South Africa ranks as the third most biodiverse country in the world and is recognised for its high levels of endemism. The Institute for Microbial Biotechnology and Metagenomics at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) has established a microbial BioBank harbouring rich and unique biological and genetic diversity that is mined for the identification and development of biobased products and processes to address unique challenges in human, animal and plant health; food production; in the industrial sector and in the management of natural resources and the environment.
In BlueRemediomics UWC will be involved in work packages 1,2 and 3 and will contribute (meta)genome sequence datasets and cultured marine invertebrate symbionts to be mined for BGCs, with a specific focus on lipopeptide, lanthipeptide (RiPP) and carotenoid pathways. These will be heterologously expressed and screened for novel cosmeceutical and antimicrobial compounds.
Contact:
Marla Trindade|ituffin@uwc.ac.za