Prof. Ashis Kumar Nandi, FNAsc
Laboratory of Plant Immunology
Room no. : 415, School of Life Sciences
Jawaharlal Nehru University
New Delhi -110067, India.
Off. Phone : 2670-4152
E-mail : ashis_nandi@mail.jnu.ac.in
ashis_nandi@yahoo.com
ORCID | Research Gate | Google Scholar |
Primary focus of our lab is to study the mechanisms through which plants mount defense against invading pathogens. We use forward and reverse genetic approach to find the genes that contribute immunity using model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. A plant that experiences a pathogen become hyper-resistant to subsequent infection through systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Our lab identified several key regulators including transcription factors and epigenetic regulators of infection memory development and retention in plants though genetic and biochemical experiments. The genes for which novel roles in immunity revealed by the lab includes polycomb-group repressor MEDEA, histone demethylase FLD/RSI, GSTT2, histone deacetylase promoting gene PWR, transcriptional regulators OZF1, RRTF1, stomatal regulator LCBK1, and ROS detoxifier MSRB8. Recently, we got involved in studying the interaction between thermal acquired tolerance and systemic acquired resistance.
AWARDS/ FELLOWSHIPS/ RECOGNITIONS
Fellow of the National Academy of Science, India, 2023
Indian National Science Academy Teacher Award 2022
Fellow of West Bengal Academy of Science & Technology, 2019
University Merit Fellowship 1984-1988; during B.Sc.
DBT fellowship 1989-1991; during M.Sc.
CSIR fellowship 1992-1996; during Ph.D.
NBT-DBT-Postdoctoral fellowship 1997-1999
Kansas State University Post-doctoral fellowship 1999-2004
M.Sc. Courses:
Plant Biology
Plant Physiology
Developmental Biology
Epigenetics
Research Design, Ethics and Scientific publishing
Life Science practical
Ph.D. Courses:
Plant pathogen interaction
CURRENT MEMBERS
Akash Sharma
Thesis:
Role of OZF1 in plant disease defense
Ranjan Kumar
Thesis: Regulation of Systemic Acquired Resistance in
Arabidopsis thaliana by miR159 and RSI1
Sonia Rani
Thesis: Defense response modulation by PRC2 protein MEDEA
Anand Nishad
Thesis: Interconnection between systemic acquired resistance and thermal acquired tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana
Mir Nasir Ahmad:
Thesis: Mechanism of LDL2 mediated systemic acquired resistance development in Arabidopsis
Reena Saini
Role of AtOZF1 in JA signalling and SA-JA crosstalk
Uday Singh
Thesis: Mechanism of systemic acquired resistance activation by REDUCED SYSTEMIC IMMUNITY 1 and GLUTATHIONE S-TRANSFERASE THETA 2 in Arabidopsis thaliana
Sujata Kaushik:
Thesis: Investigations on miR159 RSI1 network for systemic accquired resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana
Pooja Kumari
Ph.D. (Pursuing)
Priya Bansal
(Ph.D Pursuing)
LAB ALUMNI
M.Sc. Thesis supervision (Name, year passing out)
1. Mr. Praveen Kumar Singh (2007)
2. Mr Adnan Siddiqui (2008)
3. Ms. Oindrila Bhattacharya (2009)
4. Ms. Swati (2009)
5. Ms. Kaisa Kayina (2010)
6. Mr. Aviroop Sinha (2011)
7. Ms. Swati Singh (2012)
8. Mr. Rajkamal Choudhary (2012)
9. Ms. Pratibha Singh (2013)
10. Ms. Preeti Yadav (2014)
M.Phil thesis supervision
Mr. Sadan Sharma (2016)
12. Ms. Anu (2016)
13. Ms. Neelam Bhadana (2017)
14. Ms. Poulami Banik (2018)
15. Ms Apoorva (2019)
16. Ms. Rohima (2020)
17. Ms. Shivangi Mahawar (2021)
18. Ms. Kirti Tyagi (2021)
19. Ms. Uma Das (2022)
20. Ms. Muskan Agarwal (2023)
21. Ms. Deepshikha Eshore (2024)
22. Ms. Vidhi Seth (2024)
1. Singh, D., Patil, V., Kumar, R., Gautam, J.K., Singh, V., and Nandi, A.K. (2023). RSI1/FLD and its epigenetic target RRTF1 are essential for the retention of infection memory in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant J. 115, 662-677; doi: 10.1111/tpj.16252
2. Patil, V., and Nandi, A.K. (2022). POWERDRESS positively regulates systemic acquired resistance in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Rep. 41, 2351-2362; doi: 10.1007/s00299-022-02926-2
3. Singh, A., Sharma, A., Singh, N., and Nandi, A.K. (2022). MTO1-RESPONDING DOWN 1 (MRD1) is a transcriptional target of OZF1 for promoting salicylic acid-mediated defense in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell Rep. 41, 1319-1328; doi: 10.1007/s00299-022-02861-2
4. Singh, N., and Nandi, A.K. (2022). AtOZF1 positively regulates JA signaling and SA-JA cross-talk in Arabidopsis thaliana. J. Biosci. 47, 8; doi: 10.1007/s12038-021-00243-6
5. Gautam, J.K., Giri, M.K., Singh, D., Chattopadhyay, S., and Nandi, A.K. (2021). MYC2 influences salicylic acid biosynthesis and defense against bacterial pathogens in Arabidopsis thaliana. Physiol. Plant. 173, 2248-2261; doi: 10.1111/ppl.13575
6. Singh, P., Sharma, A., Nandi, A.K., and Nandi, S.P. (2021). Endophytes from Argemone mexicana and Datura metel activate induced-systemic resistance in multiple hosts and show host- and pathogen-specific protection. J Plant Biochem. Biotechnol. 30, 1016-1019; doi: 10.1007/s13562-021-00734-5
7. Gupta, P., and Nandi, A.K. (2020). Long-chain base kinase1 promotes salicylic acid-mediated stomatal immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana. J. Plant Biochem. Biotechnol. 29, 796–803; doi: 10.1007/s13562-020-00608-2
8. Gupta, P., Roy, S., and Nandi, A.K. (2020). MEDEA-interacting protein LONG-CHAIN BASE KINASE 1 promotes pattern-triggered immunity in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Mol. Biol. 103, 173-184; doi: 10.1007/s11103-020-00982-4
9. Kumar, R., Barua, P., Chakraborty, N., and Nandi, A.K. (2020). Systemic acquired resistance specific proteome of Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell Rep. 39, 1549-1563; doi: 10.1007/s00299-020-02583-3
10. Roy, S., Saxena, S., Sinha, A., and Nandi, A.K. (2020). DORMANCY/AUXIN ASSOCIATED FAMILY PROTEIN 2 of Arabidopsis thaliana is a negative regulator of local and systemic acquired resistance. J. Plant Res. 133, 409-417; doi: 10.1007/s10265-020-01183-2
11. Chakraborty, J., Ghosh, P., Sen, S., Nandi, A.K., and Das, S. (2019). CaMPK9 increases the stability of CaWRKY40 transcription factor which triggers defense response in chickpea upon Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri Race1 infection. Plant Mol. Biol. 100, 411-431; doi: 10.1007/s11103-019-00868-0
12. Singh, V., Singh, D., Gautam, J.K., and Nandi, A.K. (2019). RSI1/FLD is a positive regulator for defense against necrotrophic pathogens. Physiol. Mol. Plant Pathol. 107, 40-45; doi: 10.1016/j.pmpp.2019.04.005
13. Banday, Z.Z., and Nandi, A.K. (2018). Arabidopsis thaliana GLUTATHIONE-S-TRANSFERASE THETA 2 interacts with RSI1/FLD to activate systemic acquired resistance. Mol Plant Pathol 19, 464-475; doi: 10.1111/mpp.12538
14. Gautam, J.K., and Nandi, A.K. (2018). APD1, the unique member of Arabidopsis AP2 family influences systemic acquired resistance and ethylene-jasmonic acid signaling. Plant Physiol. Biochem. 133, 92-99; doi: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2018.10.026
15. Roy, S., Gupta, P., Rajabhoj, M.P., Maruthachalam, R., and Nandi, A.K. (2018). The Polycomb-Group Repressor MEDEA Attenuates Pathogen Defense. Plant Physiol. 177, 1728-1742; doi: 10.1104/pp.17.01579
16. Singh, N., Swain, S., Singh, A., and Nandi, A.K. (2018). AtOZF1 Positively Regulates Defense Against Bacterial Pathogens and NPR1-Independent Salicylic Acid Signaling. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 31, 323-333; doi: 10.1094/MPMI-08-17-0208-R
17. Bhattacharjee, L., Singh, D., Gautam, J.K., and Nandi, A.K. (2017). Arabidopsis thaliana serpins AtSRP4 and AtSRP5 negatively regulate stress-induced cell death and effector-triggered immunity induced by bacterial effector AvrRpt2. Physiol. Plant. 159, 329-339; doi: 10.1111/ppl.12516
18. Giri, M.K., Gautam, J.K., Rajendra Prasad, V.B., Chattopadhyay, S., and Nandi, A.K. (2017). Rice MYC2 (OsMYC2) modulates light-dependent seedling phenotype, disease defence but not ABA signalling. J. Biosci. 42, 501-508; doi: 10.1007/s12038-017-9703-8
19. Giri, M.K., Singh, N., Banday, Z.Z., Singh, V., Ram, H., Singh, D., Chattopadhyay, S., and Nandi, A.K. (2017). GBF1 differentially regulates CAT2 and PAD4 transcription to promote pathogen defense in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant J. 91, 802-815; doi: 10.1111/tpj.13608
20. Roy, S., and Nandi, A.K. (2017). Arabidopsis thaliana methionine sulfoxide reductase B8 influences stress-induced cell death and effector-triggered immunity. Plant Mol. Biol. 93, 109-120; doi: 10.1007/s11103-016-0550-z
21. Sardar, A., Nandi, A.K., and Chattopadhyay, D. (2017). CBL-interacting protein kinase 6 negatively regulates immune response to Pseudomonas syringae in Arabidopsis. J. Exp. Bot. 68, 3573-3584; doi: 10.1093/jxb/erx170
22. Singh, S., Singh, A., and Nandi, A.K. (2016). The rice OsSAG12-2 gene codes for a functional protease that negatively regulates stress-induced cell death. J. Biosci. 41, 445-453; doi: 10.1007/s12038-016-9626-9
23. Singh, V., Singh, P.K., Siddiqui, A., Singh, S., Banday, Z.Z., and Nandi, A.K. (2016). Over-expression of Arabidopsis thaliana SFD1/GLY1, the gene encoding plastid localized glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, increases plastidic lipid content in transgenic rice plants. J. Plant Res. 129, 285-293; doi: 10.1007/s10265-015-0781-0
24. Bhattacharjee, L., Singh, P.K., Singh, S., and Nandi, A.K. (2015). Down-regulation of rice serpin gene OsSRP-LRS exaggerates stress-induced cell death. J. Plant Biol. 58, 327-332; doi: 10.1007/s12374-015-0283-6
25. Swain, S., Singh, N., and Nandi, A.K. (2015). Identification of plant defence regulators through transcriptional profiling of Arabidopsis thaliana cdd1 mutant. J. Biosci. 40, 137-146; doi: 10.1007/s12038-014-9498-9
26. Giri, M.K., Swain, S., Gautam, J.K., Singh, S., Singh, N., Bhattacharjee, L., and Nandi, A.K. (2014). The Arabidopsis thaliana At4g13040 gene, a unique member of the AP2/EREBP family, is a positive regulator for salicylic acid accumulation and basal defense against bacterial pathogens. J. Plant Physiol. 171, 860-867; doi: 10.1016/j.jplph.2013.12.015
27. Singh, V., Banday, Z.Z., and Nandi, A.K. (2014). Exogenous application of histone demethylase inhibitor trans-2-phenylcyclopropylamine mimics FLD loss-of-function phenotype in terms of systemic acquired resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Signal Behav 9, e29658; doi: 10.4161/psb.29658
28. Singh, V., Roy, S., Singh, D., and Nandi, A.K. (2014). Arabidopsis flowering locus D influences systemic-acquired-resistance- induced expression and histone modifications of WRKY genes. J. Biosci. 39, 119-126; doi: 10.1007/s12038-013-9407-7
29. Singh, S., Giri, M.K., Singh, P.K., Siddiqui, A., and Nandi, A.K. (2013). Down-regulation of OsSAG12-1 results in enhanced senescence and pathogen-induced cell death in transgenic rice plants. J Biosci 38, 583-592; doi: 10.1007/s12038-013-9334-7
30. Singh, V., Roy, S., Giri, M.K., Chaturvedi, R., Chowdhury, Z., Shah, J., and Nandi, A.K. (2013). Arabidopsis thaliana FLOWERING LOCUS D is required for systemic acquired resistance. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 26, 1079-1088; doi: 10.1094/MPMI-04-13-0096-R
