La mitochondrie forme un réseau dynamique de tubules, dont la morphologie et la distribution sont étroitement régulées. Les mitochondries sont des organelles à double membrane dont l’architecture interne est complexe. Les crêtes mitochondriales forment des invaginations de la membrane interne. Elles sont le lieu des phosphorylations oxydatives, réactions par lesquelles l’ATP synthase produit l’ATP. L’ATP synthase est également connue pour son rôle clé dans la morphogenèse des crêtes. Dans cette étude j’ai mis en évidence in vivo la localisation en cluster de l’ATP synthase au sein du réseau mitochondrial de S. cerevisiae se développant sur substrat fermentescible. Mes résultats suggèrent que ces clusters correspondent aux crêtes mitochondriales, ce qui ouvre de nouvelles perspectives pour l’étude du remaniement de la membrane interne.La morphologie du réseau mitochondrial est maintenue par un équilibre entre les processus de fusion et de fission des tubules mitochondriaux. Dans la deuxième partie de ma thèse, j’ai mis en évidence une fragmentation progressive du réseau mitochondrial lors de l’entrée des cellules en quiescence, un état cellulaire non prolifératif réversible. En quiescence, le réseau mitochondrial est constitué de petites vésicules sous corticales immobiles au contenu enzymatique variable. Lors d’un retour à l’état prolifératif ces vésicules fusionnent rapidement pour reformer un réseau tubulaire, et ce, avant l’émergence de la cellule fille. De façon surprenante j’ai mis en évidence que ni les machineries canoniques de fusion ou de fission, ni le cytosquelette d’actine ne sont requis lors du remaniement du réseau mitochondrial dans les transitions entre prolifération et quiescence. / Mitochondria form a dynamic tubular network which organization and distribution is highly regulated.Mitochondria are double membrane organites with a complex internal architecture. Cristae, which areinner membrane invaginations, are the site of oxidative phosphorylation, reactions by which ATP synthaseproduces ATP. ATP synthase also play a key role in cristae morphogenesis. In this study, I have shown thatATP synthase localized as discrete clusters along the mitochondrial network in living S. cerevisiae cellsgrown on a fermentable carbon source. Overall our data suggest that ATP synthase clusers correspond tomitochondrial cristae, opening new avenues to explore the mechanisms involved in inner membraneremodelling.Mitochondrial network morphology is regulated by a dynamic equilibrium between the fusion and fissionof mitochondrial tubules. In the second part of my thesis, I highlight a progressive mitochondrialfragmentation during quiescence establishment, a state defined as a reversible absence of proliferation.Quiescent cells mitochondrial network is composed of immobile small cortical mitochondrial vesicles witha variable enzymatic content. Upon quiescence exit, cortical mitochondrial vesicles rapidly fuse and atubular network is reconstituted prior to bud emergence. Astonishingly, neither the canonical fusion orfission machineries nor the actin cytoskeleton are required for the mitochondrial network modificationduring quiescence / proliferation transition.

In this review we discuss the role of ATP synthase as a molecular drug target for natural and synthetic antimicrobial/ antitumor peptides. We start with an introduction of the universal nature of the ATP synthase enzyme and its role as a biological nanomotor. Significant structural features required for catalytic activity and motor functions of ATP synthase are described. Relevant details regarding the presence of ATP synthase on the surface of several animal cell types, where it is associated with multiple cellular processes making it a potential drug target with respect to antimicrobial peptides and other inhibitors such as dietary polyphenols, is also reviewed. ATP synthase is known to have about twelve discrete inhibitor binding sites including peptides and other inhibitors located at the interface of α/β subunits on the F1 sector of the enzyme. Molecular interaction of peptides at the β DEELSEED site on ATP synthase is discussed with specific examples. An inhibitory effect of other natural/synthetic inhibitors on ATP is highlighted to explore the therapeutic roles played by peptides and other inhibitors. Lastly, the effect of peptides on the inhibition of the Escherichia coli model system through their action on ATP synthase is presented.

