Plant adaptation to adverse environmental conditions

Photosynthetic organisms are extremely responsive to changes in their environment, especially to quantity and quality of incident light. We are trying to decipher how light and other environmental parameters influence photosynthesis, which comprises some of the most fundamentally important reactions in biology. Major emphasis is given to initial photochemistry of the photosynthesis. Plants, especially in unfavorable environments, absorb more light energy than they are capable of using in photosynthesis that can cause photo-oxidative damage and loss of photosynthetic efficiency. Photosynthetic organisms have evolved multiple mechanisms to cope with deleterious effect of excessive light. We are trying to identify and dissect these processes through application of invasive fluorometric methodologies. The study materials comprise varieties of the plants species growing in contrasting climatic conditions.

Molecular studies on antioxidant enzymes and molecular recombinant approach to produce stress resistant enzyme protein.

Another major goal of research of our laboratory is to gain a better molecular understanding of the oxidative stress response and functioning of antioxidant enzymes in plants under stress conditions. Presently the laboratory is engaged in developing recombinant antioxidant proteins with site directed mutagenesis having light and temperature resistance in E.coli expression system. These mutated genes shall be tested for their in vivo functioning by raising transgenic plants (mostly the crop plants). The study will be further expanded to understand the mechanisms that are essential for imparting light and temperature resistance using biophysical and biochemical techniques. We are collaborating with Prof. Peter C. Loewen, University of Manitoba, Canada for crystallographic studies of recombinantly produced catalase protein. We are also collaborating with Prof. Manoranjan Kar, Department of Botany, Utkal University for physiological and biochemical interpretation including the key experimental designing for catalase enzymatic studies.