Bachelor of Science: Banaras Hindu University (1982)

Master of Science: Banaras Hindu University (1985)

PhD: Banaras Hindu University (1991)

Dr. D.V. Singh in association with international collaborators has successfully shown the clonal relationships between clinical and environmental isolates of V. cholerae indicating aquatic environment serve as a reservoir and transmission of the disease cholera. His group is the first to report occurrence of SXT ICE, dfr18, sulII, strAB and aadA5 genes in environmental V. cholerae O1, and non-O1, and non-O139 strains isolated before 1992 from Varanasi, India, and that showed sequence homology with other bacterial species, suggesting acquisition of SXT ICEs and antibiotic resistance genes occurred from other bacteria. His observation showing loss of the complete and/or partial loss of phage array arranged in tandem lead to understanding of emergence and evolution of variant of V. cholerae strains. Dr. Singh has developed number of multiplex PCRs for rapid detection of virulence genes, serogroups, SXT and antibiotic resistance genes.  While working on staphylococcus, he developed multiplex PCR for rapid detection of antibiotic, cadmium/zinc and antiseptic resistance in PVL-positive and -negative S. aureus and CoNS. He found that multi-drug resistant S haemolyticus strains produced biofilm and matrix belongs mostly to eDNA and/or protein. Dr. Singh has 74 publications in international and national ISI Journals – many in collaboration with external scientists.

Awards:

ASM Indo-US Visiting Research Professorship (2008)

GBF International Training Fellowship (2002)

Visiting Fellowship of UMSM, Baltimore, USA (1998)

UNESCO Short – Term Training Fellowship in Biotechnology (1998)

AMI Best poster award (1998)

Recognition:

Elected Fellow: Biotech Research Society (India) (2004)

Member: Peer Review committee Department of Biotechnology, IIT, Guwahati (2014)

Member: Institutional Animal  Ethics Committee, OBPI, Bhubaneswar (2005-contd.)

Member: Doctoral Committee, NISER, Bhubaneswar (2015-contd.)

Understanding the role of genetic element in eDNA release and biofilm development in Staphylococci

Our research program focuses on to characterize Staphylococcus spp, to identify the key functional and regulatory genes involved in biofilm development and to examine role of biofilm in evolution, horizontal/ vertical gene transfer of antibiotic resistance and virulence genes and its effect on immunological responses in biofilm infections. The research initiative has the potential to understand biofilm development and to find suitable drug target and/or inhibitors to limit biofilm formation and antibiotic resistance/tolerance.

ICP1- phage and its role in rugosity and biofilm formation in V. cholerae O1

We plan to study how ICP1 phage genome exists in V. cholerae as an extra-chromosomal element and had a role in the enhancement of biofilm formation and virulence. To achieve this, we will use site-directed mutagenesis/ CRISPER-cas technique and conduct functional analysis of ompR, mscS, cic and Na⁺/proline symporter to establish their involvement  in biofilm and rugose colony formation and in virulence. Studies on genetic analysis of CTX⁺ and CTX^– strains of V. cholerae will continue to determine how horizontal transfer play a role in the evolution of new clone(s) of V. cholerae.

