The focus of the scientific work of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology is the study of unexplored genetic resources with a focus on the isolation and characterization of genes with potential applications in biotechnology; the study of plant responses to biotic and abiotic stress and biology of the cell wall in the developmental context. The department’s methodological portfolio includes recombinant DNA techniques, plant transformation techniques, molecular, biochemical, proteomic, and bioinformatic analyses. The results of the research contribute to knowledge and also suggest starting points for potential biotechnological applications.
Research area
Genetic resources for biotechnology
- Identification and isolation of genes for hydrolytic enzymes involved in digestive processes of carnivorous plants
- Analysis of the biochemical and antimicrobial properties of the products of these genes
- Analysis of transgenic plants with constitutive expression of the studied genes in terms of enhancing their defense against phytopathogens
Plant stress biology
- Study of parasitic plants, especially strigolactones involved in interspecific communication with cultivated plants, and study of the proteome of germinating seeds of parasitic species of Phelipanche and Orobanche spp.
- Investigation of the relationship between the growth of aquatic plants in soils contaminated with radionuclides and their tolerance to phytopathogens, focusing on oxidative damage of proteins
Cell wall biology
- The role of extracellular proteins in the early stages of somatic embryogenesis of selected conifers
Laboratory of the Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
- AUTOCLAVE – SA 260 MA (Sturdy Industrial)
AUTOCLAVE HORIZONTAL small capacity - Laboklav 25M (SHP)
AUTOCLAVE, PORTABLE WITH ACCESSORIES - Prestige Classic Media 12 l (Prestige Medical), 2 ks
BIOSPEC NANO MICRO-VOLUME UV-VIS SPECTROPHOTOMETER – (Shimadzu – BioTech)
BENCHTOP CENTRIFUGE REFRIGERATED – Universal 32 R (Hettich), 3 ks
BENCHTOP CENTRIFUGE – Mikro 200 (Hettich)
VERTICAL ELECTROPHORETIC APPARATUS - Owl P10DS (Thermo Scientific)
HORIZONTAL ELECTROPHORETIC APPARATUS small - kuroGEL Midi 13 Horizontal (VWR Collection)
ELEKTROFORETIC POWER SUPPLY 1 - EV202 (Consort)
ELECTRONIC ANALYTICAL DIGITAL BALANCES WITH INTERNAL CALIBRATION - AEJ 200-4NM (Kern)
FLUORIMETER – HYBRID MULTI-MODE READER Synergy H1
GEL DOKUMENTATION SYSTEM – Doc It (UVP)
FREEZER BOX NA -80 °C - UxF300 (REVCO)
HOMOGENIZER – TissueLyser II (Qiagen)
HYBRIDIZATION OVEN – 6/12 V (Uni Equip)
AIR-CONDITIONED GROWTH CHAMBER - ICH 750 (Memmert)
ROTOR CONCENTRATOR - SPEEDVAC - Concentrator plus (Eppendorf)
LABORATORY ORBITAL SHAKER FOR PLANT CULTIVATION WITH ACCESSORIES – Advanced 10000-2 (VWR Collection)
BIOLOGICAL SAFETY CABINET CLASS II - Bio II Advance 6 (Telstar)
BIOLOGICAL SAFETY CABINET CLASS II - Aura VF72 (Uniflow)
LASER SCANER - Typhoon FLA 9500 (GE Healthcare)
MICROPLATE STRIP Washer – ELP 40 (Bio-Tek Instruments)
MICROSCOPE WITH ACCESSORIES (photo documentation system, PC, software) – DM 5500B (Leica)
MICROSCOPE WITH ACCESSORIES (photo documentation system, PC, software) – Axioplan 2 (Zeiss)
SEQUENCER – ABI Prism 310 (Applied Biosystems)
SEPARATION UNIT - Ettan DALT twelve (GE Healthcare)
SCANNER - GS 800 Densitometer (Bio-Rad)
STEREOMICROSCOPE – EZ4D (Leica)
STEREOMICROSCOPE FLUORESCENT WITH ACCESSORIES (photo documentation system, PC, software) – MZ 10F (Leica)
DNA ENGINE TETRAD 2 PELTIER THERMAL CYCLER – Tetrad 2 (Bio Rad)
THERMAL CYCLER – (Primus)
THERMAL CYCLER FOR REAL-TIME PCR – LihtCycler Nano (Roche)
SHAKER INCUBATED AND REFRIGERATED WITH ACCESSORIES - Excella E24R (NEW BRUNSWICK)
HORIZONTAL SHAKER – MR-12 (BioSan), 2 ks
UV SPECTROPHOTOMETER – UV 1800 (Shimadzu)
UV SPECTROPHOTOMETER – Ultrospec 1000 (Pharmacia BioTech)
VACUUM EVAPORATOR – HEIDOLPH
ICE MAKER