Browsing by Author "Verma, Jitendra Kumar"

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Dissection of grasspea (Lathyrus sativus L.) root exoproteome reveals critical insights and novel proteins
(Elsevier B.V., 2022) Rathi, Divya; Verma, Jitendra Kumar; Pareek, Akanksha; Chakraborty, Subhra; Chakraborty, Niranjan
The plant exoproteome is crucial because its constituents greatly influence plant phenotype by regulating physiological characteristics to adapt to environmental stresses. The root exudates constitute a dynamic aspect of plant exoproteome, as its molecular composition ensures a beneficial rhizosphere in a species-specific manner. We investigated the root exoproteome of grasspea, a stress-resilient pulse and identified 2861 non-redundant proteins, belonging to a myriad of functional classes, including root development, rhizosphere augmentation as well as defense functions against soil-borne pathogens. Significantly, we identified 1986 novel exoproteome constituents of grasspea, potentially involved in cell-to-cell communication and root meristem maintenance, among other critical roles. Sequence-based comparison revealed that grasspea shares less than 30 % of its exoproteome with the reports so far from model plants as well as crop species. Further, the exoproteome revealed 65 % proteins to be extracellular in nature and of these, 37 % constituents were predicted to follow unconventional protein secretion (UPS) mode. We validated the UPS for four stress-responsive proteins, which were otherwise predicted to follow classical protein secretion (CPS). Conclusively, we recognized not only the highest number of root exudate proteins, but also pinpointed novel signatures of dicot root exoproteome.
Genome-wide identification of the Alba gene family in plants and stress-responsive expression of the rice Alba genes
(MDPI AG, 2018) Verma, Jitendra Kumar; Wardhan, Vijay; Singh, Deepali; Chakraborty, Subhra; Chakraborty, Niranjan
Architectural proteins play key roles in genome construction and regulate the expression of many genes, albeit the modulation of genome plasticity by these proteins is largely unknown. A critical screening of the architectural proteins in five crop species, viz., Oryza sativa, Zea mays, Sorghum bicolor, Cicer arietinum, and Vitis vinifera, and in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana along with evolutionary relevant species such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Physcomitrella patens, and Amborella trichopoda, revealed 9, 20, 10, 7, 7, 6, 1, 4, and 4 Alba (acetylation lowers binding affinity) genes, respectively. A phylogenetic analysis of the genes and of their counterparts in other plant species indicated evolutionary conservation and diversification. In each group, the structural components of the genes and motifs showed significant conservation. The chromosomal location of the Alba genes of rice (OsAlba), showed an unequal distribution on 8 of its 12 chromosomes. The expression profiles of the OsAlba genes indicated a distinct tissue-specific expression in the seedling, vegetative, and reproductive stages. The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of the OsAlba genes confirmed their stress-inducible expression under multivariate environmental conditions and phytohormone treatments. The evaluation of the regulatory elements in 68 Alba genes from the 9 species studied led to the identification of conserved motifs and overlapping microRNA (miRNA) target sites, suggesting the conservation of their function in related proteins and a divergence in their biological roles across species. The 3D structure and the prediction of putative ligands and their binding sites for OsAlba proteins offered a key insight into the structure–function relationship. These results provide a comprehensive overview of the subtle genetic diversification of the OsAlba genes, which will help in elucidating their functional role in plants.
