Scientific activity of a laboratory of Applied Biotechnology
1. Objects of scientific investigations:
The research activity of the Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology is oriented to the next scientific problems:
1. The scientific group in the Laboratory of Applied Biotechnologies works into two directions: microbial and plant biotechnologies. The implemented investigations are closely connected with the metabolism of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and the possibilities for its regulation with the aim of establishing biotechnologies for production of biologically active substances for medicine, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries; starter cultures and additives for the food industry.
2. The microbial biotechnologies are directed to investigations of physiology and biochemistry of yeasts and lactic acid bacteria for synthesis of biologically active substances. Metabolite properties of new isolated mesophilic and psychrophilic yeasts and lactic acid bacteria for synthesis of enzymes, exopolysaccharides, carotenoids, antimicrobial peptides, lipids e.t.c. are being explored. Morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of lactic acid bacteria cultivated as a monoculture and in associations are the base for formation of starter cultures for producing dairy products of high physiological and nutritional values.
3. The scientific research in plant biotechnologies include the establishment of plant in vitro culture systems and their application in the biosynthesis of low molecular weight biologically active substances (including additives and antioxidants for the food industry), enzymes and polysaccharides. Scientific investigations regarding the biosynthetic processes optimization, isolation, purification and identification of the synthesized metabolites are being fulfilled. Special attention is being devoted to application of different approaches to improve the effectiveness of the biosynthetic processes (selection, elicitation, two-phase systems cultivation e.t.c.).
4. Investigations on metabolic profiling based on NMR and GC-MS. The application of emerging modern platforms for comprehensive metabolite profiling (NMR-based metabolomics) and development of “cell factories” for controlled biosynthes of inductially important metabolites.
The laboratory maintains active contacts with universities and scientific research centers in Bulgaria and abroad (Germany, France, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Poland, UK and USA).
The investigations in the laboratory are being realized via projects financed by NATO, EU and National Science Fund of Bulgaria.
2. Last ten years international projects:
1. 2009 - Biomonitoring in plant biotechnology through flow cytometry (2009). Funding: Sächsiches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst, Germany.
Project coordinator: Prof. Th. Bley; Project fellow: Assoc. Prrof. M. Georgiev
2. 2010 – 2013 – Investigation of plant in vitro systems of Salvia species with different ploidy levels. Program PPP of DAAD, Germany.
Project coordinators: Prof. A. Pavlov and Prof. Th. Bley
3. 2010-2012 - Bioproduction of pharmaceutically important iridoids: systems biology based approach. Program, Marie Curie IntraEuropean Fellowships, 7FP of EU.
Project coordinator: Prof. Verpoorte; Project fellow: Assoc. Prof. M. Georgiev
4. 2013-2015 - COST Action FA 1006 Plant metabolic engineering for high value products.
MC member: Assoc. Prof. M. Georgiev
5. 2014-2016 - Rational platform for halogenation of high-value phenylethanoid glycosides from plant root culture. Program PPP of DAAD, Germany.
Project coordinators: Prof. Ludwig-Mueler and Assoc. Prof. M. Georgiev
3. Selected publications for last five years:
1. Simova, E., Beshkova, D., Dimitrov, Zh. (2009). Characterization and antimicrobial spectrum of bacteriocins produced by lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional Bulgarian dairy products. J Appl.Microbiol., 106, 2, 692-701.
2. Frengova, G., Beshkova, D. (2009). Carotenoids from Rhodotorula and Phaffia – yeasts of biotechnological importance. J Ind. Microbiol. Biotechnol., 36, 2, 163-180.
3. Georgiev, M., Georgiev, V., Penchev, P., Antonova, D., Pavlov, A., Ilieva, M., Popov, S. (2010). Volatile metabolic profiles of cell suspension cultures of Lavandula vera, Nicotiana tabacum and Helianthus annuus, cultivated under different regimes. Engineering in Life Sciences., 10(2), 148–157.
4. Georgiev, M., Alipieva, K., Pashova, S., Denev, P., Angelova, M., Kerns, G., Bley, Th. (2010). Antioxidant activity of devil’s claw cell biomass and its active constituents. Food Chemistry., 121, 967-972.
5. Berkov, S., Pavlov, A., Georgiev, V., Weber, J., Bley, Th., Viladomat, F., Bastida, J., Codina, C. (2010). Changes in apolar metabolites during in vitro organogenesis of Pancratium maritimum. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry., 48, 827-835.
6. Georgiev, V., Weber, J., Kneschke, E.-M., Denev, P., Bley, Th., Pavlov, A. (2010). Antioxidant activity and phenolic content of betalain extracts from intact plants and hairy root cultures of the red beetroot Beta vulgaris cv. Detroit Dark Red. Plant Food for Human Nutrition., 65, 105–111.
7. Rusinova-Videva, S., Pavlova, K., Panchev, I., Georgieva, K., Kuncheva, M. (2010). Effect of different factors on biosynthesis of exopolysaccharide from Antarctic yeast. Biotechnology and Biotechnological Equipment., 24, 507-551.
