Research Interests

My research in the field of Industrial Biotechnology is mainly focused on the discovery and exploitation of biocatalysts that target recalcitrant structures of the hemicellulosic part of plant biomass, as well as the investigation of the synergistic relationships between enzymes of distinct catalytic specificities upon cooperative activity on lignocellulosic substrates.

Education and Work Experience

PhD Industrial Biotechnology                                              2023
Biotechnology Laboratory, School of Chemical Engineering
National Technical University of Athens
Thesis: Improvement of enzyme systems for the efficient utilization of the hemicellulosic component of lignocellulosic biomass
PhD thesis Scholarship from the State Scholarships Foundation (IKY)

Diploma in Chemical Engineering                                       2018
School of Chemical Engineering
National Technical University of Athens
GPA: 8.82/10
Thesis: Utilization of enzymatic systems of Basidiomycetes in applications of biodegradation

General Chemical State Laboratory (Intern)                       2017

Analysis of packaging materials, inorganic materials, industrial products, metal and plastic materials using instrumental analysis techniques

Publications

Pentari C.; Zerva A.; Kosinas C.; Karampa P.; Puchart V.; Dimarogona M.; Topakas E., The role of CE16 exo-deacetylases in hemicellulolytic enzyme mixtures revealed by the biochemical and structural study of the novel TtCE16B esterase. Carbohydrate Polymers 2024, 327, 121667; doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.120527

Pentari, C.; Zerva, A.; Dimarogona, M.; Topakas, E., The xylobiohydrolase activity of a GH30 xylanase on natively acetylated xylan may hold the key for the degradation of recalcitrant xylan. Carbohydrate Polymers 2023, 305, 120527; doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2022.120527

Zerva, A.; Pentari, C.; Ferousi, C.; Nikolaivits, E.; Karnaouri, A.; Topakas, E., Recent advances on key enzymatic activities for the utilization of lignocellulosic biomass. Bioresource Technol 2021, 342, 126058; doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.126058

Nikolaivits, E.; Pentari, C.; Kosinas, C.; Feiler, C.G.; Spiliopoulou, M.; Weiss, M.S.; Dimarogona, M.; Topakas, E., Unique features of the bifunctional GH30 from Thermothelomyces thermophila revealed by structural and mutational studies. Carbohydrate Polymers 2021, 273, 118553; doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.118553

Zerva, A.; Pentari, C.; Termentzi, A.; America, A.H.P.; Zouraris, D.; Bhattacharya, K.S.; Karantonis, A.; Zervakis, G.I.; Topakas, E., Discovery of two novel laccase-like multicopper oxidases from Pleurotus citrinopileatus and their application in phenolic oligomer synthesis. Biotechnology for Biofuels 2021, 14:83; doi: 10.1186/s13068-021-01937-7

Zerva, A.; Pentari, C.; Topakas, E., Crosslinked Enzyme Aggregates (CLEAs) of Laccases from Pleurotus citrinopileatus Induced in Olive Oil Mill Wastewater (OOMW). Molecules 2020, 25, 2221; doi:10.3390/molecules25092221

Zerva, A.; Pentari, C.; Grisel, S.; Berrin, J.G.; Topakas, E., A new synergistic relationship between xylan-active LPMO and xylobiohydrolase to tackle recalcitrant xylan. Biotechnol Biofuels 2020, 13:142, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13068-020-01777-x

National Conferences

A novel CE16 exo-deacetylase from Thermothelomyces thermophilus with biotechnological potential. Pentari C.; Zerva A.; Kosinas C.; Karampa P.; Dimarogona M.; Puchart V.; Topakas E., 10 th Conference of Mikrobiokosmos “All microbes for a sustainable future”, 30/11/2023-02/12/2023 – Larissa, Greece

The biotechnological potential of a novel CE16 exo-deacetylase from Thermothelomyces thermophilus. Pentari, C.; Zerva, A.; Kosinas, C.; Karampa, P.; Dimarogona, M.; Puchart, V.; Topakas, E., 16th International Symposium on Biocatalysis & Biotransformations – BIOTRANS 2023, 25/06/2023-29/06/2023 – La Rochelle, France

The synergistic relationships between main chain acting and debranching enzymes towards the efficient biodegradation of xylan. Zerva, A.; Pentari, C.; Mylona, E.; Topakas, E., 16th International Symposium on Biocatalysis & Biotransformations – BIOTRANS 2023, 25/06/2023 – 29/06/2023 – La Rochelle, France

A novel CE16 acetyl esterase from Thermothelomyces thermophilus. Pentari, C.; Zerva, A.; Kosinas, C.; Dimarogona M.; Topakas, E., FEMS Conference on Microbiology, 30/06/2022 – 02/07/2022 – Belgrade, Serbia (Best Poster Prize)

Discovery of a CE16 acetyl esterase from Thermothelomyces thermophilus and its role in biomass degradation. Pentari, C.; Zerva, A.; Kosinas, C.; Dimarogona, M.; Topakas, E., 13th Panhellenic Scientific Conference of Chemical Engineering, 02/06/2022 – 04/06/2022 – Patra, Greece

Structural and biochemical insights into a CE16 acetyl esterase from Thermothelomyces thermophilus. Pentari, C.; Zerva, A.; Kosinas C.; Dimarogona, M.; Topakas, E., 9th Conference f Mikrobiokosmos “Beneficial microbes at the heart of Mikrobiokosmos”, 16/12/2021 – 18/12/2021 – Athens, Greece

Characterization of a novel β-xylosidase/α-L-arabinofuranosidase from Thermothelomyces thermophila and its synergism with xylanase on lignocellulose breakdown. Pentari, C.; Pagourtzi, C.; Zerva, A.; Topakas, E., EFB2021 Virtual Conference, 10/05/2021 – 14/05/2021

Discovery of two low redox potential, novel laccases PcLac1 and PcLac2 from Pleurotus citrinopileatus. Pentari, C.; Zerva, A.; Zouraris, D.; Karantonis, A.; Topakas, E., Thessaloniki 2020 8th International Conference on Sustainable Solid Waste Management, 17/06/2020 – 20/06/2020 – Thessaloniki, Greece

Study of the synthetic potential of two novel laccases PcLac1 and PcLac2 from Basidiomycetes Pleurotus citrinopileatus. Pentari, C.; Zerva, A.; Zouraris, D.; Karantonis, A.; Topakas, E., 12th Panhellenic Scientific Conference of Chemical Engineering, 29/05/2019 – 31/05/2019 – Athens, Greece