Vyatka State University Biotechnology: the main research directions and results

The Biotechnology

Department

The Biotechnology Department was organized in Vyatka

State University in 1994.

ВятГУ

Annually 20 persons are accepted on the first course of

education.

The Department was created for satisfaction of

requirements of the enterprises and organizations in

the biotechnology engineers, and also for the decision

of tasks of protection the environment in Volga-Vyatka

region.

The Biotechnology

Department

The specialization of educational training is Technology of

Bioconversion of Vegetative Raw Material. ВятГУ

The stuff of the Department includes 18 persons, 5

of them are the doctors of sciences and 6 are the

candidates of sciences, other employees have higher

education.

Research and development of the Biotechnology

Department has repeatedly supported by grants from

the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian

Federation, the Russian Foundation for Basic

Research, the International Science and Technology

Center (ISTC) and other organizations.

The Main Scientific Interests

Conversion of

vegetative raw

material

Ecological

Biotechnology

Agricultural

Biotechnology

Food

Biotechnology

Bioorganic

Chemistry

CONVERSION OF VEGETATIVE RAW MATERIAL

The Development of theoretical bases and technological

principles of biochemical processing of vegetative raw material

The method of obtaining protein additives with

medicinal and prophylactic properties

The method of obtaining bioactive substances from arboreal

greenery

The method of thermo-mechanic-chemical hydrolysis of cellulosic

material

The Development of Theoretical Bases and

Technological Principles of Biochemical Processing of

Vegetative Raw Material

We have developed a non-waste method of

processing fruit and berry materials to obtain

bioactive preparations for medical, alimentary

and fodder application. The method has been

implemented in the form of a small-capacity

pilot production facility.

Растворитель

Масло на дегазацию

Масляный концентрат

Оболочка плодовая

шиповника

Орешки

шиповника

Плоды

шиповникаМ

езг

а

Спи

рт

На приготовление

сиропа шиповника

Спиртованный морс

в ликеро-водочное

производство

Растительное

масло

Возврат спирта

Ме

зга

Азот

Послеэкстракционный шрот

Оса

до

к

Осадок

Осадок

Фе

рм

ент

Во

да

Сухой осадок

Каротолин

Оболочка плодовая шиповника

на приготовление чая

На приготовление

холосаса

На приготовление

кормовой добавки

The method of obtaining protein additives with

medicinal and prophylactic properties

Obtaining an immunostimulating additive to

the livestock ration on the basis of the cultures

of the genera Leuconostoc, Saccharomyces

and Trichosporon.

Objectives:

- studying the immunostimulating properties

of the cultures;

- research into the mutual influence of the

cultures;

- developing a method of growing;

- research into the effect of the additive on

animal organisms;

- turning out a pilot batch of the bioactive

additive.

The method of obtaining bioactive

substances from arboreal greenery

The wood and arboreal greenery of such conifers

as pine, fir, etc. are an indispensable source of

raw materials for obtaining bioactive substances.

The purpose of this work is to study the process

of isolating bioactive substances from conifers,

as well as to develop a method of obtaining

medical preparations from the components of

arboreal greenery. Two groups of research problems need to be

solved in order to accomplish the purpose:

-the analytical research to identify individual

components of essential oils, polyprenols, resin

acids and neutrals that are extracted from

arboreal greenery;

- the technological research: selection and

optimization of the way of extracting bioactive

substances from arboreal greenery,

substantiation of the method for separating essential oils, development of the

isolation techniques and calculation of the equipment needed.

ECOLOGICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Isolation and selection of strains of the microorganisms

decomposing polychlorinated biphenyls

Production, in the laboratory amount, of the biomass

necessary for the bioremediation of soils

Isolation and selection of strains of the microorganisms

decomposing polychlorinated biphenyls, as well as

production, in the laboratory amount, of the biomass

necessary for the bioremediation of soils

The resistant organic pollutants include toxic

polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins, dibenzofurans,

pesticides – such as aldrin, heptachlorine, dieldrin,

DDT, mirex, toxaphen, chlordane, endrin and

hexachlorobenzene, as well as polychlorinated

biphenyls (PCB). The properties common to all these

compounds are hydrophobicity, liability to

accumulation in ecosystems, resistance to chemical

and biological transformation, and high toxicity.