8. Ivanov, I., Georgiev, V., Georgiev, M., Ilieva, M., Pavlov, A. (2011). Galanthamine and related alkaloids production by Leucojum aestivum L. shoot culture using a temporary immersion technology. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology., 163, 268–277.
9. Gyurkovska, V., Alipieva, K., Maciuk, A., Dimitrova, P., Ivanovska, N., Haas, C., Bley, Th., Georgiev, M. (2011). Anti-inflammatory activity of devil's claw in vitro systems and their active constituents. Food Chemistry., 125, 171-178.
10. Pavlova, K., Rusinova-Videva, S., Kuncheva, M., Kratchanova, M., Gocheva, M., Dimitrova, S. (2011). Synthesis and characterization of an exopolysaccharide from Antarctic yeast strain Cryptococcus laurentii AL100. Appllied Biochemistry and Biothechnology., 163, 1038-1052.
11. Georgiev, V., Ivanov, I., Berkov, S, Pavlov, A. (2011). Alkaloids biosynthesis by Pancratium maritimum L. shoots in liquid culture. Acta Physiologie Plantarum., 33(3), 927-933.
12. Rusinova-Videva, S., Pavlova, K., Georgieva, K. (2011). Effect of different carbon sources on biosynthesis of exopolysaccharide from Antarctic strain Cryptococcus laurentii AL62. Biotechnology and Biotechnological Equipment., 25, 80-84.
13. Georgiev, M., Alipieva, K., Orhan, I., Abrashev, R., Denev, P., Angelova, M. (2011). Antioxidant and cholinesterases inhibitory activities of Verbascum xanthophoeniceum Griseb. and its phenylethanoid glycosides. Food Chemistry., 128, 100-105.
14. Georgiev M., Ali K., Alipieva K., Verpoorte R., Choi Y.H. (2011) Metabolic differentiations and classification of Verbascum species by NMR-based metabolomics. Phytochemistry 72: 2045-2051
15. Marchev, A., Georgiev, V., Ivanov, I., Badjakov, I., Pavlov, A. (2011). Two-phase temporary immersion system for Agrobacterium rhizogenes genetic transformation of Salvia tomentosa Mill. Biotechnol. Lett., 33, 1873-1878.
16. Georgiev, V., Ivanov, I., Berkob, S., Ilieva, M., Georgiev, M., Gocheva, T., Pavlov, A. (2012). Galanthamine production by L. aestivum shoot culture in a modified bubble column bioreactor with internal sections. Engineering in Life Sciences., 12(5), 534–543.
17. Beshkova, D., Pavlov, A. (2012). Biotechnology of fermented food systems. Engineering in Life Sciences., 12 (4), 353 – 354.
18. Beshkova, D., Frengova, G. (2012). Bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria: Microorganisms of potential biotechnological importance for the dairy industry. Review. Eng. Life Sci. 12, 4, 419–432. ISSN: 1618-2863.
19. Beshkova D., Pavlov, A. (2012). Editorial: Biotechnology of fermented food systems. Special Issue: Biotechnology of fermented food systems, 4, 353-354.
20. Georgiev, M., Agostini, E., Ludwig-Mueller, J., Xu J. (2012). Genetically transformed roots: from plant disease to biotechnological resource. Trends in Biotechnology., 30(10), 528-537.
21. Georgiev, M. (2012). Coming back to nature: plants as a vital source of pharmaceutically important metabolites. Current Medicinal Chemistry., 19(14), 2059-2060.
22. Ivanov, I., Georgiev, V., Berkov, S., Pavlov, A. (2012). Alkaloid patterns in Leucojum aestivum shoot culture cultivated at temporary immersion conditions. Journal of Plant Physiology., 169, 206-211.
23. Steingroewer, J., Bley, Th., Georgiev, V., Ivanov, I., Lenk, F., Marchev, A., Pavlov, A. (2013). Bioprocessing of differentiated plant in vitro systems. Eng. Life Sci., 13 (1), 26-38.
24. Georgiev, M., Eibl, R., Zhong, J.J. (2013). Hosting the plant cells in vitro: recent trends in bioreactors. Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology., 97(9), 3787-3800.
25. Vlaev, S., Rusinova-Videva, S., Pavlova, K., Kuncheva, M., Panchev, I., Dobreva, S. (2013). Submerged culture process for biomass and exopolysaccharide production by Antarctic yeast: some engineering considerations. Appllied Microbiology and Biotechnology., 97(12), 5303-5313.
26. Kuncheva, M., Panchev, I., Pavlova, K., Rusinova-Videva, S., Georgieva, K., Dimitrova, S. (2013). Functional characteristics of an exopolysaccharide from Antarctic yeast strain Cryptococcus laurentii AL62. Biotechnology and Biotechnological Equipment., 27(5), 4098-4102.
