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Production of mycosporine-like amino acids from Euhalothece sp. for use as a photoprotectant
(2025) Mahmud, Uwais; Rawat, Ismail; Mogany, Trisha; Bux, Faizal
Protecting skin from harmful UV radiation is a well-recognized health imperative. Given that UV exposure is a primary cause of sunburn, premature skin aging, and significantly increases the risk of skin cancers including melanoma, the use of sunscreens has become a vital tool in public health strategies, leading to their widespread use. Whilst effective, there are concerns about the longterm effects of synthetic sunscreen ingredients that are driving the search for natural alternatives. Cyanobacteria are constantly exposed to short-wave ultraviolet (UV) radiation as they require solar energy to perform processes such as photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation. These microorganisms have developed multiple UV defence mechanisms to protect themselves from the higher amounts of UV radiation in the environment. Some of these strategies include mat formation, active repair mechanisms, accumulation of detoxifying enzymes and antioxidants, and synthesis of photo-protectants such as mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) (Rastogi et al., 2014). Mycosporine-like amino acids have gained a lot of interest in cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries since they act as natural photoprotectants and have shown to aid in overcoming rashes, pigmentation, aging as well as possess anticancer properties. Mycosporine-like amino acids are secondary metabolites produced by cyanobacteria in response to environmental stress such as salinity, temperature, high light irradiance and UV wavelengths. Cyanobacteria are a good source of MAAs, can be easily cultivated and requires a very short generation time, making them an environmentally friendly source of alternate photoprotectants. This study focuses on elucidating factors affecting MAA production using indigenous halophilic cyanobacteria Euhalothece sp. Light, salinity, and nitrogen concentration were optimised using response surface methodology to maximise MAA production. UV light irradiance was used to further induce expression of the protein. DNA was extracted and purified for gene expression analysis targeting the mys gene cluster. Purified MAAs were tested for their antioxidant activity and their stability under a range of temperatures, pH and UV irradiance to assess their potential for commercial use. Preliminary experiments confirmed the individual influence of abiotic factors, with light and salinity significantly impacting MAA production (p = 0,0395 and p = 0,0009 respectively). Using response surface methodology (RSM), the effects of light irradiance, salinity, nitrogen concentration, and UV exposure were optimized. A significant model (p = 0,0099) was developed, predicting optimal MAA production under 92 hours of UV exposure, nitrogen deficiency, and high salinity (90 or 120 g/L). Using 90 g/L salt was more cost-effective, requiring 28% less salt for a 5,36% reduction in MAA production. Molecular analysis through PCR confirmed the presence of the MAA biosynthetic gene cluster utilizing the OMT and DHQS and demonstrated its upregulation in response to UV exposure through qPCR. The UV-exposed culture showed amplification around cycle 14 while the control showed amplification around cycle 26. Purified MAAs demonstrated antioxidant activity and high stability across varying conditions over 48 hours. This included room temperature and neutral pH (p = 0,02), 4°C (p = 0,046), 40°C (p = 0,041) and UV irradiance (p = 0,04). These compounds showed excellent stability across various conditions, effectively maintaining their protective abilities. While their antioxidant capacity was measured (50,15%), it was clear that the main strength of MAAs lies in their strong UV protecting ability, making them highly suitable as active ingredients. This study demonstrates the potential of MAAs from Euhalothece sp. as a highly stable, effective, naturally derived, and industrially viable product. The optimized culture conditions, validated by molecular techniques, coupled with the high stability and additional beneficial properties of MAAs, position them as a compelling natural resource. Mycosporine-like amino acids can significantly advance photoprotection strategies and offer several other valuable applications in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.
