Institute of Plant Physiology

Main Research Topics

Physiology and biochemistry of microalgae and cyanoprocaryotes from various taxa, placed under normal conditions and under stress.
Biosynthesis of phycobiliproteins, fatty acids, sterols, polysaccharides, volatile substances, growth regulators, and substances with bactericidal and fungicidal properties. Effects of abiogenic and biogenic factors (bacteria and parasites) on these processes.
New technologies for algal biomass production and downstream processing.

Most Important Achievements

The physiological and technological parameters for microalgae cultivation (product standard: 4075950-83), as well as for downstream processing to water extract (product standard: 0278792-85), alcohol extract (product standard: 0281448-88) and protein hydrolyzate (product standard: 0278793-85) were established. These basic products are applied in pharmacology and medicine as different merchandise.
It was found that the carbonic anhydrase system exists in two forms - soluble and membrane-bound. The localization of these forms in the cell, their synthesis and participation in the assimilation of inorganic carbon under different conditions of carbon nutrition were described. Several mechanisms for transportation and concentration of inorganic carbon were suggested.
It was established that iron availability to phytoplankton is ensured by organic chelators released by algal cells. A model for iron transport was described, which differs from the general model for iron transport in phytoplankton. Specific responses to Fe-induced oxidative stress were described and the first method for measurement of the overall capacity of cells to release iron-binding ligands was developed.
Steps in the biosynthesis of sterols in some microalgae were established. Phenotypic and genotypic characteristics in algal lipids were outlined.
A new conception of algal photobioreactors is proposed on the basis of hydrodynamical, heat and mass transfer processes.
Bacterial parasitic invasions of Bdellovibrio and Cytophaga on green and on red algal cells were described. Host-dependent metabolic steps were proved in parasitic fungi from three Phlyctidium genera. Means of suppression of parasitic invasions were found.
Optimal conditions for biosynthesis of polysaccharides, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and phycobiliproteins from red algae and cyanoprocaryotes were found. Methods for ß-phycoerythrin and C-phycocianin purification were developed. Pure ß-phycoerythrin was applied as a fluorescent marker in immunodiagnostics.
It was established that some plant growth regulators may be helpful to improving algal viability and growth as well as to the control over chytridial infection of microalgal cultures.

Research projects

Ecophysiological investigation of cyanoprocaryotes and algae from extreme habitats. 2008-2010. Cooperation Project between IPP and the Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic. Project leader: Assoc. Prof. G. Petkov.
Long term scientific and technologigal cooperation between IPP and ALGI (Greece). Project leader: Assoc. Prof. G. Petkov.
Investigation of new nanomaterials for immobilisation of microalgae. Project financed by the National Science Fund, Bulgaria. Project leader: Assoc. Prof. T. Toncheva-Panova.
Influence of C-phycocianin on the expression of genomic biomarkers for irradiation-induced adaptative response. Project financed by the National Science Fund, Bulgaria. Project leader: Assist. Prof. K. Minkova.
New microalgal strains – potential producers of economical and medical important products. Project leader: Assoc. Prof. L. Gigova.
Antarctic algae – model system for oxidative stress resistance. Project leader: Assoc. Prof. I. Puneva.

Staff

In the Department are working 14 members: 1 Associate Professor, DrSc; 3 Associate Professors, PhD; 1 Assistant Professors, PhD; 3 Assistant Professors; 5 Researchers (3 Biologists, 1 Chemist and 1 Agronomist) and 1 Technician.

To contact particular colleague please dial +359-2-979- followed by the extension number given below:

Name, Title	Contact Phone
Georgi Petkov, Associate Professor, PhD	3754
Irina Puneva, Associate Professor, PhD	2125
Lilyana Gigova, AssociateProfessor, PhD	2196
Plamen Pilarski, Assistant Professor, PhD	2182
Kaledona Minkova, Assistant Professor	2196
Ivan Iliev, Assistant Professor, PhD Student	2196
Gergana Gacheva, Assistant Professor, PhD Student	2182
Nataliya Ivanova, Researcher-Chemist	2189
Mariana Sholeva, Researcher-Agronomist	2118
Margarita Stoyanova, Researcher-Biologist	3745
Valentina Serafimova, Researcher-Biologist	2118
Bozhura Velichkova, Technician	2189

Selected Publications

2010
Ivanova, K.G., Stankova, K.G., Nikolov, V.N., Georgieva, R.T., Minkova, K.M., Gigova, L.G., Rupova, I.T., Boteva, R.N. (2010) - The biliprotein C-phycocyanin modulates the early radiation response: A pilot study. Mutation Research - Genetic Toxicology and Environmental Mutagenesis, 695, 40-45.
Petkov G, Kambourova R, Bankova V. (2010) - Extracellular substances of total bacterial flora from cultures of the green alga Scenedesmus. C. R. Bulg. Acad. Sci., 63, 235-240.