In this review we discuss the role of ATP synthase as a molecular drug target for natural and synthetic antimicrobial/ antitumor peptides. We start with an introduction of the universal nature of the ATP synthase enzyme and its role as a biological nanomotor. Significant structural features required for catalytic activity and motor functions of ATP synthase are described. Relevant details regarding the presence of ATP synthase on the surface of several animal cell types, where it is associated with multiple cellular processes making it a potential drug target with respect to antimicrobial peptides and other inhibitors such as dietary polyphenols, is also reviewed. ATP synthase is known to have about twelve discrete inhibitor binding sites including peptides and other inhibitors located at the interface of α/β subunits on the F1 sector of the enzyme. Molecular interaction of peptides at the β DEELSEED site on ATP synthase is discussed with specific examples. An inhibitory effect of other natural/synthetic inhibitors on ATP is highlighted to explore the therapeutic roles played by peptides and other inhibitors. Lastly, the effect of peptides on the inhibition of the Escherichia coli model system through their action on ATP synthase is presented.

Malaria is a life-threatening parasitic disease that causes at least 300 million acute illnesses annually, of which at least one million infected humans die, mainly children under the age of 5 years. This overwhelming burden is due to the most virulent causative agent, Plasmodium falciparum, as a result of its prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as its resistance to nearly all anti-malarials in use. There is thus an urgent need to discover and characterise new novel parasitic targets for chemotherapeutic intervention. Folate metabolism is the target of several anti-malarials such as pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine. These drugs cause a decrease in parasite growth since Plasmodia have a high rate of replication and demand for nucleotides during DNA synthesis. The parasite is almost totally resistant to the current antifolates. Further insights into the folate pathway and its drugs are essential for the understanding of the resistance mechanism and to identify/characterise new drug targets for inhibition. Three possible new drug targets were identified and characterised in the folate pathway (Lee C.S. et al., 2001). One of these targets is the bifunctional enzyme, dihydrofolate-synthase folylpolyglutamate synthase (DHFS-FPGS). The bifunctionality and activity of the -dhfs-fpgs gene in Plasmodium was confirmed by functional complementation in yeast and bacteria and shown to be unique to Plasmodia and bacteria. This gene indicated only a 15-17% homology to other organisms; DHFS activity is usually only present in prokaryotes but not in humans or other eukaryotes (Salcedo E. et al., 2001). Although part of a bifunctional protein and having closely related catalytic functions, the DHFS and FPGS activities have distinct roles to play in both the de novo and salvage pathways of folate metabolism. These characteristics indicate DHFS-FPGS as a potentially good drug target since a single inhibitor is likely to have a drastic effect on both routes and consequently arrest DNA synthesis in the malaria parasite. This could prove to be a very effective and novel antimalarial strategy. Comparative expression studies of synthetic and native DHFS-FPGS presented here indicated that the highest quantity of protein is expressed from the synthetic gene. However, results indicated that most of the recombinant protein expressed in various E. coli cell lines, produced insoluble protein aggregates. Various strategies were employed in an attempt to improve recombinant soluble expression including auto-induction of T7 promoter activity. However, this did not result in an increased percentage of soluble protein expression even though improved total protein expression was observed. The inclusion of chaperone proteins resulted in a minor change in soluble expression. Activity assays of the DHFS-FPGS from these two methods indicated that active protein was produced in a correctly folded manner. Due to the high amount of recombinant protein present in the inclusion bodies, various methods were investigated to isolate and refold the DHFS-FPGS protein. The use of a non-ionic and ionic detergent for refolding resulted in pure, solubilised, active protein. Activity assays of the refolded, soluble protein indicated that the protein is active. Preliminary kinetic analysis was unsuccessful and requires further investigations. / Dissertation (MSc (Biochemistry))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Biochemistry / unrestricted

