RESEARCH AREA 

Our laboratory investigates diverse aspects under One Health, namely; 1/ global pandemic "Antimicrobial Resistance"; 2/ Medicinal Plants and Cancer Remedies; and 3/ Human and Environmental Microbiome. 

1. Over a few decades there has been no new antibiotic developed that identifies a nouvelle target or a completely novel nucleus. Conversely, roaring rates of rising Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is quite alarming to the globe.   Mapping resistome from various environmental compartments, understanding molecular basis of acquisition of resistance are being endeavoured. The WHO has identified ESKAPE pathogens as the top priority due to their propensity to acquire quick resistance.  Our laboratory focuses on Gram negative ESKAPE pathogens; Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Enterobacter spp. 

2.  Plant based cancer therapeutics, which are natural products, have gained a special attention. Green synthesis of silver nanoparticles using Tridax procumbens leaves extract and leaves/bark extracts of a few selected North East Region Medicinal plants; Nardostachys jatamansi, Oroxylum indicum, Centella asiatica is being tested for cell cytotoxicity and molecular basis of anticancer potential. 

3. Mapping AMR within the river, adjacent vegetable plot and within the rhizosphere of vegetables is being explored.  Microbiome analysis along with culturomics AMR provides a complete understanding on safety measures.

AWARDS/ FELLOWSHIPS/ RECOGNITIONS

• Postdoctoral Research Fellowship, Rockefeller University

• Teacher Fellow: Indian Academy of Science, to participate in Adaptive Mutation symposium, Raman Research Laboratory, Bangalore, India

• Researcher, A National Fellowship –French Ministry of Science, CNRS Fellow, Postdoctoral Research Work with University of Grenoble Alepes, Grenoble, France

• Travel Grant by Nobel Laureate, James D. Watson, to present work in Genetics of Bacteria and their Phages, August 1998, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York, USA.

• Senior Research Fellow, Molecular Reproduction Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of

    Science, Bangalore, India

• Junior Research Fellow, Developmental Biology and Genetics Laboratory, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India,

TEACHING 

M.Sc. Courses:

LS404A Microbiology

LS406A Life Science Practical I

LS431A Life Sciences Practical II

LS579 Molecular Parasitology and Infectious Diseases

Ph.D. Courses:

LS634A General and Applied Microbiology

LS635A Fundamentals of Molecular Microbiology

LS611A Research Methodology II

LS612A Research and Publication Ethics

LAB MEMBERS

CURRENT MEMBERS

PUBLICATIONS

1.       Joshi, P. R., Joshi, S. D., Periasamy, H., Bakthavatchalam, Y. D., Velmurugan, A., Veeraraghavan, B., & Kharat, A. S*. (2024). Novel β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations show limited activity against Indian carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates due to conundrum of diverse resistance mechanisms. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 107249.

2.       Kharat, A. S*, Makwana, N., Nasser, M., Gayen, S., Yadav, B., Kumar, D., ... & Mercier, C. (2024). Dramatic increase in antimicrobial resistance in ESKAPE clinical isolates over the 2010-2020 decade in India. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 107125.

3.       Kishor R, Verma M, Saratale GD, Romanholo Ferreira LF, Kharat AS, Chandra R, Raj A, Bharagava RN. (2024). Treatment of industrial wastewaters by algae-bacterial consortium with Bio-H 2  production: Recent updates, challenges and future prospects. Chemosphere349:140742. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140742. 

4.       Krishna M, Makwana N, Kakde GS, Puri S, Kharat AS*. (2023). Knowledge and Attitude toward Antibiotic Use and Identification of Financially Feasible Options to Curb the Spread of Antibiotics in Environment. Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol. 2023 Dec 11;2023:6403250. doi:10.1155/2023/6403250. eCollection 2023

5.       Kharat AA, Makwana N, Kadam DG, Chavan AS, Kulkarni JA, Kharat AS.* (2023). Co-existence of Extended Spectrum β-Lactamase and carbapenemase-producing genes from Diarrheagenic Enteric pathogens isolated in a tertiary care hospital. Acta Biochim Pol. 2023 Jan25;70(1):69-76. doi: 10.18388/abp.2020_6188.

