NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES / Cancer
Research Interests
Structural Biology of Membrane Protein Systems; Chloride Intracellular Channels, plasmid fertility inhibition;
Description of Research
We aim to understand membrane protein systems that mediate complex biological processes and translate these for future therapies by using biochemistry, biophysics, enzymology, X-ray crystallography, structure-based drug discovery, cell-based assays tools and through
1) Vitamin-C recycling in human health and crop improvement: we aim to understand the structural basis of Vitamin-C recycling by dimorphic bifunctional dehydroascorbate (DHA) reductases (DHARs) that also act as ion channels. Highly conserved across species, these exist as soluble enzymes and as ion-channels when
Plasmid fertility inhibition (FIN) systems: We try to understand the molecular mechanisms of diverse strategies used by
Novel antibiotic discovery for sepsis: Sepsis mediating bacterial pathogens are especially rampant in neonates and immunocompromised adults. With the emergence of MDR and XDR types, treatment in clinics and hospitals has become challenging, leading to increased morbidity and mortality. Targeting septicaemia with empirical broad-spectrum antibiotics has only led to selection of resistant mutants within the infecting pathogen pool. To reduce the emergence of antimicrobial resistance, targeting essential virulence proteins is an upcoming strategy. We are exploring outer membrane phospholipase A (OMPLA) of Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella
Foldscope for tracking crystallization and imaging: As part of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India outreach programme, we are taking Foldscopes to schools and colleges in the country for teaching crystallization and imaging.

Publications
Khan MA, Mohammad I, Banerjee S, Tomar A, Varughese KI, Mehta JL, Chandele A, Arockiasamy A. Oxidized LDL receptors: a recent update. Curr OpinLipidol. 2023 May 5. doi: 10.1097/MOL.0000000000000884. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37171285.
Das BK, Khan WA, Sreekumar SN, Ponraj K, Achary VMM, Reddy ES, Balasubramaniam D, Chandele A, Reddy MK, Arockiasamy A. Plant dehydroascorbate reductase moonlights as membrane integrated ion channel. Arch Biochem Biophys. 2023 Jun;741:109603. doi: 10.1016/j.abb.2023.109603. Epub 2023 Apr 19. PMID: 37084805.
Fatima U, Balasubramaniam D, Khan WA, Kandpal M, Vadassery J, Arockiasamy A, Senthil-Kumar M. AtSWEET11 and AtSWEET12 transporters function in tandem to modulate sugar flux in plants. Plant Direct. 2023 Mar 8;7(3):e481. doi: 10.1002/pld3.481. PMID: 36911252; PMCID: PMC9995347.
Tomar A, Sahoo S, Aathi M, Kuila S, Khan MA, Ravi GRR, Jeyaraman J, Mehta JL, Varughese KI, Arockiasamy A. Exploring the druggability of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) receptor, LOX-1, a proatherogenic drug target involved in atherosclerosis. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2022 Oct 1;623:59-65. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.07.036. Epub 2022 Jul 12. PMID: 35872543.
Fatima, U., Balasubramaniam, D., Khan, W. A., Kandpal, M., Vadassery, J., Arockiasamy, A., & Senthil-Kumar, M. (2023). AtSWEET11 and AtSWEET12 transporters function in tandem to modulate sugar flux in plants. Plant Direct, 7( 3), e481. https://doi.org/10.1002/pld3.481