Kapsaicinoider är ämnen som finns i chilifrukterna och har på senaste tiden fått intresse som läkemedel på grund av sina analgetiska, anti-inflammatoriska och anti-cancer egenskaper. Ett nytt tillvägagångssätt att producera kapsaicinoider kan vara syntesen i rekombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae med hjälp av metabolisk engineering och rekombinant DNA-tekniker. Gener från Capsicum chinensis, som kodar för enzymerna capsaicinoid-syntas (CS) och acyl-CoA-syntas (ACS), integrerades i S. cerevisiae i tidigare projekt. Den kända laboratoriesträngen CEN.PK modifierades med plasmidtransformation och för vildtyp-stammen ERF 5273 användes den nya CRISPR/Cas9-tekniken. Syftet med detta projekt är att ytterligare karakterisera och jämföra dessa tidigare konstruerade stammar angående deras förmåga att producera nonivamid eller andra jästspecifika kapsaicinoider. Vidare undersöks huruvida kapsaicinoider utsöndras i odlings-medium eller om de ackumuleras intracellulärt. Stammarna odlades i en bioreaktor i lite laboratorieskala. Som odlingsmedium används ett definierat medium med eller utan tillsatser. Odlings-medium kompletterades med vanillyl-amin och nonanoic acid som precursor. För att identifiera de kapsaicinoid-producerande stammarna extraherades supernatanten och cellpelleten och analyserades kromatografisk med HPLC. Resultaten från denna studie visade att jäststammarna, som innehöll båda generna (ACS + CS), sannolikt producerade nonivamid om de odlades i kompletterat medium. Vidare observerades bildning av nonivamid som ackumulerades i själva cellen. Möjligtvis producerades också jästspecifika kapsaicinoider, men topphöjden är nästan inte mätbar. Därför måste dessa resultat bekräftas ytterligare. Framtida arbeten behövs för att säkerställa och förbättra produktionen av kapsaicinoider. Keywords: acyl-CoA syntas, kapsaicinoider, kapsaicinoid syntas, metabolisk engineering, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, nonivamide / Capsaicinoids are compounds found in chili plants and have recently gained interest as pharmaceuticals due to their analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. A novel approach producing capsaicinoids could be synthesis in recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae with help of metabolic engineering. Genes from Capsicum chinensis, encoding the enzymes capsaicinoid synthase (CS) and acyl-CoA synthase (ACS), were previously inserted into S. cerevisiae. The known laboratory stain CEN.PK was modified with plasmid transformation and the novel CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used for the wild type strain ERF 5273. The aim of this project is to further characterize and compare these previously constructed strains concerning their ability to produce nonivamide or yeast specific capsaicinoids. Furthermore, it is examined whether capsaicinoids are excreted into the broth or accumulated intracellularly. Four different strains were cultivated in bench-scale bioreactors using medium supplemented with or without different precursors (vanillylamine and nonanoic acid). Culture broth supernatants and cell pellets were extracted and analyzed by HPLC in order to identify the capsaicinoid-producing strains. The results from this study revealed that the yeast strains harbouring both genes (ACS+CS) produced most likely nonivamide if they were cultivated in media supplemented with both precursors. Nonivamide formation was equally observed in broth supernatant and cell pellet. Additionally it was shown that yeast specific capsaicinoid production occured, althoug the peak height was close to the limit of detection and these results have to be confirmed further. Future work needs to be done in order to ensure and improve capsaicinoid production. Keywords: acyl-CoA synthase, capsaicinoids, capsaicinoid synthase, metabolic engineering, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, nonivamide.

Strap is a DNA damage responsive p53 cofactor, reflecting its control by the DNA damage signalling pathway. This study identified Strap at the mitochondria where it is damage regulated and can augment p53-dependent cytochrome c release leading to apoptosis. Moreover, p53 and Strap facilitate each other’s localisation from the mitochondria to the nucleus during the DNA damage response. Two ATM/ATR phosphorylation consensus sites in Strap were identified by mass spectrometry and phosphorylation of all the ATM/ATR consensus sites resulted in mitochondrial localisation of Strap during DNA damage. Targeting Strap to the mitochondria depletes cellular ATP when cells favour energy production through oxidative phosphorylation and sensitises cells to p53-dependent damage-induced apoptosis. These results thus imply that Strap co-ordinates different arms of the p53 response, and might be responsible for integrating its mitochondrial and nuclear functions.