Agar derived from the cell wall matrix of red seaweeds is the most expensive hydrocolloid which has wide applications in biological research, and in food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical domains. The yield and quality of agar determine its commercial and industrial value in phycocolloid market with gel strength as the main indicator for agar quality. Selection of commercially potential seaweed samples and evaluation of agar properties with conventional method are ineffective in terms of time and cost, labour intensive and requires a large quantity of raw materials.
These inventions involve measurement of transcript abundance of transcript markers with quantitative reversetranscription (qRT)-PCR using specific primers, and protein accumulation of protein markers by Western blot using specific antibodies. The use of molecular markers (transcripts and proteins) that are associated with agar yield and gel strength could offer a rapid and accurate screening tool needed for quick estimation of agar yield and gel strength in seaweed samples.
USEFULNESS & APPLICATION
Project Leader : Prof. Dr. Ho Chai Ling
Dept./Faculty : Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences
Email : clho@upm.edu.my
Date of Input: 30/07/2021 | Updated: 30/07/2021 | asrizam
Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation)
Universiti Putra Malaysia
43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia