Director CV

Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Director CSIR-IHBT, Palampur

Date of Birth 14thFebruary, 1963

Research Areas

  • Bioprospecting Genes/ Enzymes for Bioeconomy
  • Plant Adaptation including Climate Change Biology
  • Metabolic Engineering of Secondary Metabolites

Technology Transferred

  1. April, 2014, transferred technology to M/s Phyto Biotech, Kolkata for production of unique autoclavable superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzyme for One crore rupees. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140405/ himachal.htm#13 . http://www.phytobiotech.in/superoxide-dismutase.html (MoU signed on 28Feb, 2014; First installment received on 3rd April, 2014).
  2. 10thOctober, 2007, transferred technology of the kit for isolation of RNA to Sanmar Group (Bangalore Genei), Chennai, India. Presently the kit is marketed by Merck as RaFlex™ Total RNA Isolation Kit (Cat# 612115100021730).

Patent: 8

Publication: 116

Project executed as PI: 32

Ph.D: 16

Fellowship(s) of National Academies/Societies

  1. Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, Allahabad (elected in 2008)
  2. Fellow of the National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi (elected in 2010)
  3. Fellow of The Crop Improvement Society of India, PAU, Ludhiana

AWARDS

  1. Professor G.V. Joshi Memorial Lecture Award-2015
  2. VASVIK (Vividhlaxi Audyogik Samshodhan Vikas Kendra Industrial Research Award 2013 for Agricultural Science and Technology.
  3. Young Scientist Award 1995 by Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi, India (INSA Medal for Young Scientists).
  4. Certificate of Merit in CSIR Leadership Programme 2007(01) on March 6th , 2008 by the HRDG, CSIR.
  5. International Research Associateship under Ecogen project, funded by Targetted Excellence at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas, USA.
  6. DBT Overseas Associateship, 2001 at Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK during Feb, 6 to Aug 5th, 2003
  7. Long term BOYSCAST (Better Opportunities for Young Scientists in the Chosen Areas of Science and Technology) Fellowship by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India for the year 1992-1993.
  8. Senior and Junior Research Fellowship, IARI, New Delhi.
  9. Teaching Assistantship, G.B. Pant Univ. Agric and Tech, Pantnagar during M.Sc.

Scientific Contributions

A. Discovery and engineering of an autoclavable superoxide dismutase (SOD) from Himalayan flora: use of the gene for improving tolerance to abiotic stresses

The enzyme Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) was discovered while working on a high altitude plant Potentilla atrosanguinea (the plant grows at an altitude of 4,000-4,500 m). The enzyme retained activity after autoclaving and could function at temperature ranging from 40 ºC with temperature optima at 0 ºC (US patents have been awarded). The gene of the enzyme was cloned and the crystal structure of the enzyme was elucidated [Acta Crystallogr. Sect. D-Biol. Crystallogr. D64, 892–901 (2008)].

Thereafter, thermo-stability of the SOD was enhanced to two fold by replacement of a single amino acid [Scientific Reports (a Nature Publishing Group Journal) 2:387 (2012)]. The technology of production and purification of this SOD was transferred to an industry. The engineered enzyme has implications in imparting stress tolerance in the crops particularly those growing in the tropical and desert locations wherein production of deleterious oxy free radical is inevitable. The engineered SOD exhibiting extended stability and activity at high temperature is an advantageous feature.

Cu/Zn-SOD was used to generate transgenic A. thaliana and potato (Solanum tuberosum) plants for enhanced tolerance to abiotic stresses. SOD over-expressing lines showed lignification of the vascular tissue, which was one of the major mechanisms of enhanced tolerance to stress [J. Plant Physiol., 167:757-760 (2010); J. Plant Res., 2011] and also improved callus induction and shoot regeneration [Protoplasma DOI: 10.1007/s00709-014-0653-9 (2014)].

B. Discovery of a novel carbon fixation pathway and is transplantation in Arabidopsis thaliana

Plants at high altitude in the Himalayan region experience high radiation load, low partial pressure of gases and limited soil nitrogen. Working intensely on high altitude biology, for the first time a unique carbon fixation pathway operative in the plants at high altitude was discovered that also conserves nitrogen. Data showed that C3 plants at high altitude fixed CO2 from atmosphere and/or that generated metabolically using ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) and the phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPCase). Oxaloacetate thus produced was additionally channelised for aspartate synthesis, apart from its channelization towards malate and citrate, using glutamate as a source of ammonia. The pathway conserved carbon and nitrogen in the high altitude environment. The mechanism permits operation of photorespiration without penalizing carbon and nitrogen pool [Photosynth. Res. 88: 63-71, (2006)].

C. Bioprospecting genes/proteins/processes for tolerance under abiotic stresses

Work on high altitude biology answered a long standing question on the molecular mechanism that confers adaptive capacity and fitness to plants in the “harsh” environment of high altitude. Three major traits in a high altitude plant species Caragana jubata was discovered, which offer adaptive advantage in the niche environment. These were: (i) strong cellular protective mechanisms, (iii) high growth and developmental activities, and (iii) quick acclimation capacity to the variable environmental cues. These traits were missing in the low altitude plant species [Scientific Reports (a Nature Publishing Group Journal), 3:1022 (2013)]. Traits and the corresponding genes identified therein have implications in generating plants tolerant to the abiotic stresses.

Sustained research over te years led towards understanding the mechanism of stress tolerance in terms of shift of metabolic pathways under osmotic stress, basis of temperature rise of water stressed plants, attributed novel function to genes and identification of novel genes and enzymes related to stress. Bioprospecting Himalayan flora, we cloned and annotated partial and full-length genes, promoters and transcription factors from high altitude flora such as Rheum australe and Caragana jubata for imparting tolerance to abiotic stresses. The mechanisms and genes are now being used in collaboration with Indian Industrial partner (Krishidhan Research Foundation Pvt. Ltd - KRFPL), and a German Institute (Institute of Bio- and Geosciences, IBG-2: Plant Sciences, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Germany) & a German industrial partner (Deutsche Saatveredelung AG - DSV) under the project entitled “Imparting drought stress-tolerance to crop plants by heterologous transfer of high altitude plant protection mechanisms” funded by the Indo-German Science & Technology Centre. Deciphering the mechanisms of winter dormancy and drought stress in tea.

While dissecting the gene network across various cues, tissue preparedness appeared critical for ABA- and GA3-mediated response, particularly for stress-responsive genes. Data showed the important genes involved in cell cycle/cell division and chaperons during winter dormancy.

Involvement of chaperones emerged as one of the major mechanisms to protect the plant against drought-related damages wherein three genes thaumatin like protein, chitinase, and late embryogenesis abundant protein3 were identified to be critical.

The work laid the foundation to develop tea with reduced period of winter dormancy and improved tolerance to abiotic stresses [Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 329: 831-838 (2005); Funct Integr. Genomics DOI: 10.1007/s10142-011-0233-4; 2011; Funct Integr. Genomics DOI: 10.1007/s10142-012-0279-y; 2012].

Yet another important landmark in tea was deciphering the mechanism of non-deciduous habit of evergreen tea, a long standing unanswered quest in plant science [Scientific Reports (a Nature Publishing Group Journal, 4: 5932; DOI: 10.1038/srep05932; 2014)].

D. Genetic regulation of catechins, picrosides, steviosides, shikonins and podophyllotoxin biosynthesis

Despite the widely known significance of plant secondary metabolites, little is known on molecular regulation of the associated biosynthetic pathways. Studies were conducted to understand the molecular basis of biosynthesis of several targeted secondary metabolites. For te first time the molecular regulation of biosynthesis of catechins in tea (Camellia sinensis), picrosides in Picrorhiza kurrooa, steviosides in Stevia rebaudiana, and shikonins in Arnebia euchroma. Catechins are antioxidant flavonoids, picrosides are hepato-protective iridoids, steviosides are steviol glycosides that is about 300 times sweeter than the table sugar, and shikonins are red colored terpenoid derivatives used in colour industry.

Based on these studies, the rate limiting genes in the biosynthesis of these metabolites were identified. Work resulted in illucidation of the importance of temperature and light in regulating picrosides accumulation in Picrorhiza kurrooa. The leads obtained from the work described here have potential implications in the genetic engineering of plant secondary metabolites [Funct. Integr. Genomics 9: 125–134 and 271-275 (2009); BMC Mol. Biol. 11: 88 (2010); Funct. Integr. Genomics 10:393–404 (2010)]. Indeed, catechins were synthesized in tobacco plants with success [Plos ONE, 8(6): e65535].

For the first time transcriptome of any Himalayan species, P. kurrooa, to understand the temperature mediated responses of the species was reported [BMC Genomics, 13:126 (2012)]. Transcriptome analysis of yet another Himalayan species Sinopdophyllum hexandrum showed that 25C imposed temperature stress as compared to 15C [BMC Genomics, 15:871(2014)].

E. Involvement of cyanide resistant alternative respiration in temperature rise of water-stressed plants and fruit ripening

Extensive work led for the first time to propose the role of alternative respiration in fruit ripening and also in thermo-genesis of water-stressed plants. This work has been used as a basis to carry our molecular work on fruit ripening by other groups and extending the scope of their findings. Our work on alternative respiration has been quoted in several references including in Ann. Rev. Plant Biol., (57: 383-404; 2006).

FUNDAMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS INCUDED IN BOOKS/ANNUAL REVIEWS

  1. A novel pathway of carbon fixation was discovered which is now adopted as part of the course on Forest Ecology of the University of Minnesota, USA (https://wiki.umn.edu/FR_3104_5104/PhotoSynthesis) under the section on photosynthesis.
  2. Work on Plant adaptation at high altitudes (Photosynthetica 43:195–201; Photosynth Res 88:63–71; J Plant Physiol 164:31–38) has been filtered down to book entitled “Plants in Alpine Regions: Cell Physiology of Adaption and Survival Strategies” by Edited by Cornelius Lütz; Publisher: Springer-Verlag/Wien; 2012 edition | ISBN-10: 3709101352 | 226 pages wherein Peter Streb and Gabriel Cornic in their article entitled “Photosynthesis and Antioxidative Protection in Alpine Herbs” quoted our work quite extensively.
  3. Work on alternative respiration in fruit ripening has been filtered down to Ann. Rev. Plant Biol., (57: 383-404; 2006).