Research Groups

Plant Biology: Plant Molecular Biology

Research Interests and Description

Research Interests

Abiotic and Biotic stress, gene expression, signalling, crop improvement, transgenics, viral replication and RNAi.

Description of Research

Development of abiotic stress (high salinity, drought, cold) tolerant crop plants including rice by genetic engineering approach; isolation and identification of novel function of unidentified genes in abiotic stress tolerance and their functional revalidation in plant and bacterial systems; molecular mechanisms of stress tolerance in plant following: a. microarray analysis of stress tolerant plants, and b. isolation and analysis of interacting partners of previously isolated stress tolerant genes/proteins; pyramiding approach in enhancement of stress tolerance in plants.
In order to understand the mechanism of abiotic stress tolerance and, ultimately, to develop abiotic stress tolerant crops including rice, the Group works on cloning, characterization and modulation of expression of stress-induced genes of pathways: Calcium signaling, G-protein signaling, Protein translation initiation (eIF4A, E etc), and DNA/RNA metabolism (DNA replicative helicases [MCM proteins], DNA repair helicases [XPB, XPD] and p68 RNA helicase). Interacting partners of stress-regulated proteins and promoter regions of stress-regulated genes are also studied. Major contributions in the field of plant DNA replication and abiotic stress signal transduction have been made, especially in isolating novel DNA/RNA helicases and several components of calcium and G-proteins signaling pathways, including the first direct evidence for a novel role of a pea DNA helicase (PDH45; PNAS, USA, 2005) in salinity stress tolerance and pea heterotrimeric G-proteins in salinity and heat stress tolerance. The Group reported the first direct evidence that PLC functions as an effector for Gα subunit of G-proteins in plant, and discovered novel substrate (pea CBL) for pea CIPK. Salinity tolerant tobacco plants have been developed, without affecting yield. Recently, new high salinity stress tolerant genes (e.g. Lectin receptor like kinase, Chlorophyll a/b binding protein and Ribosomal L30E) have been isolated from Pisum sativum by random over-expression in Escherichia coli and their functional validation confirmed in bacteria and plant. Overall, this research uncovers new pathways to plant abiotic stress tolerance. The results represent an important success and indicate the potential for improving crop production at sub-optimal conditions.
High salinity stress tolerant genes from Piriformospora indica
Piriformospora indica, an endophytic arbuscular mycorrhiza basidiomycetes fungus, lives in reciprocally beneficial relationships with plants, providing them with biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, including salinity. Despite positive impact on the host, little is known about the genome of P. indica or the molecular mechanisms involved in such stress tolerance. We plan to isolate and identify high salinity tolerant genes from P. indica which may have a role in imparting the tolerance to host plants. Recently, a total of 36 salinity tolerant genes have been cloned by functional screening, based on random overexpression of a P. indica cDNA library in E. coli grown on medium supplemented with 0.6 M NaCl. The in silico analysis of these genes is in progress. These genes may be exploited to increase salt stress tolerance and yield in crop plants and may further be regarded as a stepping stone on the way to study the molecular mechanisms of salt-stress tolerance in plants by P. indica. This study will brings new insights into identifying novel genes involve in salinity stress without any prior knowledge of genome sequence.

Recent Publications

Joshi, A., Dang, H.Q., Vaid, N., Tuteja, N. 2009. Isolation of high salinity stress tolerant genes from Pisum sativum by random overexpression in Escherichia coli and their functional validation. Plant Signaling Behaviour 4, 400-412

Tuteja, N., Ahmad, P., Panda, B.B., Tuteja, R. 2009. Genotoxic stress in plants: shedding llght on DNA damage, repair and DNA repair helicases. Mutation Res. 681, 134-149

Tuteja, N., Sopory, S.K. 2008. Plant signaling in stress: G-protein coupled receptors, heterotrimeric G-proteins and signal coupling via phospholipases. Plant Signaling Behaviour 3, 79-86

Misra, S., Wu, Y., Venkataraman, G., Sopory, S., Tuteja, N. 2007. Heterotrimeric G-protein complex and G-protein-coupled receptor from a legume (Pisum sativum): role in salinity and heat stress and cross-talk with Phospholipase C. Plant J. 52, 656-669

Tuteja, N. 2007. Mechanisms of high salinity tolerance in plants. Methods in Enzymology, Osmosensing and Osmosignaling 428, 419-438