6.       Pungle R, Nile SH, Kharat AS*. (2023). Green synthesis and characterization of Solanum xanthocarpum capped silver nanoparticles and its antimicrobial effect on multidrug-resistant bacterial (MDR) isolates. Chem Biol Drug Des. 2023 Mar;101(3):469-478. doi:10.1111/cbdd.13945

7.       Sandeep, Sahu MR, Rani L, Kharat AS*, Mondal AC. (2023). Could Vitamins Have a Positive Impact on the Treatment of Parkinson' s Disease? Brain Sci. 2023 Feb 6;13(2):272. doi:10.3390/brainsci13020272

8.       Karad DD, Tandon R, Arya A, Sonawane KD, Chavan AS, Kharat AS*. (2022). Subtype diversity and emergence of drug resistance in HIV-1 in solapur district of Maharashtra, India. Iran J Microbiol. 2022 Oct;14(5):730-739. doi: 10.18502/ijm.v14i5.10969.

9.       Pungle R, Nile SH, Makwana N, Singh R, Singh RP, Kharat AS*. (2022). Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using the Tridax procumbens Plant Extract and Screening of Its Antimicrobial and Anticancer Activities. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2022:9671594. doi:10.1155/2022/9671594. eCollection 2022.

10.   Palwe S, Bakthavatchalam YD, Khobragade K, Kharat AS*, Walia K, Veerraghavan B. (2021). In-Vitro Selection of Ceftazidime/Avibactam Resistance in OXA-48-Like-Expressing Klebsiella pneumoniae: In-Vitro and In-Vivo Fitness, Genetic Basis and Activities of β-Lactam Plus Novel β-Lactamase Inhibitor or β-Lactam Enhancer Combinations.Antibiotics. 10(11):1318. doi:10.3390/antibiotics10111318.

11.   Nasser, Mahfouz, Ogali Mahmoud, Palwer Snehal, Kharat AS*. (2020). Molecular detection of extended spectrum b-lactamases, metallo b-lactamases and Amp-C b-lactamase genes expressed by MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates collected from patients with burn/wound infections. Burns Open an Elsevier open access journals

12.   . Karad Dilip D, Somani Yogesh, Khande Hemant, Yadav Bipin, KharatA S*. (2020). Molecular characterization of MDR/PDR nosocomiam polymicrobial infection of Klebsiella pneumoniae , Providencia rettgeri, and Acinetobacter baumannii from rural part of Maharashtra, India.. Acta Biochemica Polonica.

13.   Parte Satish G, Mohekar Ashokraos D, and Kharat A S*. (2020). Aerobic dichlorvos degradation by Pseudomonas stutzeri smk: complete pathway and implications for toxicity in Mus musculus. Iran. J. Microbiol. 12(2): 138-147.

14.   Palwe Snehal, Veeraraghavan B, Periasamy H, Kharat AS*. (2020). Unorthodox parenteral b-lactam and b-lactamase inhibitor combinations: flouting antimicrobial stewardship and compromising patient care. Antimicrobial agents chemother. 64(5):e00168-20. DOI:10.1128/AAC.00168-20.

15.   Mahfouz Naseer, A. S. Kharat * (2020). Prevalence of the b-lactamase and antibiotic resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the Arab region (Review). J Glob. Antimicrob. Resist. 11:S2213-7165(20)30012-6. DOI:10.1016/j.jgar.2020.01.011.

16.   . Palwe S, Khobragade K, Kharat A. S*. (2020). Preserving the dwindling b-lactams based empiric therapy therapy option for Gram negative infections in challenging resistance scenario:Lessons Learned and Way forward. Microb. Drug Resist. 26(6): 637-651.DOI:10.1089/mdr.2019.0195.

17.   Kharat Kiran R and Kharat A. S*. (2019). The Calotropis gigantean methanolic extract induces apoptosis in human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) cells. Iranian Journal of Medical Sciences.44(6): 483-492. DOI:10.30476/ijms.2019.44966

18.   Salunke Asha S, and Kharat A. S*. (2019). Data on Isolation and Purification of firbrinolytic enzyme from Pseudomonas baetica SUHU25. Data in Brief. 26:104369. DOI:10.1016/j.dib.2019.104369.

19.   Parte Satish G and Kharat A. S*. (2019). Aerobic degradation of clothianidin by Pseudomonas stutzeri produces 2-chloro-methyl thiazol and methyl-3-(thiazol-yl) methyl guanidine. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, 2019:4807913. DOI: 10.1155/2019/4807913

20.   Pungle Rohini, Tambe Aditya, More Anil and Kharat A. S*. (2018). Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potentiality of Solanum xanthocarpum. Afr. J. Biotech. 17(37): 1188-95. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJB2018.16560

21.   Nasser Mahfuzz, Ogali Mahmoud and Kharat A. S*. (2018). Prevalence of MDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa of war related would and burn ward infections from some conflict areas of western Yemen Wound Medicine. 20: 58-61.