31. Prasad, B.R., Kumar, S.V., Nandi, A., and Chattopadhyay, S. (2012). Functional interconnections of HY1 with MYC2 and HY5 in Arabidopsis seedling development. BMC Plant Biol. 12, 37; doi: 10.1186/1471-2229-12-37
32. Prasad, V.B., Gupta, N., Nandi, A., and Chattopadhyay, S. (2012). HY1 genetically interacts with GBF1 and regulates the activity of the Z-box containing promoters in light signaling pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana. Mech Dev 129, 298-307; doi: 10.1016/j.mod.2012.06.004
33. Swain, S., Roy, S., Shah, J., Van Wees, S., Pieterse, C.M., and Nandi, A.K. (2011). Arabidopsis thaliana cdd1 mutant uncouples the constitutive activation of salicylic acid signalling from growth defects. Mol. Plant Pathol. 12, 855-865; doi: 10.1111/j.1364-3703.2011.00717.x
34. Chaturvedi, R., Krothapalli, K., Makandar, R., Nandi, A., Sparks, A.A., Roth, M.R., Welti, R., and Shah, J. (2008). Plastid omega3-fatty acid desaturase-dependent accumulation of a systemic acquired resistance inducing activity in petiole exudates of Arabidopsis thaliana is independent of jasmonic acid. Plant J. 54, 106-117; doi: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2007.03400.x
35. Nandi, A., Moeder, W., Kachroo, P., Klessig, D.F., and Shah, J. (2005). Arabidopsis ssi2-conferred susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea is dependent on EDS5 and PAD4. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 18, 363-370; doi: 10.1094/MPMI-18-0363
36. Nandi, A., Welti, R., and Shah, J. (2004). The Arabidopsis thaliana dihydroxyacetone phosphate reductase gene SUPPRESSSOR OF FATTY ACID DESATURASE DEFICIENCY1 is required for glycerolipid metabolism and for the activation of systemic acquired resistance. Plant Cell 16, 465-477; doi: 10.1105/tpc.016907
37. Sekine, K., Nandi, A., Ishihara, T., Hase, S., Ikegami, M., Shah, J., and Takahashi, H. (2004). Enhanced resistance to Cucumber mosaic virus in the Arabidopsis thaliana ssi2 mutant is mediated via an SA-independent mechanism. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 17, 623-632; doi: 10.1094/MPMI.2004.17.6.623
38. Nandi, A., Krothapalli, K., Buseman, C.M., Li, M., Welti, R., Enyedi, A., and Shah, J. (2003). Arabidopsis sfd mutants affect plastidic lipid composition and suppress dwarfing, cell death, and the enhanced disease resistance phenotypes resulting from the deficiency of a fatty acid desaturase. Plant Cell 15, 2383-2398; doi: 10.1105/tpc.015529
39. Nandi, A.K., Kachroo, P., Fukushige, H., Hildebrand, D.F., Klessig, D.F., and Shah, J. (2003). Ethylene and jasmonic acid signaling affect the NPR1-independent expression of defense genes without impacting resistance to Pseudomonas syringae and Peronospora parasitica in the Arabidopsis ssi1 mutant. Mol Plant Microbe Interact 16, 588-599; doi: 10.1094/MPMI.2003.16.7.588
40. Shah, J., Kachroo, P., Nandi, A., and Klessig, D.F. (2001). A recessive mutation in the Arabidopsis SSI2 gene confers SA- and NPR1-independent expression of PR genes and resistance against bacterial and oomycete pathogens. Plant J. 25, 563-574; doi: 10.1046/j.1365-313x.2001.00992.x
41. Nandi, A.K., Kushalappa, K., Prasad, K., and Vijayraghavan, U. (2000). A conserved function for Arabidopsis SUPERMAN in regulating floral-whorl cell proliferation in rice, a monocotyledonous plant. Curr. Biol. 10, 215-218; doi: S0960-9822(00)00341-9 [pii]
42. Nandi, A.K., Basu, D., Das, S., and Sen, S.K. (1999). High level expression of soybean trypsin inhibitor gene in transgenic tobacco plants failed to confer resistance against damage caused by Helicoverpa armigera. J Biosc 24, 445-452; doi: 10.1007/BF02942655
Laboratory Videos/ Pictures/(selected )
With Dr. Vishal Patil with his “Best thesis award for 2023
