended food / Life and Consumer Sciences / M. Sc. (Life Sciences)