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The raffinose family of oligosaccharides (RFOs) are α1,6-galactosyl extensions of sucrose (Suc-Galn) unique to the plant kingdom. Their biosynthesis is mediated via α1,6-galactosyltransferases which catalyse the formation of raffinose (Raf, Suc-Gal1), stachyose (Sta, Suc-Gal2) and higher oligomers (Suc-Galn, n ≥ 13) in a stepwise manner. RFOs are well known for their historical roles as phloem translocates and general carbon storage reserves. In recent years their physiological roles have expanded to include potential functions in global plant stress-responses, where correlative mass increases are associated with abiotic stresses such as desiccation, salinity and low temperatures and, to a lesser extent biotic stress (pathogen infection). This study focused on (i) the functional characterisation of a putatively annotated stachyose synthase from Arabidopsis seeds (RS4, At4g01970), (ii) dissection of the proposed functional role of the RFO precursor galactinol in biotic stress tolerance using the Arabidopsis/Botrytis cinerea pathosystem and, (iii) an attempt to engineer long-chain RFOs into Arabidopsis by constitutive over-expression of the unique RFO chain elongation enzyme galactan:galactan galactosyltransferase (ArGGT) from Ajuga reptans. In Arabidopsis Raf is the only RFO known to accumulate in leaves, strictly during conditions of abiotic stress. However, seeds accumulate substantial amounts of both Raf and Sta. While RFO physiology in Arabidopsis leaves and roots is quite well characterised, little is known about the RFO physiology in the seeds. Apart from a single enzyme being described to partially contribute to seed Raf accumulation (RS5, At5g40390), no other RFO biosynthetic genes are known. In this work we functionally characterised an α1,6-galactosyltransferase putatively annotated as a stachyose synthase (RS4, At4g01970) in the Arabidopsis database. Using two insertion mutants (atrs4-1 and 4-2) we demonstrated Sta deficiency in mature seeds. A double mutant with the recently characterised RS5, shown to partially be responsible for Raf accumulation in mature seeds was completely deficient in seed RFOs. This provided the first hint that RS4 could potentially also be involved in Raf biosynthesis. Seed specific expression of RS4 was deregulated by constitutive over-expression in wild-type (Col-0) and the atrs5 mutant background (RS and Raf deficient). Both Raf and Sta unusually accumulated in Col-0 leaves over-expressing RS4, under normal growth conditions. Further, leaf crude extracts from atrs5 insertion mutants (RS and Raf deficient) over-expressing RS4 showed enzyme activities for both RS and SS, in vitro. Collectively our findings have physiologically characterised RS4 as a RFO synthase responsible for Sta and, partially Raf (along with RS5) accumulation during Arabidopsis seed development. The galactosyl donor in RFO biosynthesis, galactinol (Gol) has recently been implicated in biotic stress signalling (pathogen response) in cucumber, tobacco and Arabidopsis. Those studies focused exclusively on Gol in their experimental approaches using both over-expression (tobacco, Arabidopsis) and loss-of-function (Arabidopsis) strategies. However, they did not address the invariable accumulation of Raf that is routinely obtained from such over-expression strategies. We therefore investigated if Raf could play a functional role in induced systemic resistance (ISR), a well-studied mechanism employed by plants to combat necrotrophic pathogens such as Botrytis cinerea. To this end we looked to the RS5 mutant backgrounds (Raf deficient but Gol hyper-accumulating) reasoning that the Gol accumulating mutants should be resistant to B. cinerea (as previously described for transgenic over-expression of GolS1 isoforms in tobacco and Arabidopsis). Such findings would then preclude a role for Raf, since the system would be Raf deficient. Surprisingly, two independent T-DNA insertion mutants for RS5 (atrs5-1 and 5-2) were equally hypersensitive to B. cinerea infection as two independent T-DNA insertion mutants for GolS1 (atgols1-1 and 1-2). The hyper-sensitivity of the GolS1 mutant background has previously been demonstrated. The RS5 mutant backgrounds accumulate substantial amounts of Gol, comparable to those reported for transgenic plants (tobacco and Arabidopsis) where pathogen resistance was reported. Further, during the course of our investigations we discovered that both AtGolS1 