2009
Gardeva, E., Toshkova, R., Minkova, K., Gigova, L. (2009) - Cancer protective action of polysaccharide, derived from red microalga Porphyridium cruentum – a biological background. Biotechnology & Biotechnological Equipment 23, 783-787.
Lukavský, J., Furnadzhieva, S., Nedbalová, L. (2009) - First record of cryoseston in the Vitosha Mountains, Bulgaria. Nova Hedwigia 88, 97-109.
Doicheva, L., S. Furnadjieva, P. Pilarski, R. Andreeva, L. Nikolov (2009) - Evaluation of the acute toxicity of the herbicide STOMP 33EC (pendymethalin) with a test object Chlorella Kessleri. Biotechnology and Biotechnological Equipment, 23/SE, 289-292.
Doicheva, L., S. Furnadjieva, P. Pilarski, R. Andreeva, L. Nikolov (2009) - Investigation of the complex influence of the preparation STOMP E33 (pendymethalin) over Daphnia magna Straws (dissolved in water and accumulated from Chllorella kessleri). Biotechnology and Biotechnological Equipment. 23/SE, 301-304.
Nedeva, D., Pouneva I. (2009) - Changes in electrophoretic profiles of proteins and some antioxidant enzymes in Antarctic alga Choricystis minor and Chlorella sp.as affected by temperature and oxidative stress. Biotechnol. & Biotechnol. Eq., 23, 233-236.
Toshkova, R., Gardeva, E., Minkova, K., Panova, T., Zvetkova, E. (2009) - Immunopotential and mitogenic properties of marine microalgal polysaccharides extracted from Porphyridium cruentum and Dixoniella grisea (Rhodophyta). C. R. Acad. Bulg. Sci., 62 (5), 589-594.

2008
Gacheva G, Pilarski P. (2008) - The resistance of a new strain Chlorella sp. R-06/2, isolated from an extreme habitat, to environmental stress factors. Gen. Appl. Plant Physiol., 34, 347-360.
Pavlova V, Andreeva R, Furnadzhieva S, Nayak A. (2008) - Effect of temperature, light intensity, the growth and chlorophyll a concentration on microcystin production by Microcystis aeruginosa. Gen. Appl. Plant Physiol., in press.
Samuneva B, Chernev G, Djambaski P, Ivanova J, Toncheva-Panova T, Salvado IMM, Fernandes MHV. (2008) - Preparation of hybrid nanomatrices and investigations their toxicity effect to different microalgae. Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, in press.
Toncheva-Panova T, Ivanova J, Sholeva M, Chernev G, Samuneva B. (2008) - Preparation of Nanomatrix with Cells of red microalga Dixoniella grisea and biosorption of copper by free and immobilized algal cells. Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci. 61 (2), 211-216.
Toncheva-Panova T, Pouneva I, Mizinska-Boevska Y. (2008) - Lysis of the green alga Choricystis minor by bacterial pathogen. Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci. 61 (8), 1013-1020.

2007
Chernev G, Samuneva B, Djambaski P, Ivanova J, Toncheva-Panova T. (2007) - Silica materials synthesized on the base of heteropolysaccharide produced from the red alga Dixoniella grisea. Workshop Nanosci. & Nanotechnol. 7, 239-242.
Minkova K, Tchorbadjieva M, Tchernov A, Stojanova M, Gigova L, Busheva M. (2007) - Improved procedure for separation and purification of Arthronema africanum phycobiliproteins. Biotechnology Letters, 29 (4), 647-651.
Minkova K, Gigova L, Tchernov A, Stojanova M, Ivanova N, Boteva R. Tchorbadjieva M. (2007) - Isolation of pure C-phycocyanin from Arthrospira maxima and Arthrospira fusiformis by a modified non-chromatographic rivanol-sulfate procedure. Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci. 60 (7), 795-798.
Petkov G, Garcia G. (2007) - Which are fatty acids of the green alga Chlorella? Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 35, 281-285.
Pouneva I, Toncheva-Panova T. (2007) - Heteropolysaccharide produced by the red alga Rhodella reticulate affects host-parasite relationship in the system Scenedesmus incrassatulus - Phlyctidium scenedesmi. Phytol. Balk. 13 (1), 41-45.
Pouneva I, Toncheva-Panova T. (2007) - Host-parasite relationship within the pathosystem Scenedesmus incrassatulus – Phlyctidiun scenedesmi after treatment with heteropolysaccharide produced by the red alga Rhodella reticulata. Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci. 60 (6), 681–686.