OsAlba1, a dehydration-responsive nuclear protein of rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica), participates in stress adaptation
(Elsevier B.V., 2014) Verma, Jitendra Kumar; Gayali, Saurabh; Dass, Suchismita; Kumar, Amit; Parveen, Shaista; Chakraborty, Subhra; Chakraborty, Niranjan
Alba proteins have exhibited great functional plasticity through the course of evolution and constitute a superfamily that spans across three domains of life. Earlier, we had developed the dehydration-responsive nuclear proteome of an indica rice cultivar, screening of which led to the identification of an Alba protein. Here we describe, for the first time, the complete sequence of the candidate gene OsAlba1, its genomic organization, and possible function/s in plant. Phylogenetic analysis showed its close proximity to other monocots as compared to dicot Alba proteins. Protein-DNA interaction prediction indicates a DNA-binding property for OsAlba1. Confocal microscopy showed the localization of OsAlba1-GFP fusion protein to the nucleus, and also sparsely to the cytoplasm. Water-deficit conditions triggered OsAlba1 expression suggesting its function in dehydration stress, possibly through an ABA-dependent pathway. Functional complementation of the yeast mutant ΔPop6 established that OsAlba1 also functions in oxidative stress tolerance. The preferential expression of OsAlba1 in the flag leaves implies its role in grain filling. Our findings suggest that the Alba components such as OsAlba1, especially from a plant where there is no evidence for a major chromosomal role, might play important function in stress adaptation.
The small heat shock proteins, chaperonin 10, in plants: An evolutionary view and emerging functional diversity
(Elsevier B.V., 2021) Pareek, Akanksha; Mishra, Divya; Rathi, Divya; Verma, Jitendra Kumar; Chakraborty, Subhra; Chakraborty, Niranjan
Small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) constitute a class of molecular chaperones, which are evolutionarily conserved yet diverse group of molecules, rapidly produced in response to stress. In this study, we sought to identify plant sHSPs, especially chaperonin 10 (Cpn10) family members in major evolutionary lineages, and determine their biological significance. Multiple sequence alignment of Cpn10 domains revealed divergent amino acids as well as conserved sites. Phylogenetic tree depicted the diversification and expansion of Cpn10 gene family. During the process of evolution, the Ka/Ks ratio of orthologous and paralogous pairs was <1, suggesting their evolutionary convergence and biological relevance. Functional annotations demonstrated that Cpn10 are involved in protein folding, regulation of metabolic processes and abiotic stress responses. Furthermore, subcellular localization prediction revealed that Cpn10 proteins are localized in multiple compartments, indicating a critical cell-coordinated defense. In-silico gene expression analysis exhibited their expression in most tissues examined, implying functional redundancy. Interactome analysis illustrated their interaction with chloroplast and mitochondrial genes, which are majorly involved in protein folding and assembly. The transcriptional regulation revealed their stress-responsive and distinct physiological roles. Our findings would contribute to new insights on the evolutionary history of Cpn10 gene family and the distinct biological roles.
Suspension cell secretome of the grain legume Lathyrus sativus (grasspea) reveals roles in plant development and defense responses
(Elsevier B.V., 2022) Rathi, Divya; Verma, Jitendra Kumar; Chakraborty, Subhra; Chakraborty, Niranjan
Plant secretomics has been especially important in understanding the molecular basis of plant development, stress resistance and biomarker discovery. In addition to sharing a similar role in maintaining cell metabolism and biogenesis with the animal secretome, plant-secreted proteins actively participate in signaling events crucial for cellular homeostasis during stress adaptation. However, investigation of the plant secretome remains largely overlooked, particularly in pulse crops, demanding urgent attention. To better understand the complexity of the secretome, we developed a reference map of a stress-resilient orphan legume, Lathyrus sativus (grasspea), which can be utilized as a potential proteomic resource. Secretome analysis of L. sativus led to the identification of 741 nonredundant proteins belonging to a myriad of functional classes, including antimicrobial, antioxidative and redox potential. Computational prediction of the secretome revealed that ∼29% of constituents are predicted to follow unconventional protein secretion (UPS) routes. We conducted additional in planta analysis to determine the localization of two secreted proteins, recognized as cell surface residents. Sequence-based homology comparison revealed that L. sativus shares ∼40% of the constituents reported thus far from in vitro and in planta secretome analysis in model and crop species. Significantly, we identified 571 unique proteins secreted from L. sativus involved in cell-to-cell communication, organ development, kinase-mediated signaling, and stress perception, among other critical roles. Conclusively, the grasspea secretome participates in putative crosstalk between genetic circuits that regulate developmental processes and stress resilience.