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1 Post Graduate template Please fill in the information for the headings below. Only once you have all the information, please send to Please fill in details below: Brief Description of Research Currently, the world is faced with energy and water scarcity which are essential requirements for the development of the global economy. The integrated approach of wastewater treatment and microalgae biodiesel production based on phycoremediation is a promising process. Exploring indigenous microalgae capable of producing a significant amount of neutral lipids and removing nutrients from wastewater is crucial for sustainable bioenergy production and wastewater reclamation. This study will explore unique indigenous microalgal strains that can be harnessed for biotechnological applications such as wastewater phycoremediation, bioenergy production and extraction of value added products. S fiso Thuthukani Gumbi (PhD Candidate) MSc Microbiology (University of KwaZulu Natal) BSc Hons Microbiology (University of Zululand) BSc Biochemistry and Microbiology (University of Zululand) Telephone: @ukzn.ac.za Supervisor(s) Prof. Ademola Olaniran

2 Brief Description of Research Over the years, there has been a growing interest and demand for enzymes with novel properties from microbial sources. There are over 500 industrial products that are manufactured using microbial enzymes. However, even with the different types of enzymes currently available on the market, this is still not enough to meet all the industrial demands. Microalgal biotechnology has focused more on the use of microalgae for wastewater treatment and biofuel production; however, enzyme production has not been fully explored. The aim of this study is to screen and characterize enzymes produced by indigenous microalgae isolated from various aquatic environments in KZN and to determine their efficacy for the production of nutraceutical compounds. Anele Sibahle Khakhuse (MSc Candidate) BSc Microbiology and Biochemistry (University of KwaZulu Natal), BSc Hons Microbiology (University of KwaZulu Natal) Telephone: Supervisor(s) Prof. A.O. Olaniran akhakhuse@gmail.com

3 Brief Description of Research Due to the high growth rates, high biomass and lipid content of microalgae, it is feasible to use microalgae as biodiesel feed stocks and production of value added products such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Since PUFAs are found in fish originating from microalgae consumed in oceanic environments, it is logical to consider microalgae as potential sources of PUFAs. The search for safe and inexpensive alternative sources of long chain omega 3 fatty acids is a rapidly expanding topical field of research that is gaining a lot of global attention. The main aim of this research project is to evaluate the efficacy of producing microalgal biomass under optimal growth conditions to maximize the production of neutral lipids and PUFAs under batch conditions. Furthermore, potential biotechnological applications of PUFAs will be investigated. Hlengiwe Vilakazi (MSc candidate) BSc Botany and Microbiology (University of Zululand), BSc Hons Microbiology (University of Zululand) Telephone: hhvilakazi@gmail.com Supervisor:

4 Brief Description of Research Jeff Ojwach (MSc Candidate) Microbiology (University of KwaZulu Natal), BSc Microbiology (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology), BSc Hons Microbiology Major (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology) Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulooligosaccharides (IOS) are prebiotic compounds that have biofunctional properties and hence health benefits if consumed in recommended dosages. Prebiotics selectively enhance the metabolism and activity of health promoting bacteria within the human gut, while concurrently suppressing the proliferation of nonbeneficial ones and therefore generally regarded as safe. Prebiotics can be synthesized through controlled hydrolysis of inulin by inulinases to release IOS and fructose and by means of controlled chain elongation using fructosyltransferase in the presence of sucrose, to produce a mixture of short chain FOS. The aim of this study is to screen indigenous coprophilous fungi isolated from diverse biotopes for intracellular and extracellular hydrolase and fructosyltransferase enzyme production. To augment our theoretical comprehension, preliminary research has demonstrated that coprophilous fungi can produce enzymes for applied pharmaceutical and biotechnological applications. Supervisor: Telephone:

