LABORATORY OF PHYTOCHEMISTRY

Head: Krzysztof Gulewicz

PHYTOCHEMISTRY GROUP

Head: Krzysztof Gulewicz

Research Support:
Wojciech Wysocki, Danuta Ciesiołka, Małgorzata Zielińska

Ph.D. Students:
Monika Wardeńska, Radosław Pilarski

Undergraduate Students:
Agnieszka Kruszona

Keywords:
Fabaceae, lupin, nitrogen fertilization, alkaloids, α-galactosides, proteins, Uncaria tomentosa, apaptosis, necrosis

 

Research carried out in the laboratory focuses on the problems within two areas of plant biology: 1) the identification and biological activity of lupin natural products, and their use for ecological agriculture, and 2) possible utilisation of a-galactosides isolated from seeds of Leguminoseae family plants as prebiotics.
Bitter lupin plants can be utilised as a valuable source of proteins and other natural products. However, high content of quinolizidine alkaloids makes their use possible only after some kind of processing. During our studies, we have developed a strategy for complete utilisation of lupin plants, where seeds of bitter lupin plants are debittered (= their alkaloids removed) and used as a source of protein in livestock fodder. The extract remaining after the debittering process reveals several interesting biological activities, and could be used e.g. as a yield promoting agent or as a source of some biologically and pharmacologically active compounds with or without biotechnological processing. Finally, the straw remaining after the lupin seed harvest is used for composting, and the preparations thus obtained can be used for biological plant protection.



Current research activities:

  • isolation and characterisation of biologically active compounds from legume plants;
  • studies on the potential biotechnological use of lupin extract;
  • use of lupin compost preparations in biological plant protection;
  • isolation and utilisation of a-galoctosides as prebiotics.



    PLANT SECONDARY METABOLITES BIOCHEMISTRY GROUP

    Polskie Towarzystwo Spektometrii Mas

    Head: Maciej Stobiecki

    Research Staff:
    Przemysław Wojtaszek

    Ph.D. Students:
    Magdalena Łuczak, Łukasz Marczak

    Undergraduate Students:
    Anna Ciborek, Joanna Górska, Joanna Makowska, Alina Bogajewska, Sylwia Stec, Agata Stoltman

    Keywords: lupin, metabolic profiling, plant-microbe interactions, plant defence reactions, secondary metabolites, cell wall proteins, ferulic and dehydrodimers, peroxidases


    The scientific interest of the group focuses on the problems within two areas of plant biology and biochemistry: 1) the identification and biological activity of plant secondary metabolites, and 2) the mechanisms of plant responses to pathogenic or symbiotic microorganisms and the role of cell wall (glyco)proteins in plant development and in plant interactions with microorganisms, with lupin plants as a model system.


    Current research activities:

  • application of chromatographic techniques combined with mass spectrometers for profiling plant secondary metabolites - analysis of changes in the secondary metabolism of plants in response to pathogenic and symbiotic microorganisms;
  • structural elucidation of natural products with mass spectrometric techniques;
  • determination of the role of cell wall (glyco)proteins in plant development and in plant interactions with microorganisms;
  • role of cell wall peroxidases and phenolic secondary metabolites in defence reaction.


    SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

    P. Gulewicz, S. Szymaniec, B. Bubak, J. Frias, C. Vidal-Valverde, K. Trojanowska, K. Gulewicz
    Biological activity of a-galactosides preparations from Lupinus angustifolius L. and Pisum sativum L. seeds.
    J. Agr. Food Chem. 50, 384-389 (2002).

    M. Pi¶lewska, P. Bednarek, M. Stobiecki, M. Zielińska, P. Wojtaszek
    Plant Cell and Environment Cell wall-associated isoflavonoids and b-glucosidase activity in Lupinus albus plants responding to environmental stimuli.
    Plant Cell and Environment 25, 29-40 (2002).

    R. Frański, I. Matławska W. Bylka, M. Sikorska, P. Fiedorow, M. Stobiecki
    Differentiation of interglycosidic linkages in permethylated flavonoid glycosides from linked scan mass spectra (B/E).
    J. Agr. Food Chem. 50, 711-717 (2002).

    M. Stobiecki, M. Bu¶ko, Ł. Marczak P. Bednarek, M. Pi¶lewska, P. Wojtaszek
    The complexity of the oxidative cross-linking of phenylpropanoids – evidence from an in vitro model system.
    Functional Plant Biology (formerly Australian Journal of Plant Physiology) 29, 853-864 (2002).

