• Novel enzymes for modification of plant cell wall material

Topakas E., Moukouli, M., Dimarogona M., Vafiadi C., Karnaouri A., Christakopoulos P.

Discovery of novel enzyme activities (cellulases, xylanases, feruloyl esterases, acetyl esterases, glucuronoyl esterases) that can degrade or modify plant cell wall material via identifying novel enzyme activities by screening/ genome mining of mesophilic and thermophilic organisms (Fusarium oxysporum, Sporotrichum thermophile) known to have lignocellulosic degrading qualities

• Enzyme-aided extraction of bioactive components from biomass

Topakas E., Moukouli M., Charavgi M., Xiros C., Christakopoulos P.

Upgrade of plant cell wall material to more valuable products by enzymaticaly extraction of bioactive molecules such as phenolics, branched and linear xylooligosaccharides which exhibit antioxidant, antimicrobial, bioregulatory and prebiotic activities.

• New enzyme-based process strategies for production of high added value products: medium engineering

Vafiadi C., Topakas E., Christakopoulos P.

Develop novel enzyme systems as well as the technology for using carbohydrate-active enzymes. Medium engineering not only involves the substitution of aqueous reaction media by non-conventional media, it also implies the adaptation of the microenvironment of the biocatalyst by immobilization.

• Molecular mechanisms and kinetics in enzyme processes, based on complex carbohydrate substrates

Topakas E., Dimarogona M., Moukouli M., Christakopoulos P.

Our interest is focused in glycoside hydrolases, which hydrolyse the glycosidic bonds that link sugar monomers in polysaccharides, and carbohydrate esterases, which catalyze the cleavage of ester bonds between polysaccharides and acids such as acetic acid and ferulic acid.  The research is focused on understanding the catalytic mechanism and the structural basis for the substrate specificity displayed by these enzymes.

• Saccharification and fermentation of agricultural wastes

Xiros C., Topakas E., Christakopoulos P.

Bioethanol produced from lignocellulosic biomass is an interesting alternative since lignocellulosic materials do not compete with food crops and are less expensive than conventional agricultural feedstocks. Efficient pentose fermentation is very important for the overall process of ethanol production, since the lignocellulose not only contains glucose but also other sugars. In this context, Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF) processes of agroindustrial wastes and hydrothermally pretreated wheat straw are investigated with microorganisms such as Fusarium oxysporum and Neurospora crassa which acquire the exceptional ability of bioconverting cellulose and hemicellulose directly to ethanol through the consecutive steps of hydrolysis of the polysaccharides and fermentation of the resulting oligosaccharides.

• Metabolic engineering for the effective fermentation of glucose and xylose

Topakas E., Mamma D., Christakopoulos P.

Homologus constitutive expression of key enzymes  responsible for the effective metabolism of glucose and xylose in Fusarium oxysporum such as transaldolase, phosphoglucomutase and phosphoketolase.

• Microbial production of industrial enzymes and nutraceuticals using liquid and solid state cultures

Papaspyridi L.-M., Topakas E., Christakopoulos P.

Cultivation of mushrooms under submerged cultivation in bioreactors for the production of biological active polysaccharides and triterpenes. Optimization of fungal enzyme production in solid state and submerged bioreactors.