dc.contributor.advisor |
Meyer, J.J.M. (Jacobus Johannes Marion) |
en |
dc.contributor.postgraduate |
Hendriks, Christian Barend Stephanus |
en |
dc.date.accessioned |
2013-09-06T18:07:18Z |
|
dc.date.available |
2013-05-22 |
en |
dc.date.available |
2013-09-06T18:07:18Z |
|
dc.date.created |
2013-04-12 |
en |
dc.date.issued |
2012 |
en |
dc.date.submitted |
2013-05-14 |
en |
dc.description |
Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2012. |
en |
dc.description.abstract |
Dichapetalum cymosum (poison leaf) is a very common problem plant in southern Africa. Fluoroacetic acid, believed to be the poisonous entity in the plant, is produced by the plant, but the micro-organisms associated with this plant may also play a role in the production thereof. A previous study on Burolderia cepacia, an endophyte of D. cymosum showed active metabolism of fluoroacetate by this endophyte. The isolated endophytes from D. cymosum were studied to determine whether they synthesise any fluorinated compounds. It seemed from preliminary results that symbionts might play a role in the synthesis of the poisonous entities in D. cymosum, but further investigation is required. The detection of glandular lesions on the abaxial side of the leaf led to closer examination and the cross sections revealed unusually deformed epidermis cells with adjacent cells containing vacuoles filled with phenolic-like crystals. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the spongy parenchyma cells directly above the glandular lesions indicated the presence of clusters of small, virus-like particles (VLPs) in the chloroplasts. Observations by TEM showed that these VLPs have analogous structures to phytoferritin. Tapura fischeri (leafberry tree) is a tree member of the same family, and it was found to also contain a fluorinated compound. Endophytes were also found in the plant and similar glandular lesions with analogous VLPs were observed at these sites. This might indicate that endophytes have a share in the biosynthesis of the fluorinated compounds found in Dichapetalaceae. Numerous factors ought to be considered in order to fully understand the chemical ecology of the intricate system regarding the endophytes and the possible toxicity of the family Dichapetalaceae. |
en |
dc.description.availability |
unrestricted |
en |
dc.description.department |
Plant Science |
en |
dc.identifier.citation |
Hendriks, CBS 2012, The role of endophytes in the metabolism of fluorinated compounds in the South African Dichapetalaceae, MSc dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24657 > |
en |
dc.identifier.other |
E13/4/449/gm |
en |
dc.identifier.upetdurl |
http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-05142013-123600/ |
en |
dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/24657 |
|
dc.language.iso |
|
en |
dc.publisher |
University of Pretoria |
en_ZA |
dc.rights |
© 2012 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria |
en |
dc.subject |
Dichapetalum cymosum |
en |
dc.subject |
Dichapetalaceae |
en |
dc.subject |
Fluorinated compounds |
en |
dc.subject |
Tapura fischeri |
en |
dc.subject |
Virus-like particles |
en |
dc.subject |
Endophytes |
en |
dc.subject |
Phytoferritin |
en |
dc.subject |
Transmission electron microscopy |
en |
dc.subject |
UCTD |
en_US |
dc.title |
The role of endophytes in the metabolism of fluorinated compounds in the South African Dichapetalaceae |
en |
dc.type |
Dissertation |
en |