    A. I. Piotrowicz_Cie¶lak, P. M. G. Lopez, K. Gulewicz
    Cycklitols, galactosyl cyclitols and raffinose family oligosaccharides in mexican wild lupin seeds.
    Acta Societas Botanicorum Poloniae 72, 109-114 (2003).

    T. Tykarska, K. Gulewicz, A. Zobel, J. Augustynowicz, K. Żurowska, M. Kura¶
    Structural and ultrastructural study of Capsicum annunm leaves after treatment with Uncaria tomentosa bark extracts.
    Acta Societas Botanicorum Poloniae 72, 195-205 (2003).

    W. Folkman, B. Lisiecka, B. Stachowiak, K. Trojanowska, K. Gulewicz
    Studies on fungistatic activity of Bacillus coagulans against Trichothecium roseum and characteristics of the bacterial metabolites.
    Journal of Plant Protection Research 43, 121-132 (2003).

    J. Ju¶kiewicz, Z. Zduńczyk, M. Wróblewska, K. Gulewicz
    Influence of oligosaccharide extracts from pea and lupin seeds on caecal fermentation in rats.
    Journal of Animal and Feed Sciences 12, 289-298 (2003).

    M. Stobiecki, I. Matysiak-Kata, R. Frański, J. Skała, J. Szopa
    Monitoring changes in steroidal glycoalkaloids content in lines of transgenic potato plants using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
    Phytochemistry 62, 959-969 (2003).

    P. Bednarek, P. Wojtaszek, L. Kerhoas, J. Einhorn, R. Frański, M. Stobiecki
    Profiling of flavonoid conjugates in Lupinus albus and Lupinus angustifolius responding to abiotic and biotic stimuli.
    Journal of Chemical Ecology 29, 1127-1142 (2003).

    R. Frański, K. Eitner, M. Sikorska, I. Matławska, M. Stobiecki
    Electrospray mass spectrometric decomposition of some glucuronic acid containing flavonoid diglycosides.
    Phytochemical Analysis 14, 170-175 (2003).

    M. Sikorska, I. Matławska, R. Frański, M. Stobiecki
    Application of mass spectrometric techniques for structural analysis of apigenin 8-C-(6’’-O-glucopyranosyl) glucopyranoside – a novel flavonoid C-diglycoside.
    Rapid Communications Mass Spectrometry 17, 1380-1382 (2003).

    F. Baluška, P. Wojtaszek, D. Volkmann, P. Barlow
    The architecture of polarized cell growth: the unique status of elongating plant cells.
    BioEssays 25, 569-576 (2003).

    F. Baluška, J. Šamaj, P. Wojtaszek, D. Volkmann, D. Menzel
    Cytoskeleton-plasma membrane-cell wall continuum in plants: emerging links revisited.
    Plant Physiol. 133, 482-491 (2003).

    P. Wojtaszek, D. Volkmann, F. Baluška
    Polarity and cell walls.
    In: K Lindsey (ed.) Polarity in Plants. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2004, Sheffield, 72-121.

    R. E. March, X-S. Miao, C. D. Metcalfe, M. Stobiecki, Ł. Marczak
    A fragmentation study of an isoflavone glycoside, genistein-7-O-glucoside, using electrospray quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry at high mass resolution.
    International Journal of Mass Spectrometry 232, 171-183 (2004).

    M. Stobiecki, H. P. S. Makkar
    Recent advances in analytical methods for identification of phenolic compounds.
    Proceedings of Fourth Workshop on Antinutritional Factors in Legume Seeds and Oilseeds, eds. M. Muzquiz, G. D. Hill, C. Cuadrado, M. M. Pedrosa, C. Burbano, Wageningen Academic Publisher 2004, 11 -28.

    K. Gulewicz, T. Tykarska, W. Wysocki, J. Augustynowicz, K. Żurowska, M. Kura¶
    Developmental and ultrastructural effect of Uncaria tomentosa (Willd) DC extract on the paprika Capsicum annuum (L.)
    Industrial Crops and Products 19, 59-67 (2004).

    C. M. Villaluenga, J. Frias, K. Gulewicz, C. Vidal-Valverde
    Improved method to obtain pure a-galactosides from lupin seeds.
    J. Agr. Food Chem. 52, 6920-6922 (2004).

    C. M. Villaluenga, M. Wardeńska, R. Pilarski, M. Bednarczyk, K. Gulewicz
    Utilization of the chicken embryo model for assessment of biological activity of different oligosaccharides.
    Folia Biologica, in press.