22.   Nandimath A.P., Karad D. D., Gupta S. G., and Kharat A. S*. (2017). Consortium of fiver thermo-tolerant phosphate solubilising Actinomycetes for multipurpose biofertilizer preparation. Iran. J. of Microbiol. 9(5): 295-304.

23.   More N. V., Kharat K. R., and Kharat A. S (2017). Berberine from Argemone mexicana L exhibits a broad spectrum antibacterial activity. Acta Bioch. Polon. 64(4): 1-8.

24.   Panchbhai Ajay, Char Bharat, and Arun S. Kharat* (2017). The ALDH7 promoter of Acacia nilotica L is a moisture stress inducible promoter. Plant Gene Pages 1-9

25.   More N. V. And Arun S. Kharat (2016). Antifungal and Anticancer potential of Argemone mexicana L. Medicines 3(28): 1-10

26.   Parte, S. G., Kharat, Arun. S., Mohekar, A. D., Chavan, J. A., Jagtap, A. A., Mohite, A. K., and Patil, R. N.(2015). Efficacy of plant extracts for management of Cimex lectularius (Bed bug). Int.J. Pure. App. Biosci. 3(2): 506-508.

27.   Gehre, F., Spisek, R., Kharat, Arun. S., Matthews, P., Kukreja, A., Anthony, R. M., Dhodapkar,M. V., Vollmer, W., and Tomasz, A. (2009). Role of Teichoic Acid Choline Moieties in the Virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Infect. And Immun. 77(7): 2824-2831.

28.   Gehre, F., Leib, S. L., Grandgirard, D., Kummer, J., Buhlmann, A., Simon, F., Gaumann, R., Kharat, Arun. S., Tauber, M. G., and Tomasz, A. (2008). Essential role of choline for pneumococcal virulence in an experimental model of meningitides. J. Int. Med. 264(2):143-54.doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2796.2008.01930.x.

29.   . Kharat, Arun. S., Denapaite, D., Gehre, F., Bruckner, R., Vollmer, W., Hackenbeck, R., and Tomasz, A. (2008). Different pathways of choline metabolism in two choline-Independent strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae and their impact on virulence. J. Bacteriol. 190(17): 5907-5914.10.

30.   Damjanovic, M., Kharat, Arun. S., Eberhardt, A., Tomasz, A. and Vollmer, W. (2007). The essential tacF gene is responsible for the choline-dependent growth phenotype of Streptococcus pneumoniae. J. Bacteriol. 189 (19): 7105-7111.

31.   Kharat, Arun. S.,* Coursange, E., Noirclerc-Savoye, M., Lacoste, J., and Blot, M. (2006). IS1 transposition is enhanced by translation errors and by bacterial growth at extreme glucose levels. Acta. Biochemica. Polonica. 53(4): 729-738.

32.   Crisostomo, M. I., Vollmer, W., Kharat, Arun. S., Inhulsen, S., Gehre F, and Tomasz, A. (2006). Attenuation of penicillin resistance in a peptidoglycan O-acetyl transferase mutant of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Mol. Microbiol. 61(6): 1497-1509. Doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2958.2006.05340x

33.   Kharat, Arun. S., and Tomasz, A. (2006). Drastic reduction in the virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae expressing type 2 capsular polysaccharide but lacking choline residues in the cell wall. Mol. Microbiol. 60(1): 93-107.

34.   Kharat, Arun. S., and Tomasz, A. (2003). Inactivation of the srtA gene affects localization of surface proteins and decreases adhesion of Streptococcus pneumoniae to human pharyngeal cells In vitro. Infect. & Immun. 71(5): 2758-2765.

35.   Kharat, Arun. S.* (2001). Phenotypic variability of b-glucoside utilization and its correlation to pathogenesis process in a few enteric bacteria. Fems. Microbiol. Letts. 199: 241-246.

36.   Kharat Arun. S., and Mahadevan, S. (2000). Analysis of the b-glucoside utilization (bgl) genes of Shigella sonnei: evolutionary implications for their maintenance in a cryptic state. Microbiology. 146: 2039-2049.

37.   Kharat, Arun. S., and Mahadevan, S. (1999). Plasmid mediated suppression of the mutational activation of the bgl operon in Shigella sonnei. Acta. Biochem. Polonica. 46(4): 853-861.

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