The work carried out in this area involves:

- isolation and species identification of the isolated

strains of the microorganisms that decompose PCB;

- study of the mechanisms of PCB transformation by

the isolated strains;

- verification of the possibility to use these

preparations for decontamination of the soils polluted

with PCB.

AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY

Cell selection

Microclonal reproduction

Use of associations between microbes and

plants

Cell selection

Major efforts of the biotech research are

concentrated on creating improved and

fundamentally new genotypes of crops that

possess either singular or combined

resistance to both biotic and abiotic stress

factors of the environment (fungous, viral,

bacterial diseases; the acidity and salinity of

soils, a drought, presence of heavy metals,

etc.) while preserving and even increasing

their productivity and quality.

The method consists in introducing the plant into an in vitro culture and

selecting the isolated tissues and cells on the growth media that contain

specific types of selective agents in various combinations. The most frequent

objects of research are cereal and leguminous crops. The cell selection

reduces the time needed to create new breeds of crops by expanding the

genetic variety when isolated tissues are cultivated in vitro.

Microclonal reproduction

This is a challenging method of the vegetative

reproduction of plants that makes it possible to obtain

genetically uniform and sanified planting stock, to

have high net reproduction, to reduce the duration of

the selection process and to carry out the work

throughout the year, thus saving the areas for growing

crops. The objects of research are fruit, berry and

flower crops.

The method consists in removing the crown meristem

from the stem, introducing it into an in vitro culture

and then micrografting the set on a hormonal medium.

In order to increase the efficiency of microclonal

reproduction, individual cultivation conditions

(physical factors and the composition of the medium)

should be arranged for each plant species.

Use of associations between microbes

and plants

A technology for the combined application of the

traditional methods of tissue culture and the inoculation

of plants in vitro is being developed. The positive effect

is based on the capacity of some microorganisms that

have a stable association with plants – e.g.,

methylobacteria – to synthesize vitamins and hormones

(most often, auxins and cytokinins).

This makes it possible to use biotechnologically

promising strains as substitutes for some ingredients of

the phytohormonal composition of the medium when

cultivating isolated cells and tissues. The logical

continuation of the research is the creation of a

biopreparation of the microbial origin (a growth

regulator).

FOOD BIOTECHNOOGY

Creation of bioactive food additives

Research aimed at extending the range of

functional food products

Processing both agricultural and recyclable materials to

obtain bioactive substances to be used in the food industry

Study of physical and chemical properties and structure of

biological active substances

Designing bioactive food additives obtained from plant materials. The

work is under way to obtain bioactive food additives from bilberries

(Vaccinium myrtillus L.).

BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY

Study of the structural features of pectin

polysaccharides and their biological activity

Study of the biopolymers of the

microorganisms used for creating

preparations with probiotic properties

Study of the structural features of pectin

polysaccharides and their biological activity

Pectin polysaccharides are capable of a wide range of physiological

activities. The antimicrobial, antitumoral, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer and

anticoagulant action of pectins is well known. Among the possible ways of

using pectin substances in medicine is modifying them chemically to create

preparations with specified properties. It was proved, in particular, that a

number of medicines, when combined with pectins, enhance and prolong

their therapeutic properties, as well as reduce unwanted side effects.

The work in this area consists in studying

the composition of pectin substances in the

hips of a number of brier (Rosa) species,

their structural features and physiological

activities. The pectins in the pap of the

Rosa rugosa hips were proved to bind low-

density lipoproteids in human blood, to

modulate the adhesiveness of peritoneal

macrophage in mice and to stimulate

formation of serum antibodies (ОВА-IgG-

log2) to the protein antigen (OBA) in mice.

Study of the biopolymers of the microorganisms used

for creating preparations with probiotic properties

- the effect of the medium

composition (source of

carbohydrates) on the composition,

structure and physiological activity of

exopolysaccharides of lactic-acid

bacteria; - the effect of the medium

composition (source of

carbohydrates) on the composition,

structure and physiological activity of

the cytoderm polysaccharides

(peptidoglycane) of lactic-acid

bacteria; - application of the data on the fatty-acid composition of cytoplasmic

membranes for the species identification of lactic-acid bacteria.

