Browsing by Author "Keyser, Marshall"
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Item PR-1-Like Protein as a Potential Target for the Identification of Fusarium oxysporum: An In Silico Approach(BioTech, 2021-07) Bakare, Olalekan Olanrewaju; Gokul, Arun; Keyser, MarshallFusarium oxysporum remains one of the leading causes of economic losses and poor crop yields; its detection is strained due to its presentation in various morphological and physiological forms. This research work sought to identify novel biomarkers for the detection of Fusarium oxys porum using in silico approaches. Experimentally validated anti-Fusarium oxysporum antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) were used to construct a profile against Fusarium oxysporum. The performance and physicochemical parameters of these peptides were predicted. The gene for the Fusarium oxysporum receptor protein PR-1-like Protein, Fpr1, was identified and translated. The resulting protein model from the translation was then validated. The anti Fusarium oxysporum AMPs and Fusarium oxysporum receptor protein 3-D structures were characterized, and their docking interaction analyses were carried out. The HMMER in silico tool identified novel anti-Fusarium oxysporum antimicrobial peptides with good performance in terms of accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. These AMPs also displayed good physicochemical properties and bound with greater affinity to Fusarium oxysporum protein receptor PR-1-like Protein. The tendency of these AMPs to precisely detect Fusarium oxysporum PR-1-like Protein, Fpr1, would justify their use for the identification of the fungus. This study would enhance and facilitate the identification of Fusarium oxysporum to reduce problems associated with poor crop yield, economic losses, and decreased nutritional values of plants to keep up with the growing population.Item The Relationship between Cadmium Toxicity and the Modulation of Epigenetic Traits in Plants(International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2021-06) Niekerk, Lee- Ann; Bakare, Olalekan Olanrewaju; Carelse, Mogamat Fahiem; Keyser, Marshall; Mavumengwana, Vuyo; Gokul, ArunElevated concentrations of heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) have a negative impact on staple crop production due to their ability to elicit cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on plants. In order to understand the relationship between Cd stress and plants in an effort to improve Cd tolerance, studies have identified genetic mechanisms which could be important for conferring stress tolerance. In recent years epigenetic studies have garnered much attention and hold great potential in both improving the understanding of Cd stress in plants as well as revealing candidate mechanisms for future work. This review describes some of the main epigenetic mechanisms involved in Cd stress responses. We summarize recent literature and data pertaining to chromatin remodeling, DNA methylation, histone acetylation and miRNAs in order to understand the role these epigenetic traits play in cadmium tolerance. The review aims to provide the framework for future studies where these epigenetic traits may be used in plant breeding and molecular studies in order to improve Cd tolerance.