Characterisation and antiproliferative effect of okra seed protein isolate on human cancer cell lines
(2025) Maistry, Letisha; Mellem, John Jason; Gerrano, Abe Shegro
The increasing interest in plant-derived bioactive compounds has led to significant focus on okra seed protein isolate (OSPI) due to its notable nutritional and therapeutic properties. This research explores the structural and molecular characteristics of OSPI, aiming to assess its potential application as a nutraceutical in cancer therapy. A comprehensive amino acid profile showed that OSPI is rich in glutamic acid (14.46 g/100g), aspartic acid (7.56 g/100g), and arginine (9.42 g/100g), with a high proportion of hydrophobic (31.39 g/100g), and branched-chain amino acids (14.24 g/100g), known to support immune modulation and antitumour activity. Solubility analysis demonstrated peak protein solubility (91.86%) at pH 9, which is a critical factor affecting its functional efficacy. Molecular weight profiling indicated the presence of 7S and 11S globulin polypeptides, which are associated with encapsulation efficiency in nutraceutical development. Spectroscopic analysis, including FTIR and XRD, established the presence of α-helices and β-sheet structures, further supporting the protein’s conformational stability and amorphous nature, promoting bioavailability in pharmaceutical formulations. Particle size denoted monomodal distributions with the smallest size depicted at 0.144±0.10 µm, highlighting its suitability in drug delivery systems. The cytotoxic and antiproliferative effect of OSPI was evaluated using human cancer cell lines. In lung carcinoma cells (A549), OSPI reduced viability to 37.73% at 15 µg/mL and demonstrated a lower IC50 (21.80 µg/mL) than the standard chemotherapeutic agent camptothecin (524.85 µg/mL). Defatted okra flour (DOF) and OSPI significantly upregulated p53 levels with apoptotic induction against A549, as presented by Annexin V-binding. In hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Hep-G2), OSPI activated caspase-3/7, -8, and -9 at levels comparable to camptothecin, suggesting the initiation of both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. Furthermore, okra flour (OF) promoted reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation more effectively than camptothecin in A549 and Hep-G2 cells, reinforcing its potential oxidative stress-mediated apoptotic effects. These findings collectively underscore OSPI as a potential candidate for pharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications, particularly in cancer therapy. Its structural stability, solubility, and bioactive profile support its utilisation in the development of plant-based therapeutic interventions.
Social context and the use of technology in teaching African languages : a case study of public universities in KwaZulu-Natal
(2024-12) Adedokun, Theophilus Adedayo; Awung, Felix Nkwatta; Usadolo, Sam Erevbenagie
This study uses the concepts of Bourdieu’s sociological theory to investigate factors influencing technology use in teaching African languages. The study contends that language lecturers’ choices in teaching with technology were affected by the social phenomena of the field in which they operate. By adopting Bourdieu’s concepts of habitus, capital, and field, the study offers a multi-pronged approach to understanding the complex nature of the relationship between practices of individuals and social structures. A thematic textual analysis was used to investigate the attitudes of lecturers who taught African languages in selected public universities in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. The analysis reveals a mutually reinforcing relationship between individuals who operate in the teaching field and their behavioural attitudes towards using technology in teaching African languages. The study contributes to understanding how individuals and groups navigate different social and cultural contexts and how they could use their resources to the advantage of their fields. In addition, the study showed how agents actively try to shape their current teaching practices and adopt new approaches while subtly resisting external pressures that conflict with the practical realities of their field and their audience (students). The results of the interviews indicate that individuals' behaviours were influenced by the forces of the field where they operated, external factors and their habitus. This study recommends that policymakers collaborate with stakeholders like communities, governments, institutions, and lecturers to ensure technology development for teaching African languages yields desirable results. It also suggests African countries create an enabling environment for African languages to thrive, and future research adopts an integrated approach examining various factors influencing technology use in language teaching.