mutants also accumulated substantial amounts of both Gol and Raf under normal growing conditions. This was not reported in previous studies. Collectively our findings argue against a role for either Gol or Raf being responsible for the induction/signalling of ISR. However, we do not preclude that the RFO pathway is somehow involved, given the previous reports citing pathogen resistance when GolS1 genes are over-expressed. We are further investigating a potential role for the GolS transcript and/or protein being the component of the suggested signalling function in ISR. The unique enzyme from A. reptans (galactan:galactan galactosyltransferase, ArGGT) is able to catalyse the formation of higher oligomers in the RFO pathway without the use of Gol as a galactosyl donor but rather, using RFOs themselves as galactose donors and acceptors (Gol-independent biosynthesis). We constitutively over-expressed ArGGT in Arabidopsis as a way to engineer long-chain RFO accumulation to further dissect a role for them in improving freezing tolerance. To this end we have been unsuccessful in obtaining RFOs higher than Sta (which occurred in extremely low abundance) in the leaves. Since ArGGT would appear to show substrate preference for Sta, and Arabidopsis seeds accumulate substantial quantities of Sta, we further analysed the seed water soluble carbohydrate (WSC) profiles of three independent transgenic lines but detected no additional RFO oligomers beyond the normally accumulating Raf and Sta. We suggest further strategies to improve this approach (Chapter 4). Collectively this work represents case studies of RFOs in seed physiology, their abilities/requirement in biotic stress and the use of unique enzymes to engineer long-chain RFO accumulation using the Arabidopsis model. At the time of submission of this dissertation the following contributions have been made to the general scientific community: (i) Presentation of chapter 2 at the 26th International Conference for Arabidopsis Research (26th ICAR, 2015, Paris, France) and, (ii) Submission of chapter 2 as a manuscript presently under peer review for possible publication in Plant and Cell Physiology. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die raffinose familie van oligosakkariede (RFO) is α1,6-galactosyl uitbreidings van sukrose (Suc-Galn) uniek aan die plante koningryk. Hul biosintese word bemiddel deur α1,6-galactosyltransferases wat in 'n stapsgewyse manier die vorming van raffinose (Raf, Suc-Gal1), stachyose (Sta, Suc-Gal2) en hoër oligomere (Suc-Galn, n ≥ 13) kataliseer. RFOs is bekend vir hul historiese rol as floëem translokate en algemene koolstof reserwes. Meer onlangs was hul fisiologiese rolle uitgebrei om potensiële funksies te vervul in globale plant stres-reaksies, waar korrelatiewe massa toenames geassosieer word met abiotiese stresfaktore soos uitdroging, soutgehalte en lae temperature en tot 'n mindere mate biotiese stres (patogeen infeksie). Hierdie studie fokus op (i) die funksionele karakterisering van 'n tentatief ge-annoteerde stachyose sintase van Arabidopsis sade (RS4, At4g01970), (ii) disseksie van die voorgestelde funksionele rol van die RFO voorloper galactinol in biotiese stres verdraagsaamheid, met behulp van die Arabidopsis/Botrytis cinerea patogeen sisteem en (iii) 'n poging om 'n lang-ketting RFOs in Arabidopsis te inisieer deur konstitutiewe oor-uitdrukking van die unieke RFO ketting-verlengings ensiem galactan:galactan galactosyltransferase (ArGGT) afkomstig van Ajuga reptans. In Arabidopsis is Raf die enigste RFO bekend daarvoor om te versamel in die blare, ekslusief tydens toestande van abiotiese stres. Maar, sade versamel aansienlike konsentrasies van beide Raf en Sta. Terwyl RFO fisiologie in Arabidopsis (blare en wortels) baie goed gekenmerk is, is min bekend oor die RFO fisiologie in die saad. Afgesien van 'n enkele ensiem wat beskryf word om gedeeltelik by te dra tot Raf versameling (RS5, At5g40390), is geen ander RFO biosintetiese gene bekend in saad nie. In hierdie werk beskryf ons die funksionele karakterisering van ‘n α1,6-galactosyltransferase wat tenetatief ge-annoteer word as 'n stachyose sintase (RS4, At4g01970) in die Arabidopsis databasis. Met die gebruik van twee invoegings mutante (atrs4-1 en 4-2) het ons die verlies van Sta in volwasse sade gedemonstreer. RFOs was heeltemal absent in sade van 'n dubbele mutant met die onlangs gekarakteriseerde RS5 (verantwoordelik vir gedeeltelike Raf versameling in volwasse sade). Dit het die eerste aanduiding daargestel dat RS4 potensieel ook betrokke kan wees in Raf biosintese. Saad-spesifieke uitdrukking van RS4 was gedereguleer deur konstitutiewe oor-uitdrukking in wilde-tipe (Col-0) en die atrs5 mutant