5 Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words) Microalgae have recently gained major attention in modern biotechnology. Despite the abundance of microalgae in diverse aquatic systems in KwaZulu Natal, there is very little research on their usefulness in the production of non fuel high valueadded products. Microalgae (including the cyanobacteria) are established commercial sources of high value chemicals such as β carotene, astaxanthin, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and phycobilin pigments. These high value added products have applications in the feed, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries etc. This research aims at investigating sustainable utilization of indigenous microalgae from KZN for the production of valu added products under mixotrophic and autotrophic growth systems. Nqobile Zibula (MSc Candidate) BSc Microbiology and Biochemistry (University of KwaZulu Natal), BSc Hons Microbiology (University of KwaZulu Natal) Supervisor: Telephone:

6 Research title: Biomass and biopolymer production by Chlorella vulgaris under photoautotrophic and mixotrophic growth conditions monitored by pulse amplitude fluorometry Sasha Lee Pillay (Hons Candidate) BSc Microbiology, Biochemistry (UKZN) Microalgae produce valuable bioactive metabolites such as polysaccharides, phycobiliproteins, fatty acids, carotenoids, vitamins, and sterols and are currently gaining substantial global attention due to their pharmaceutical applications currently under intense research. The search for an alternative source of omega 3 fatty acids is due to the primary source, fish, becoming unsafe and toxic due to contamination by heavy metal pollutants present in water. The aim of this study is to optimize C. vulgaris growth conditions for maximum production of biomass and omega 3 fatty acids, specifically long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs): eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n 3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n 3). The biotechnological applications such as antioxidant activity of the PUFAs will be investigated. BSc Hons Microbiology (UKZN) Tel: leesasha0812@gmail.com Supervisors:

7 Research title: Biocatalytic conversion of sucrose into fructooligomers using a partially purified Aspergillus aculeatus extracellular fructosyltransferase Denushka Govender (Hons Candidate) BSc Microbiology (University of KwaZulu Natal), Telephone: @stu.ukzn.ac.za Microorganisms such as Aspergillus sp. produce enzymes that synthesize prebiotics. Prebiotics are compounds that confer benefits to the human body by stimulating beneficial bacteria (probiotics) in the gastrointestinal tract and simultaneously inhibiting potentially harmful bacteria. Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) are synthesized by the enzyme fructosyltransferase (Ftase) where sucrose is used as a substrate and glucose is produced as a by product. The disproportionation reaction mechanism of Ftase produces FOSs in the form 1 kestose, nystose, and 1 β D fructofuranosyl nystose depending on the reaction conditions such as substrate concentration. Due to the harmful effects of sucrose on the body, it is crucial to look at healthy alternatives such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS) which contain a lower sweetness intensity than normal sucrose. The main aim of this study is to synthesize short chain fructooligomers using a crude and partially purified extracellular A. aculeatus fructosyltransferase. The byproduct glucose is thought to act as a competitive inhibitor for optimal FOS production, hence the effect of glucose removal from the reaction mixture and the simultaneous addition of ammonium ions will be investigated on the yield of FOS. Supervisor:

8 Brief Description of Research (Max. 100 words) Ntombizodwa Jessica Mkhize (NRF Intern ) BSc Microbiology and Biochemistry (University of Kwazulu-Natal) Telephone: / mkhizen66@gmail.com The focus of the current study is enzymatic synthesis of inulooligosaccharides (IOS) and fructooligosaccharides (FOS) using a crude and partially purified inulinase isolated from Ganordema sp. There has been a lot of interest in finding novel production techniques for enzymatic synthesis of IOS and FOS. Ganoderma sp. can be easily cultivated under lab conditions and also a good source of high yield of inulinase. This white rot fungus produces high yields of hydrolases that can produce FOSs from different substrates. It is hypothesized that crude extracellular extracts from Ganoderma sp. are capable of producing the inulinase enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of inulin into fructose and IOS. The aims and objective of the research will be determination of inulinase activity by measuring the amount of reducing sugars released from inulin hydrolysis using the DNS method. The products of inulin hydrolysis will be qualitatively analyzed by TLC and quantified by HPLC. The crude enzyme will be partially purified using a three-step partial purification procedure involving ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis and size exclusion chromatography. The apparent molecular weight of the inulinase will be determined using SDS-PAG. Zymogram analysis will done using native PAGE. The partially purified enzyme will be fully characterized and its kinetics determined. Supervisor(s) Prof Ademola Olaniran