1. Panda Samita and Singh DV (2018) Typing of plasmid isolated from methicillin-resistant ocular isolates of Staphylococcus haemolyticus that belonged to different rep families. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology  communicated.
2. Panda Sasmita and Singh DV (2018) Biofilm formation by ica-negative ocular isolates of Staphylococcus haemolyticus. Frontiers in Microbiology 9:2687. doi:10.3389/fmicb.2018.02687. 
3. Angermeyer A, Das Moon Moon, Singh DV and Seed KD (2018) Analysis of 19 Highly conserved Vibrio cholerae bacteriophages isolated from environmental and patient sources over a twelve-year period. Viruses 10(6): 299. doi:10.3390/v10060299
4. Jena Smrutiti, Panda Sasmita, Nayak Kinshuk and Singh DV (2017) Identification of major sequence types among multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis strains isolated from infected eyes and healthy conjunctiva. Frontiers in Microbiology  8: 1430. doi: 10.3389/ fmicb.2017.01430.
5. Jha G, Sahu PK, Panda S, Singh DV, Patole S, Mohapatra H and Sarkar M (2017) Synthesis, phytophysical studies on some anthracene based ionic liquids and their application as biofilm inhibitors. Chemistry Select 2(8): 2426-2432. DOI:10.1002/slct.201601964
6. Bhotra Tilothama, Das Moon Moon, Pal BB and Singh DV (2016) Genomic profile of antibiotic resistant, classical ctxB positive Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor isolated in 2003 and 2005 from Puri, India: a retrospective study. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology 34(4): 462-470.
7. Panda Sasmita, Jena Smrutiti, Sharma Savitri, Dhawan Benu, Nath Gopal and Singh DV (2016) Identification of novel sequence types among Staphylococcus haemolyticus isolated from variety of infections in India. PLoS One 11(11): e0166193.
8. Das Moon Moon, Bhotra Tilothama, Zala Dolatsingh and Singh DV (2016) Phenotypic and genetic characteristics of Vibrio cholerae O1 carrying Haitian ctxB and attributes of classical and El Tor biotypes isolated from Silvassa, India. Journal of Medical Microbiology 65(8): 720-728.
9. Panda Sasmita, Kar Sarita, Sharma Savitri and Singh DV (2016) Multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus haemolyticus isolates from infected eye and healthy conjunctivae. Journal of Global Antibiotic Resistance 6(3): 154-159. 
10. Bhotra Tilothama and Singh DV (2016) Whole genome sequence of Vibrio alginolyticus isolated from the mucus of the Coral Fungia danai in the Andaman Sea, India. Genome Announcement 4(3): e00339-16.
11. Panda Sasmita and Singh DV (2016) Whole genome sequences of Staphylococcus haemolyticus isolated from infected eye and healthy conjunctiva in Bhubaneswar, India. Genome Announcement 4(2): e00099-16.
12. Soni Dharmedra, Singh DV and Dubey SK (2015) Pregnancy-Associated listeriosis: virulence and genotypic analysis of Listeria monocytogenes from clinical samples. Journal of Microbiology 53: 653-60.
13. Mohapatra SS, Mantri CK, Bhotra Tilothama and Singh DV (2015) Characteristics of Vibrio cholerae O1 isolated from water of the River Ganga, Varanasi, India. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology 33: 507-515.
14. Singh DV and Bhotra T (2014) 240-Cholera Disease. In: Reference Module in Biomedical Sciences, Michael Caplan (ed.), Elsevier Inc, San Diego, USA, pg 1-12.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-801238-3.00142-2
15. Soni Dharmedra, Singh Major, Singh DV and Dubey SK (2014) Virulence and genotypic characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from vegetable and soil samples. BMC Microbiology 14: 241. DOI: 10.1186/s12866-014-0241-3
16. Panda Sasmita, Kar Sarita, Choudhury R, Sharma S and Singh DV (2014) Development and evaluation of hexaplex PCR for rapid detection of methicillin, cadmium/ zinc and antiseptic resistant staphylococci, with simultaneous identification of PVL-positive and- negative Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase negative staphylococci. FEMS Microbiology Letters 352: 114-122.
17. Kar Sarita, Panda Sasmita, Sharma Savitri, Singh DV, Das Sujata, Sahu SK and Das Taraprasad (2013) Comparison of type of species and antibacterial susceptibility profile of staphylococci isolated from normal healthy conjunctiva and ocular infections. Asia-Pacific Journal of Ophthalmology 2(6): 365-371. (OnlineFirst 26.03.2013).
18. Soni DK, Singh RK, Singh DV and Dubey SK (2013) Characterization of Listeria monocytogenes isolated from water of the River Ganga, human and milk in Varanasi, India. Infection, Genetics and Evolution 14: 83-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2012.09.019
19. Choudhury Ranginee, Panda Sasmita and Singh DV (2012) Emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistance: a global problem. Indian Journal of Medical Microbiology 30(4): 384-390.
20. Fazil MHUT, Kumar Sunil, Subba Rao N, Selvaraj C, Singh SK, Pandey HP and Singh DV (2012) Comparative structure analysis of two proteins belonging to quorum sensing system in Vibrio cholerae. Journal of Bimolecular Structure and Design 30(5): 574-584.
21. Isac Sree Renjini, Nair, GB and Singh DV (2012) Purification and characterization of cytotoxin produced by a clinical isolate of Vibrio cholerae O54 TV113. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 167(4): 809-823.