agtergrond (RS en Raf gebrekkig). Oor-uitdrukking van RS4 in Col-0 blare het gelei tot beide buitengewone Raf en Sta konsentrasies, onder normale groeitoestande. Verder, oor-uitdrukkingvan RS4 in atrs5 invoeg mutante (waar beide RS en Raf absent is) het in vitro ensiemaktiwiteite vir beide RS en SS getoon. Gesamentlik beskryf ons bevindinge die fisiologies karakterisering van RS4 as 'n RFO sintase, verantwoordelik vir Sta en gedeeltelik Raf (saam met RS5) sintese tydens Arabidopsis saad ontwikkeling. Die galactosyl skenker in RFO biosintese, galactinol (Gol), was onlangs beskryf om ‘n rol te speel in biotiese stres (patogeen reaksie) in komkommer, tabak en Arabidopsis. Daardie studies het uitsluitlik gefokus op Gol in hul eksperimentele benaderings deur die gebruik van beide oor-uitdrukking (tabak, Arabidopsis) en die verlies-van-funksie (Arabidopsis) strategieë. Maar hulle het nie die onveranderlike opeenhoping van Raf, wat gereeld verky word uit sulke oor-uitdrukking strategieë, aangespreek nie. Ons het dus ondersoek of daar 'n funksionele rol vir Raf in geïnduseerde sistemiese weerstand (ISR) kan wees. ISR is 'n goed-bestudeerde meganisme wat deur plante ge-implementeer word om nekrotrofiese patogene soos Botrytis cinerea te beveg. Vir hierdie doel het ons gekyk na die RS5 mutant agtergronde (absent in Raf, maar hiper-akkumulasie van Gol) met die redenasie dat die Gol akkumulerende mutante weerstandbiedig teen B. cinerea moet wees (soos voorheen beskryf vir transgeniese oor-uitdrukking van GolS1 in tabak en Arabidopsis). Sulke bevindings verhinder dan 'n rol vir Raf, aangesien die stelsel geen Raf akkumuleer nie. Verbasend, twee onafhanklike T-DNA invoeg mutante vir RS5 (atrs5-1 en 5-2) was ewe hiper-sensitief vir B. cinerea infeksie as twee onafhanklike T-DNA invoeg mutante vir GolS1 (atgols1-1 en 1-2). Die hiper-sensitiwiteit van die GolS1 mutant agtergrond was reeds voorheen gedemonstreer. Die RS5 mutant agtergronde versamel aansienlike konsentrasies van Gol, vergelykbaar met dié berig vir transgeniese plante (tabak en Arabidopsis) waar patogeen-weerstandbiedigheid aangemeld is. Verder, in die loop van ons ondersoeke het ons ontdek dat beide AtGolS1 mutante ook aansienlike konsentrasies van beide Gol en Raf onder normale groei-toestande akkumuleer. Dit was nie aangemeld in die vorige studies nie. Gesamentlik argumenteer ons bevindinge teen 'n rol vir óf Gol, of Raf, tydens die induksie van ISR. Alhoewel, ons elimineer nie ‘n rol vir die RFO padweg nie, gegewe dat oor-uitdrukking van GolS1 gene tydens patogeen-weerstandbiedigheid in vorige verslae verwysig was. Ons ondersoek verder 'n moontlike rol vir die aanwesigheid van die GolS transkrip en/of proteïen as ‘n moontlike komponent van die voorgestelde funksie in ISR. Die unieke ensiem van A. reptans (galactan:galactan galactosyltransferase, ArGGT) is in staat om die vorming van hoër oligomere in die RFO pad te kataliseer sonder die gebruik van Gol as 'n skenker galactosyl, maar eerder, met behulp van die RFO's hulself as galaktose skenkers en aanvaarders (Gol-onafhanklike biosintese). Ons het ArGGT konstitutief ooruitgedruk in Arabidopsis as 'n manier om 'n lang-ketting RFO akkumulasie daar te stel met die doel om 'n rol vir hulle in die verbetering van vriestoleransie verder te ontleed. Ons was tot dusver onsuksesvol in die verkryging van RFOs hoër as Sta in die blare (wat akkumuleer het in 'n baie lae konsentrasie). Sedert ArGGT ‘n affiniteit vir Sta as substraat toon, en Arabidopsis sade versamel aansienlike hoeveelhede Sta, het ons verder die saad water oplosbare koolhidraat (WSC) profiele van drie onafhanklike transgeniese lyne ontleed, maar bespeur geen bykomende RFO oligomere buite die normale Raf en Sta konsentrasie nie. Ons stel verdere strategieë voor om hierdie benadering (Hoofstuk 4) te verbeter. Gesamentlik verteenwoordig hierdie werk gevallestudies van RFOs in saadfisiologie, hul vermoëns/vereiste in biotiese stres en die gebruik van unieke ensieme om lang-ketting RFO akkumulasie daar te stel met behulp van die Arabidopsis model. Teen die tyd van die indiening van hierdie tesis was die volgende bydraes gemaak aan die algemene wetenskaplike gemeenskap: (i) Aanbieding van hoofstuk 2 op die 26ste Internasionale Konferensie vir Arabidopsis Navorsing (26ste ICAR, 2015, Parys, Frankryk), en (ii) indiening van hoofstuk 2 as 'n manuskrip tans onder nasiening vir moontlike publikasie in die joernaal ‘Plant and Cell Physiology’.

published_or_final_version / abstract / Anatomy / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / abstract / Chemistry / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

published_or_final_version / Pharmacology / Master / Master of Philosophy