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The Russian Academy of Sciences' Institute of Biochemistry
and Physiology of Plants and Microorganisms (IBPPM RAS)
was founded in 1980. Since then, it has been directed by its organizer, Professor Vladimir Vladimirovich Ignatov, D.Sc. (Biol.), Honored Science Worker
of the Russian Federation.
The Institute's research efforts are
directed mainly toward elucidating the molecular basis of plant-microorganism
interactions. This knowledge is essential to the development
of effective, up-to-date genetic-engineering, ecological, agricultural,
and other biotechnologies. More than 100 people (including 14
holders of the Doctor of Science degree, 36 holders of the Candidate of Science [Cand.Sc.]
degree, and five full professors) work at the Institute.
IBPPM RAS is made up of the following laboratories:
- Biochemistry [Head: Professor V.V. Ignatov, D.Sc. (Biol.)]
- Microbiology and Mycology [Head: V.E. Nikitina, D.Sc. (Biol.)]
- Microbial Genetics [Head: E.I. Katsy, D.Sc. (Biol.)]
- Plant Cell Physiology [Head: O.I. Sokolov, D.Sc. (Biol.)]
- Biochemistry of Plant-Bacterial Symbioses [Head: L.P. Antonyuk,
D.Sc. (Biol.)]
- Agrobacterial Transformation and Biotechnology [Head: M.I. Chumakov,
D.Sc. (Biol.)]
- Environmental Biotechnology [Head: O.V. Turkovskaya, D.Sc.
(Biol.)]
- Physical Chemistry of Cellular Structures [Head: Professor S.Yu. Shchyogolev,
D.Sc. (Chem.)]
- Nanosize-Structure-Based Biosensors [Head: Professor N.G. Khlebtsov, D.Sc.
(Phys.-Math.)]
- Cell Electrophysiology [Head: O.V. Ignatov, D.Sc. (Biol.)]
- Structure Research Methods [Head: E.E. Fedorov, Cand.Sc. (Chem.)]
Main research themes funded by the State budget (PI: Principal
Investigator):
- "Structural-functional peculiarities of the rhizobacterial-surface
glycopolymers" [PI: Professor V.V. Ignatov, D.Sc. (Biol.)]
- "Study of the mechanism of formation of oligosaccharidic intercellular-
communication messengers" [PIs: Professor V.V. Ignatov, D.Sc. (Biol.);
N.Yu. Selivanov, Cand.Sc. (Biol.), Senior Researcher]
- "Study of the contribution of plasmids to motility and to formation of
major cell-surface copponents in the associative soil bacterium Azospirillum
brasilense" [PI: E.I. Katzy, D.Sc. (Biol.), Head of Laboratory]
- "Study of the molecular-genetic mechanism of transfer of Agrobacterium
DNA-protein complexes into eucariotic cells" [PI: M.I. Chumakov, D.Sc. (Biol.),
Head of Laboratory]
- "Role of carbohydrate-binding glycoproteins in the vital activities of
bacteria and fungi" [PI: V.E. Nikitina, D.Sc. (Biol.), Head of Laboratory]
- "Study of the role of the actin cytoskeleton in the adaptive and communicative
responces of plant cells" [PI: O.I. Sokolov, D.Sc. (Biol.), Head of Laboratory]
- "Carbohydrate-binding proteins as communication factors in phytosymbioses:
basic and applied aspects" [PI: L.P. Antonyuk, D.Sc. (Biol.), Head of Laboratory]
- "Role of plant-microbial communities and fungi in the environmental
degradation of hydrocarbons and their derivatives" [PI: O.V. Turkovskaya,
D.Sc. (Biol.), Head of Laboratory]
- "Integrative immunochemical analysis of antigenic structures determining
the associative plant-microorganism interactions" [PI: Professor S.Yu. Shchyogolev,
D.Sc. (Chem.), Head of Laboratory]
- "Development of the basic principles in nanotechnology of biomacromolecule-
functionalized plasmon resonant structures" [PI: Professor N.G. Khlebtsov, D.Sc.
(Phys.-Math.), Head of Laboratory]
- "Study of the electrophysical properties of bacterial cells during cell
interaction with high-molecular-weight compounds and with bacteriophages"
[PI: O.V. Ignatov, D.Sc. (Biol.), Head of Laboratory]
- "Mechanism of adaptation of plant-bacterial associations to pollutants:
contribution of the autochthonous microfloras of aquatic and terrestial plants
to the accumulation and transformation of arsenical compounds and organophosphorus
pesticides" [PI: E.E. Fedorov, Cand.Sc. (Chem.), Head of Laboratory; E.V. Lyubun,
Cand.Sc. (Biol.), Senior Researcher]
- "Spectroscopic study of the molecular mechanism of plant-microbe interactions
" [PI: A.A. Kamnev, D.Sc. (Chem.), Leading Researcher]
Much of this research has been supported by grants
from various science foundations (Russian Federation President's Fund for Leading
Scientific Schools, Ministry of Science of the
Russian Federation, the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, ISF
(the Soros fund), INTAS, INCAS, NATO, CRDF, etc.)
Some of the most important results:
- A unique collection of nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria that
can increase yields of cereals has been organized.
- In Azospirillum (an associative nitrogen-fixing bacterium),
the following has been studied: genes that are responsible for
the synthesis of some microbial metabolites and cellular structures;
chemotaxis; and phytohormone and lectin production.