22. Turabe Fazil MHU, Kumar Sunil, Former Rohit, Pandey HP and Singh DV (2012)  Binding efficiencies of carbohydrate ligands with different genotypes of cholera toxin B: molecular modeling, dynamics and docking simulation studies. Journal of Molecular Modeling 18(1): 1-10.
23. Choudhury Ranginee, Panda Sasmita, Sharma Savitri and Singh DV (2012) Staphylococcal infection, antibiotic resistance and therapeutics. Chapter 10, In: Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria – A Continuous Challenge in the New Millennium, Maria Pana (Ed.), InTech Publication, Croatia, pp 247-272.
24. Mohapatra SS, Mantri CK, Fazil MHUT and Singh DV (2011) Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor strains isolated in 1992 from Varanasi, India harbored El Tor CTXФ and classical ctxB on the chromosome-I and classical CTXФ and classical ctxB on the chromosome-II. Environmental Microbiology Reports 3(6): 783-790.
25. Turabe Fazil MHU, Bhanumathi R, Pandey HP and Singh DV (2011) Characterization of Vibrio cholerae O139 belonging to multiple ribotypes and isolated from diarrhoeal patients in Kerala, southern India.  Infection, Genetics and Evolution 11: 454-459.
26. Fazil MHUT, Kumar Sunil and Singh DV (2011) In silico analysis of sequence variations in cholera toxin B subunit and their binding with carbohydrate ligands. In: Current Topics in Biotechnology and Microbiology, Dhingra HK, Jha, PN, Bajpai, P  (Eds.), LAP Lambert Academic Publishing AG & Co. KG, Dudweller Landstr, Germany, pp 168-177.  (ISBN 978-3-8443-2975-9)
27. Fazil MHUT and Singh DV (2011) Vibrio cholerae infection, novel drug targets and phage therapy.  Future Microbiology 6(10): 1199-1208.
28. Mantri CK, Mohapatra SS and Singh DV (2010) Effect of storage and sodium chloride on excision of CTXФ or pre-CTXФ and CTXФ from Vibrio cholerae O139 strains. Infection, Genetics and Evolution 10: 925-930.
29. Turabe Fazil MHU, Kumar Sunil, Subbarao N, Pandey HP and Singh DV (2010)  Homology modeling of a sensor histidine kinase from Aeromonas hydrophila. Journal of Molecular Modeling 16(5): 1003-1009. 
30. Mantri CK, Mohapatra SS, Colwell RR and Singh DV (2010) Sequence analysis of Vibrio cholerae orfU and zot from pre-CTXΦ and CTXΦ reveals multiple origin of pre-CTXΦ and CTXΦ. Environmental Microbiology Reports 2(1): 67-75. 
31. Mohapatra SS, Mantri CK, Mohapatra Harapriya, Colwell RR and Singh DV (2010) Analysis of clonally related environmental Vibrio cholerae O1 El Tor isolated before 1992 from Varanasi, India reveals origin of SXT-ICEs belonging to O139 and O1 serogroups. Environmental Microbiology Reports 2(1): 50-57.
32. Mohanty A, Swain S, Singh DV, Mahapatra N, Kar SK and Hazra RK (2009) A unique methodology for detecting the spread of chloroquine-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum, in previously unreported area, by analyzing anophelines of malaria endemic zones of Orissa, India. Infection, Genetics and Evolution 9(4): 462-467.
33. Mohapatra SS, Ramachandran D, Mantri CK, Colwell RR and Singh DV (2009) Determination of relationships among non-toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor strains from housekeeping gene sequences and ribotype patterns. Research in Microbiology 160: 57-62.
34. Mohapatra Harapriya, Mohapatra SS, Mantri CK, Colwell, RR and Singh DV (2008) Vibrio cholerae non-O1, non-O139 strains isolated before 1992 from Varanasi, India are multiple drug resistant, contain intSXT, dfr18 and aadA5. Environmental Microbiology 10(4): 866-873. 
35. Thomas S, Ramachandran D, Remani B and Singh DV (2008) Detection and molecular characterization of Vibrio cholerae O1 Inaba biotype El Tor strain in Kerala, S India. World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology 24: 433-434.
36. Singh DV and Mohapatra Harapriya (2008) Application of DNA based methods in typing Vibrio cholerae. Future Microbiology 3(1): 87-96.
37. Mohapatra H, Mohapatra SS, Mantri CK and Singh DV (2008) Horizontal gene transfer and ICEs: a perspective with reference to SXT ICEs in Vibrio cholerae. In: New Horizon in Biotechnology. Pandey A, Larroche C, Soccol CR, Dussap C-G (Eds.), Asiatech Publishers, Inc, New Delhi, pp388-403.
38. Mohanty A, Kar P, Mishra K, Singh DV, Mohapatra N, Kar SK, Dash AP and Hazra RK (2007) Multiplex PCR assay for the detection of Anopheles fluviatilis species complex, human host preference, and Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite presence, using a unique mosquito processing method. American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygiene 76(5): 837-843.
39. Patra Minakshi, Pandey SK, Ramamurthy T, Singh DV and Das SK (2007) Characterization of cytotoxin producing Aeromonas caviae (strain HT10) isolated from a sulfur spring in Orissa, India. Letters in Applied Microbiology 44: 338-341.
40. Ramachandran D, Bhanumathi R and Singh DV (2007) Multiplex PCR for detection of antibiotic resistance genes and the SXT element: application in the characterize Vibrio cholerae. Journal of Medical Microbiology 56(3): 246-251. 