27. Ivanov, I., Georgiev, V., Pavlov, A. (2013). Elicitation of galanthamine biosynthesis by Leucojum aestivum liquid shoot cultures. Journal of Plant Physiology., 170(12), 1122 – 1129.
28. Marchev, A., Haas, C., Schulz, S., Georgiev, V., Steingroewer, J., Bley, T., Pavlov, A. (2014). Sage in vitro cultures: a promising tool for the production of bioactive terpenes and phenolic substances. Biotechnol. Lett., 36 (2), 211-221.
29. Teneva, Ts., Beshkova, D., Marchev, A., Nikolova, M., Frengova, G., Pavlov, A. (2014). Geranium sanguineum L. - an alternative source for isolation of lactic acid bacteria. Еcological Engineering and Environment Protection, 1, 4-11.
30. Georgiev, V., Schumann, A., Pavlov, A., Bley, Th. (2014). Temporary immersion systems in plant biotechnology. Engineering in Life Sciences., 14(6), 607–621.
31. Haas, Ch., Hengelhaupt, K-Ch., Kümmritz, S., Bley, Th., Pavlov, A., Steingroewer, J. (2014). Salvia suspension cultures as production system for oleanolic and ursolic acid. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum., 36(8), 2137-2147.
32. Georgiev, M. (2014). From plants to pharmacy shelf. Biotechnology Advances., 32, 1051-1052.
33. Georgiev, M. (2014).Natural products utilization. Phytochemistry Reviews., 13, 339-341.
34. Xiao, J., Muzashvili, T., Georgiev, M. (2014). Advance on biotechnology for glycosylation of high-value flavonoids. Biotechnology Advances., 32, 1145-1156.
35. Bekov, S., Ivanov, I. Georgiev, V., Codina, C., Pavlov, A. (2014). Galanthamine biosynthesis in plant in vitro systems. Engineering in Life Sciences., 14(6), 643–650.
36. Zahmanov, G., Alipieva, K., Denev, P., Todorov, D., Hinkov, A., Shishkov, S., Simova, S., Georgiev, M. (2014). Flavonoid glycosides profiling in dwarf elder fruits (Sambucus ebulus L.) and evaluation of their antioxidant and anti-herpes simplex activities. Industrial Crops and Products., 63, 58-64.
37. Stoykov, Y., Pavlov, A., Krastanov, A. (2015). Chitinase biotechnology: Production, purification and application. Engineering in Life Sciences., 15(1), 30–38.
38. Murthy, H.N., Georgiev, M., Park, S-Y., Dandin, V.S., Paek, K-Y. (2015). The safety assessment of food ingredients derived from plant cell, tissue and organ cultures: A review. Food Chemistry., 176, 426-432.
4. Teaching
1. Biotechnological processes based on plants and cell cultures – Agricultural University, Prof. A. Pavlov
2. Mechanism and analyses of biological activities of food systems – University of Food Technologies, Prof. A. Pavlov
3. Biotechnology of cell and tissue cultures - University of Food Technologies, Prof. A. Pavlov
4. Instrumental methods for food analyses - University of Food Technologies, Prof. A. Pavlov
5. Bioactive substances in food - University of Food Technologies, Prof. A. Pavlov
6. Food chemistry - University of Food Technologies, Prof. A. Pavlov
7. Bioactive substances by cell cultures - University of Food Technologies, Prof. A. Pavlov
8. Micology – University of Plovdiv, Dr. S. Videva
9. Microbiology of functional dairy products - University of Food Technologies, Assoc Prof. D. Beshkova
10. Microbial safety of products of animal origin - University of Food Technologies, Assoc Prof. D. Beshkova
11. Development of starter cultures for dairy products - University of Food Technologies, Assoc Prof. D. Beshkova
12. Microbiological control of milk and milk products - University of Food Technologies, Assoc Prof. D. Beshkova
5. Current staff of the Laboratory of Applied Biotechnology
1. Prof. Atanas Ivanov Pavlov, DSc, Corresponding member of BAS
2. Assoc. Prof. Dora Milenova Beshkova ,PhD.
3. Assoc. Prof.Milen Ivanov Georgiev, PhD.
4. Assoc. Prof. Kostantza Ivanova Pavlova, PhD.
5. Assoc. Prof. Ginka Ivanova Frengova, PhD.
6. Senior Assist. Prof. Vasil Georgiev Georgiev, PhD.
7. Senior Assist. Prof. Snezhana Valerieva Rusinova-Videva, PhD.
8. Senior Assist. Prof. Andrey Stoyanov Marchev, PhD.
9. PhD student Tsvetanka Gencheva Teneva-Angelova
10. PhD student Yuriy Mihaylov Stoykov
11. PhD student Georgi Zahmanov
12. Microbiologist Tatyana Stoyanova Gocheva
13. Microbiologist Katerina Atanasova Georgieva
14. Technologist Elka Vasileva Genova
15. Technologist Svetla Stojkova Kostadinova
16. Technician Vasilka Dimitrova Usherova