- Novel data have been obtained on the properties and functions
of Azospirillum plasmids.
- Several enzymes and metabolites have been studied that govern
the biochemical mechanisms of nitrogen fixation in Azospirillum.
- It has been shown for the first time that the surface polysaccharides
of A. brasilense are the main determinants responsible for adsorption
and partner recognition during the establishment of associative
rhizospheric cenoses.
- Peculiarities of the root-surface and wheat-root-hair attachment
of agrobacteria with induced and non-induced vir genes have
been studied. The influence of various factors on the frequency
of interagrobacterial pTd33-plasmid transfer has been determined.
- The role of pectolytic and proteolytic enzymes of Azospirillum
in the penetration of bacterial cells into the wheat-root interior
has been revealed.
- Systematic studies of the architecture of the plant-cell
protein cytomatrix have been performed for the first time.
- An effective serological test-system has been developed to
determine the strain identity of Azospirillum bacteria, with
account taken of the immunochemical peculiarities of lipopolysaccharide
antigens.
- The peculiarities of the Azospirillum-cell-surface antigenic
structures involved in plant-bacterial contact interactions
and responsible for bacterial motility have been studied.
- A theoretical and experimental basis has been developed for
the study of the unique properties of colloidal gold and
bioconjugates of the gold nanoparticles, which are used as effective labels
in biological test-systems and also as carriers of various antigens stimulating
the in vivo antibody production.
- Novel versions of the theory of light scattering and propagation
in disperse systems (as well as the solutions to certain
inverse problems) have been developed. These versions are intended
for the study of cells, liposomes, and structurized systems
based on metallic nanoparticles (including their fractal
clusters) used, in particular, in the development of biochips and biosensors.
- Using the electro-optical analysis of cell suspensions, we have developed
and experimentally verified principles for the determination of the chemical
compounds that are substrates for the enzyme systems of microbial biocatalysts
and for the construction of the appropriate biosensor systems.
- Rhizosphere microorganisms capable of degrading oil hydrocarbons
and of reducing oil toxicity to plant seedlings have been isolated
and studied.
Applied research:
- Development of ecological biotechnologies:
- phytoremediation of soils contaminated by the products of
natural and technogenic decomposition of chemical-warfare agents;
- bioremediation of natural and economic targets polluted by
oil and oil products;
- microbiological purification of wastewater from surfactants
and oil products;
- biosensors for the detection of oil products and fungicides;
- collecting of xenobiotic-degrading strains;
- Rapid diagnosis of acute infections of humans
and animals by using colloidal gold conjugated to biospecific probes.
- Development of colloidal-gold-based immunochemical test-systems
for the detection of a range of low- and high-molecular-weight antigens.
- Development of methods for producing oligosaccharide preparations
with immunomodulating and oncostatic properties.
- Development of a collection and technologies of use of growth-promoting
nitrogen-fixing microorganisms to increase cereal-crop yields.
- Development of a technology for producing edible mushrooms.
 An
important aspect of IBPPM RAS's activities is the participation
of the Institute in the integration of science with higher education.
A Research and Teaching Center for Physical-Chemical Biology,
jointly run by IBPPM RAS and Saratov State University, has been
functioning since 1996. Many Saratov University leavers who have
been given special training at the Biochemistry and Biophysics Chair
in the Faculty of Biology, the Biophysics Chair in the Faculty of
Nonlinear Processes, and the Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry Branch
Chair in the Faculty of Chemistry continue their education as graduate
students at IBPPM RAS. A graduate course has been offered
since 1995 in the specialities of Biochemistry, Biophysics, Bioorganic
Chemistry, and Microbiology.
 A
Young Scientists Council (Chairman: A.V. Shelud'ko, Cand.Sc. (Biol.),
Senior Researcher) has been organized and works actively at IBPPM RAS.
The Council's main tasks are to encourage the creative activity
of the young; to orient young researchers to the advancement of
Russian science; and to promote the integration of science with
higher education.
International relations (2007):
Joint research is being conducted with: - Institute of General Ecology and
Environmental Protection, Dresden University of Technology (Tharandt, Germany)
- Institute of Soil Sciences and Plant Nutrition, Martin Luther University
(Halle-Wittenberg, Germany)
- Laboratory of Structural Biochemistry, Center for Medicine and Biology of Borstel
(Borstel, Germany)
- Department of Experimental Biophysics, Humboldt University (Berlin, Germany)
- Laboratory of Chemistry, Department of Sciences, Agricultural University of
Athens (Athens, Greece)
- Laboratory of Enzymatic Catalysis, Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry,
Polish Academy of Sciences (Krakow, Poland)
- Department of Nuclear Chemistry, Eotvos Lorand University, Hungarian Academy of
Sciences (Budapest, Hungary)
- Division of Chemistry, School of Sciences and Mathematics, Sheffield Hallam University
(Sheffield, UK)
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florence (Florence, Italy)
- New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology/Institute for Engineering Research and
Applications (New Mexico, USA)
- Philips Classic Laser Laboratories, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
(Arkansas, USA)
Information on the meetings listed above will appear at the site as soon as it is
avaliable.
 Address:
IBPPM RAS, 13 Prospekt Entuziastov,
Saratov 410049, Russia.
Tel.: (+7) 8452-97-04-44
Fax: (+7) 8452-97-03-83
E-mail: institute@ibppm.sgu.ru
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