Professional learning through a teacher capacity development programme : experiences of rural senior primary school teachers in one Zimbabwean province
(2024-12) Mabaleka, Mthabisi; Mukeredzi, Tabitha; Hiralaal, Anita
Unprecedented changes in curriculum reforms by many education systems globally have often brought challenges for teachers due to mismatches between new reform demands and teacher knowledge and skills. Zimbabwe was not an exception. Following the introduction of a new curriculum in 2014, Zimbabwe met serious challenges, as teachers lacked the requisite skills, knowledge, dispositions and aptitudes to handle the curriculum (MoPSE 2015; Hawson and Kingsbury 2021). Consequently, the government launched a state-sponsored teacher capacity development programme (TCDP) through five universities. This was to enable teachers to professionally learn and upgrade their knowledge to deliver the new reform. The government focussed on, on-the-job professional learning as it was impossible for all teachers to undertake fulltime study (MoPSE 2015). Many teachers thus enrolled on this TCDP. However, the nature of their professional learning engagements is not clearly known. This study sought to explore the professional learning engagements of rural senior primary school teachers (SPSTs) enrolled on this government sponsored TCDP, teaching in one province in Zimbabwe. The study also wanted to establish the mediational tools that enhanced professional learning on the programme as well as forms of support that the teachers received in their schools to promote their learning on the TCDP. The third generation of Cultural Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) guided this study to generate and analyze data, and explain findings. This generation of CHAT, is composed of seven nodes/elements: subjects, object, mediation tools/artifacts, rules, community, division of labour and outcome, which constitute an activity system (Engestrom 2015). This was a qualitative study within an interpretive paradigm where data were generated from 30 purposively selected rural SPSTs through individual face-to-face interviews, focus group discussions and professional learning map discussions. Manual data analyses involving eight interrelated steps of open coding was adopted. Findings indicated that professional learning for the rural SPSTs occurs in interaction in multiple domains of formality: formal in the university, non-formal in school meetings and ministry workshops, and informal/incidental through spontaneous collegial chats (Mukeredzi 2016). Formal university learning occurred in face-to-face lectures through student-student interaction, student-lecturer interaction, note-taking, lecturer guidance, group work, and question and answer. The study also found that rural SPSTs engage in professional learning through various forms of technology: PowerPoint, Web sites, WhatsApp, and zoom classes. Non-formally, rural SPSTs engaged in professional learning in whole-school staff development meetings, grade-level meetings and lesson observation/supervision by school management. In wider professional sites, professional learning was from cluster meetings and ministry workshops; while WhatsApp, and informal discussions promoted informal learning. Mediational tools that supported teacher professional learning on TCDP, included computers, handouts, infrastructure and human mediational tools-like lecturers, and peers. The rural schools offered teachers on TCDP resource support, emotional support, and collegial support. It also emerged that rural SPSTs enrolled on the TCDP for both intrinsic and extrinsic push/pull factors. While the study yielded significant findings, this was a small research of 30 participants teaching in one district of one province. This thesis therefore suggests comprehensive research involving more provinces and more universities. Regarding the CHAT, while the framework was helpful in analysing professional learning, it emerged that on its own it does not allow for differentiation of the nature of professional learning activities that take place within the activity system. This study, therefore suggests a typology combining CHAT with domains of formality: formal, non-formal and informal to fully understand professional learning engagements on the TCDP. The study therefore proposes an all-embracing study, drawing on the theoretical framework to develop it beyond this study.
Appreciative inquiry into aspects of the Basotho culture to develop innovative fashion
(2024-12) Lepheana, Nteboheleng; Pratt, Deirdre; Moodley, Sunthra
The purpose of this study was to revive Basotho fashion by using appreciative inquiry to probe aspects of Basotho culture at a deeper level than that of the stereotypical Basotho motifs previously used, namely, the Seshoeshoe fabric, the Seanamarena blanket and the Mokorotlo hat. Instead, the aspects of Basotho culture involved were Litsoejane (women initiates), Litema (motifs/geometric patterns) and Balisana (shepherds), which were used as design probes to create a fashion collection showcasing examples of the innovative fashion items arising from the project. This study was framed by theories of Decolonisation and Afrofuturism in order to assist students to transform Basotho fashion by stretching, re-imagining and re-creating a renewed cultural fashion identity in the context of Lesotho. The research was exploratory and participatory in that the design process was a collaboration between the researcher/lecturer and a group of fashion students registered at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology, Lesotho Campus, in the Faculty of Design Innovation. The research was qualitative in nature and was approached through the mode of Participatory Action Research (PAR) and the 5 D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). The 5-D Cycle was adapted further to guide the development of the participatory project by categorising it into three phases of PAR. Phase 1 focused on the inquiry, whereby the researcher/lecturer inquired about background knowledge of students on aspects of the selected three design probes and shared information gathered with students. Phase 2 focused on the development of the project, namely, design, pattern drafting and garment construction. Phase 3 was based on the presentation of the outcome of the project and was rounded off by showcasing the collection and final reflection on the entire process. Participants comprised two community elders who were indigenously knowledgeable and a group of Fashion students. The community elders, who were keepers of Basotho tradition and cultural knowledge, were questioned through structured interviews, while students were questioned through semi-structured focus groups. The garments created by the students were then showcased to the Limkokwing community. The value of the research is thought to lie in decolonising the Fashion curriculum by using motifs gleaned from the cultural heritage of the Basotho people to arrive at an innovative cultural fashion identity