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Center of Excellence - Biochemistry, Genetics, and Molecular Biology

(DST-INSPIRE Fellow)Understanding the Role of Translation Repressor Scd6 in Clathrin FunctionScd6 (Suppressor of Clathrin Deficiency 6) is an RGG-motif containing protein that binds to the translation initiation factor eIF4G to mediate translation repression. However, its role in clathrin function remains to be understood. I have used biochemical, molecular biology, and genetic approaches to address the connection between translation regulation and clathrin-mediated cellular processes.

Molecular Interactions in the Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Inflammatory Gene ExpressionGene regulation is a complex process involving the modification of gene expression at many levels, i.e. transcriptional, post-transcriptional, translational, etc. My work aimed at studying RNA-binding protein/mRNA-microRNA interactions and their effects on the translational state of pro-inflammatory mRNAs in cancer and genotoxic stress.

Degradation of diesel fuel by a novel diesel-degrading species of the genus Alcanivorax, Alcanivorax sp. nov. JC109Oil spills pose a threat to the marine ecosystem. This hydrocarbonoclastic genus was first discovered from sea water/sediment, indicating the potential for being an excellent organism for the ultimate aim: bioremediation of environmentally hazardous accidents. A novel species of Alcanivorax was isolated from diesel which has been seen to proliferate under high carbon to nitrogen ratio. Growth and physiology of this bacterium revealed various modifications for survival in presence of high concentrations of alkane mixtures. Understanding the exometabolome demonstrated the efficiency of diesel oil metabolism, leading to its future use in biological clean up of oil plumes. It also illustrated the distinctiveness of bacteria in coping with various forms of stress, in this case solvent stress. The endometabolome of this bacterium was seen as a potential source in the production of various industrially important biomolecules.