Laboratory equipment

The Department has a modern research equipment, which provides a

wide range of issues. The basic list is:

1. Equipment for gas chromatography and

gas chromatography mass spectrometry;

2. Atomic absorption spectrometry, FTIR;

3. Equipment for high-precision weighing;

4. SEM, TEM, SPM and set of equipment

for sample preparation for electron

microscopy.

The industrial part is represented by a

technological line on complex processing of

fruits of Wild Rose (Rose hips).

The essence of the technology is that the dry fruits of Wild Rose are divided on a peel and seeds. Vitamin syrup for children and persons suffering diabetes, medical preparations “Karotolin” and “Holosas” are received from a peel.

From seeds by extraction with organic solvent (2 extractors, volume of one extractor is 25 liters) is received a medical preparation ”Oil of Rose hips”. The preparation has passed certification in State Institute on Standard and Control of Medicinal Preparations.

On a basis of rest after extraction of oil from seeds of Rose hips, the fodder additive in ration of fur animals is obtained.

The technological line on complex processing of

Rose hips includes several sections:

- preparation of the feedstock

- production of a tea beverage

- production of a vitamin syrup

of Rose hips

- production of oil of Rose hips

-production of an additive to the

fodder of fur animals

Плоды

шиповника

Семена

Оболочка

на приготовление

кормовой добавки

Масло

шиповника

Во

да

Фе

рм

ент

Са

ха

р

Пульпа

Жидкая фаза

Осадок

Ра

сти

те

льно

е

ма

сл

о

Шрот

Оса

до

к

Каротолин

Масло

Сироп

Участок подготовки сырья Участок приготовления сиропа

Приготовление

каротолина

Удаление

остатков

растворителя

Участок экстракции

Азот

Ра

ство

ри

те

ль

Мисцелла

A list of recent publications

A.A. Zlobin, E.A. Martinson, I.A. Ovechkina, E.A. Durnev, R.G. Ovodova, S.G. Litvinets

Composition and Properties of Pectin polysaccharides of St. John’s Wort Hypericum

Perforatum// Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry, 2012, Vol. 38, No.7, pp.697-701

Злобин А.А., Мартинсон Е.А., Литвинец С.Г., Овечкина И.А., Дурнев Е.А., Оводова Р.Г.

Пектиновые полисахариды рябины обыкновенной Sorbus aucuparia L.// Химия

растительного сырья. 2011. №1. С.39-44.

Злобин А.А., Мартинсон Е.А., Оводов Ю.С. Антиоксидантная и антимикробная

активность пектинов ряда растений европейского Севера России// Известия Коми

научного центра УрО РАН. Выпуск 3(7). Сыктывкар, 2011 –с.33-37

Бывалов А.А. Влияние температуры культивирования и носительства fra-оперона

Yersinia pestis на морфологические особенности Yersinia pseudotuberculosis// Журнал

микробиологии, эпидемиологии и иммунобиологии, 2011. - № 2. - С. 72-75

Martinson E.A., Zlobin A.A., Starkova E.V., Litvinets S.G. Lignin quantitative determination

as well as lignin-degrading products at cultivation of lignin-decomposed microorganisms//

International Conference “Renewable Wood and Plant Resources: Chemistry, Technology,

Pharmacology, Medicine”. Saint-Petersburg, June 21-24, 2011.-P.104

Старкова Е.В., Синцов К.Н., Дурнев Е.А., Береснева И.С., Мартинсон Е.А., Литвинец

С.Г. Выделение микромицетов, способных к деструкции лигнинсодержащего сырья//

Иммунопатология, аллергология, инфектология. 2010.-№1. С.267-268

Contact Information

Ekaterina A. Martinson, Head of Department

Russia, 610000, Moskovskaya st., 36

Tel +7 (8332)321649

Fax +7 (8332)321649

E-mail: biotech.vgu@gmail.com

Sergey G. Litvinets, Vice-Rector on Science

Russia, 610000, Moskovskaya st., 36

Tel +7 (8332)641591

Fax +7 (8332)641591

E-mail: litvinets@list.ru