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INSTITUTE OF CELL BIOLOGY AND GENETIC ENGINEERING (ICBGE) T he Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering (ICBGE), established in 1990, is the leading scientific center in the field of plant cell and molecular biol ogy, biotechnology and genomics in Ukraine. ICBGE employs 140 scientists, includ ing 12 Doctors of Science, 6 with the designation of Academician, and 48 Ph.D.s. Together with other highly experienced engineers, they are grouped into 12 depart ments and laboratories. R&D Highlights at ICBGE: In the area of plant cell and genetic engineering, researchers at the Institute dis covered the phenomenon of biparental inheritance of cytoplasmic genes as a result of protoplast somatic hybridization. This phenomenon created the basis for the develop ment of new technologies for the production of plant cybrids, and original approach es of plastome transformation. The efforts are also centered on the development of plant molecular biotechnology. The Institute has pioneered the development of trans genic plants with the traits of many agricultural species for further breeding. Research in the field of cell biology and structural bioinformatics focuses on the investigation of cytoskeletal proteins for novel biotechnological approaches for the improvement of plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Plant mutants have been created and the genes of microtubule proteins (tubulin) responsible for the resistance to herbicides and fungicides have been isolated and used for the production of cell lines resistant to these substances. The Institute identifies new microtubule proteins and tyrosine kinases of plant origin. A biological approach for the creation of a three dimensional model of plant tubulin has been developed. These models are used for identifying the interaction of antimicrotubular compounds with different biological activities (antiprotozoan & anticancer; herbicides, fungicides) for chemical designing new drugs. 18 ADDRESS Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering (ICBGE) of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 148 Zabolotnogo St., Kyiv 03143, Ukraine Tel./fax: +380 44 526 7104 www.icbge.org.ua Prof. Yaroslav Blume, Acting Director [email protected] The Institute specializes in the safe utilization of the products of plant genetic engineering. Vertical gene flow from transgenic plants to their wild relatives has been studied (rapeseed, sugar beet and flax) and methods for the detection and measurement of genetically modified components in seeds, feed and food have been developed. ICBGE research groups also focus on plant biophysics and radiobi ology, including the role of molecular recognition in the processes of cell repair; investigation of molecular processes induced by chronic irradiation; methods of phytomicrobial decontamination of radionuclides from soils; study of protective signal systems of plants; and the investigation of structural and functional organization of the cell wall of higher fungi to develop new sorption materials for Aseptically growing plants and callus lines of different plant species from the germ plasm bank of world flora medicine and industry. To further R&D and commercialization efforts, the Institute has created one of world's largest banks of plant germplasm from world flora. This bank is rec ognized as a National Scientific Dignity of Ukraine. It includes about 5000 specimens in the seed bank and 2000 cell lines in the in vitro bank. a b c d Plant regeneration from mes ophyll protoplasts: Nicotiana africana Opportunities for commercialization and collaborative production: • Creation of transgenic plants with the traits of interest based on Agrobacteri ummediated and biolistic genetic transformation; • New gene marker systems for the selection of transgenic plant cell lines; • Recombinant pharmacological protein production via transient expression in plant systems; • Chemical design and screening of new antimicrotubule substances with her bicidal or fungicidal activity; • PCR based techniques for qualitative and quantitative detection of genetical ly modified components in plant raw material and food products; • Technologies for phytoremediation of ecosystems from radionuclides; and Molecule of alphatubulin with docked trifluralin mole cule: green – amino acid residues of binding site, yel low – amino acid residues involved in tubulin dimer for mation • Sorbents of heavy metals and radionuclides using cell wall components of higher fungi. The Institute welcomes collaborative efforts with Western industry in the abovemen tioned areas. 19 BIO RESEARCH Institute of Cell Biology and Genetic Engineering (ICBGE) T he Institute of Cell Biology and Research in the field of cell biology Genetic and Engineering (ICBGE), structural bioinformatics established in 1990, is the leading scien focuses tific center in the field of plant cell and cytoskeletal proteins for novel biotech molecular biology, biotechnology and nological approaches for the improve genomics in Ukraine. ICBGE employs ment of plant resistance to biotic and 140 scientists, including 12 Doctors of abiotic stresses. Plant mutants have Science, 6 with the designation of Acade been created and the genes of micro mician, and 48 Ph.D.s. Together with oth tubule proteins (tubulin) responsible er highly experienced engineers, they are for the resistance to herbicides and grouped into 12 departments and labs. fungicides have been isolated and used on the investigation of for the production of cell lines resistant R&D Highlights at ICBGE: to these substances. The Institute identi In the area of plant cell and genetic fies new microtubule proteins and tyro engineering, researchers at the Insti sine kinases of plant origin. A biological tute discovered the phenomenon of approach for the creation of a three biparental inheritance of cytoplasmic dimensional model of plant tubulin has genes as a result of protoplast somatic been developed. These models are used hybridization. This phenomenon creat for identifying the interaction of antimi ed the basis for the development of new crotubular compounds with different technologies for the production of plant biological activities (antiprotozoan & Kyiv 03143, Ukraine cybrids, and original approaches of plas anticancer; herbicides, fungicides) for Tel./fax: +380 44 526 7104 tome transformation. The efforts are also chemical designing new drugs. www.icbge.org.ua centered on the development of plant Prof. Yaroslav Blume, molecular biotechnology. The Institute The Institute specializes in the safe uti has pioneered the development of trans lization of the products of plant genic plants with the traits of many agri genetic engineering. Vertical gene cultural species for further breeding. flow from transgenic plants to their wild 148 Zabolotnogo St., Acting Director E-mail: [email protected] 10 BIO RESEARCH relatives has been studied (rapeseed, Opportunities for commercializa sugar beet and flax) and methods for the tion and collaborative production: detection and measurement of geneti cally modified components in seeds, • Creation of transgenic plants with feed and food have been developed. traits of interest based on Agrobacteri ummediated and biolistic genetic ICBGE research groups also focus on transformation; plant biophysics and radiobiology, • New gene marker systems for the including the role of molecular recogni selection of transgenic plant cell lines; tion in the processes of cell repair; • Recombinant pharmacological pro investigation of molecular processes tein production via transient expres induced by chronic irradiation; meth sion in plant systems; ods of phytomicrobial decontamina • Chemical design and screening of tion of radionuclides from soils; study of new antimicrotubule substances with protective signal systems of plants; and herbicide or fungicide activity; the investigation of structural and func • PCR based techniques of qualitative tional organization of the cell wall of and quantitative detection of geneti higher fungi to develop new sorption cally modified components in plant materials for medicine and industry. raw material and food products; Aseptically growing plants and callus lines of different plant species from the germplasm bank of world flora a b c d Plant regeneration from mesophyll protoplasts: Nicotiana africana • Technologies for phytoremediation To further R&D and commercializa of ecosystems from radionuclides; and tion efforts, the Institute has created • Sorbents one of world's largest banks of plant radionuclides using cell wall compo germplasm from world flora. This bank nents of higher fungi. of heavy metals and is recognized as a National Scientific Dignity of Ukraine. It includes about The Institute welcomes collaborative 5000 specimens in the seed bank and efforts with Western industry in the 2000 cell lines in the in vitro bank. abovementioned areas. Molecule of alpha-tubulin with docked trifluralin molecule: green – amino acid residues of binding site, yellow – amino acid residues involved in tubulin dimer formation 11