2006
Chernev G, Samuneva B, Djambaski P, Ivanova J, Toncheva-Panova T, Miranda Salvado I M. (2006) - Silica materials synthesized on the base of heteropolysaccharide produced from the red alga Rhodella reticulata. Workshop Nanosci. & Nanotechnol. Sofia, 20-22 XI.
Iliev I, Petkov G, Furnadzhieva S, Andreeva R, Lukavsky J. (2006) - Membrane metabolites of Arthronema africanum strains from extreme habitats. Gen. Appl. Plant Physiol. 117-123.
Iliev I, Petkov G. (2006) - Growth, Lipids and Fatty Acids of the Desert Tolerant Blue-Green Alga Arthronema africanum. Comp. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci. 59(10), 1079-1082.
Kambourova R, Petkov G, Bankova V. (2006) - Extracellular polar substances in cultures of the green alga Scenedesmus. Arch. Hydrobiol. 162 (Alg. Stud. 119) 155-162.
Pouneva I. (2006) - Effect of abscisic acid and ontogenic phases of the host alga on the infection process in the pathosystem Scenedesmus acutus - Phlyctidium scenenedesmi. Acta Phys. Plant. 28, 5, 395-400.
Pouneva I, Christov C. (2006) - Effect of abscisic acid on host susceptibility during different ontogenetic phases of the host alga in the pathosystem Scenedesmus acutus - Phlyctidium scenenedesmi. Fossil and Recent Phycological Studies, Pensoft, 227-238.
Zidarova R, Pouneva I. (2006) - Physiological and biochemical characterization of antarctic isolate Choricystis minor during oxidative stress at different temperatures and light intensities. Gen. Appl. Plant Physiol. 109-115.
Toncheva-Panova T, Merakchiyska M, Djingova R, Ivanova J, Sholeva M, Paunova S. (2006) - Effect of Cu²⁺ on the red microalga Rhodella reticulata. Gen. Appl. Plant Physiol., Special Issue 53-60.

2005
Benderliev K, Ivanova N, Pilarski P. (2005) - Reactive oxygen species regulate iron uptake in Scenedesmus incrassatulus. Gen. Appl. Plant Physiol. 30 (3-4), 85-94.
Lukavsky J, Furnadzhieva S, Cepak V, Nedbalova L. (2005) - Kryoseston pohori Vitosa a Rila. 45 konf. CAS, Rozemberk n. Vlt. 19-22. IX. 2005.
Pouneva I. (2005) - Effect of humic substances on the growth of microalgal cultures. Russ. J. of Plant. Physiol. 52, 3, 463-466.
Toncheva-Panova Т, Ivanova J. (2005) - Sequence of events in the infection of Rhodella reticulata by bacteria pathogen. Compt. Rend. Acad. bulg. Sci. 12, 58, No 12, 1439-1444.

2004
Benderliev K, Ivanova N, Pilarski P. (2004) - Singlet oxygen and other reactive oxygen species are involved in regulation of release of iron-binding chelators from Scenedesmus cells, Biologia Plantarum 47(4), 523-526.
Kambourova, R., V. Bankova, G. Petkov. (2004) - Extracellular lipophilic substances of green alga Scenedesmus. Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci. 57 (11), 77-82.
Kambourova, R., G. Petkov. (2004) - Gravimetric quantification of total extracellular organic substances of microalgae. Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci. 57 (8), 23-26.
Puneva I, Christov Ch. (2004) - Influence of Abscisic acid and abscisic acid biosyntesis inhibitor fluridone on infection process in the pathosystem Scenedesmus incrassatulus–Phlyctidium scenedesmi. Compt. rend. Acad. bulg. Sci. (8), 33-38.