41. Mohapatra SS, Ramachandran D, Mantri CK and Singh DV (2007) Characterization of the genetic background of Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor serotype Inaba strains isolated in Trivandrum, Southern India. Journal of Medical Microbiology 56(2): 260-265. 
42. Thomas S, Praveen Kumar PP, Wilson PA, Bibin T and Singh DV (2007) Molecular monitoring of Vibrio cholerae in the aquatic environment of Kerala. In: Environment and Health, eds. Natarajan P, Paulose CS, Bright Singh IS and Pillai Raji K. Rajiv Gandhi Chair in Contemporary Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology, Cochin. pg. 67-78.
43. Mantri CK, Mohapatra SS, Ramamurthy T, Ghosh R, Colwell RR and Singh DV (2006) Septaplex PCR assay for rapid identification of Vibrio cholerae including detection of virulence and intSXT genes. FEMS Microbiology Letters 265(2): 208-214. 
44. Singh DV (2005) Vibrio cholerae. In: Encyclopedia of Medical Genomics and Proteomics. J. Fuch, M. Podda (Eds.), Informa Healthcare, pg. 1307-1311.
45. Singh DV, Bhanumathi R and Colwell RR (2004) Characterization of a cholera toxin-gene negative clinical strain of Vibrio cholerae. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 42: 1381. 
46. Bhanumathi R, Isac SR, Shukla BN and Singh DV (2003) Molecular characterization of Vibrio cholerae O139 Bengal isolated from water and the aquatic plant Eichhornia crassipes in the River Ganga, Varanasi, India. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 69(4): 2389-2394.
47. Singh DV (2003) Hexaplex PCR for rapid detection of virulence factors. Expert Review in Molecular Diagnostics 361: 781-784.
48. Bhanumathi R, Sabeena F, Isac SR, Radhakutty G and Singh DV (2002) Characterization of a toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O139 strain belonging to a new ribotype and isolated from a diarrheal patient. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 40(12): 4779-4781.
49. Singh DV, Isac SR and Colwell RR (2002) Development of a hexaplex PCR assay for rapid detection of virulence and regulatory genes in Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio mimicus. Journal of Clinical Microbiology 40(11): 4321-4324.
50. Sabeena F, Thirivikramji G, Radhakutty G, Indu P and Singh DV (2001) In vitro susceptibility of Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor strains associated with an outbreak of cholera in Kerala, Southern India. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 47: 361-362.
51. Singh DV, Matte MH, Matte GR, Ziang S, Sabeena F, Shukla BN, Sanyal SC, Huq A and Colwell RR (2001) Molecular analysis of Vibrio cholerae O1, O139, non-O1, and non-O139 strains: clonal relationships between clinical and environmental isolates. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 67(2): 910-921.
52. Singh DV (2000) Production of heat labile enterotoxin by strains of Aeromonas veronii bv veronii. Journal of Health Population and Nutrition 18: 44-48.
53. Singh DV (2000) A putative heat-labile enterotoxin expressed by strains of Aeromonas media. Journal of Medical Microbiology 49: 685-689.
54. Singh DV (1999) Virulence factors in Aeromonas veronii bv veronii. Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research 17: 90-91.
55. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1999) Virulence patterns of Aeromonas eucrenophila isolated from water and infected fish. Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research 17: 37-42.
56. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1997) Enteropathogenicity of Aeromonas jandaei and  A. trota. FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology 17: 243–250.
57. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1997) Enterotoxicity, haemolytic activity and antibiotic susceptibility of Aeromonas eucrenophila strains isolated from water and infected fish. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology 35: 144–147.
58. Singh DV, Tikoo Anjali and Sanyal SC (1996) Cholera toxin zonula occludens toxin and accessory cholera enterotoxin gene negative Vibrio cholerae non-O1 strains produce the new cholera toxin. Current Science 70: 1041–1043.
59. Singh DV, Tikoo Anjali and Sanyal SC (1996) Candidate live oral cholera vaccine strains produce a new cholera toxin. Current Science 70: 237–238.
60. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1996) Production of haemolysin and enterotoxin by Aeromonas jandaei and Aeromonas trota after animal passage. Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research 14: 274–279.
61. Tikoo Anjali, Singh DV, Shukla BN and Sanyal SC (1996) Development of an improved synthetic medium for a better production of the new cholera toxin and its immunological relationship with the toxin produced by Vibrio cholerae O139 strains. FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology 14: 67–72.
62. Singh DV, Tikoo Anjali and Sanyal SC (1996) Haemolysin produced by Vibrio cholerae non-O1 is not enterotoxic. Journal of Medical Microbiology 45: 35–39.
63. Singh DV, Tikoo Anjali and Sanyal SC (1996) Production of the new cholera toxin by environmental isolates of Vibrio cholerae non-O1. Journal of Medical Microbiology 45: 31–34.
64. Shukla BN, Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1995) Attachment of non-culturable toxigenic Vibrio cholerae O1 and non-O1 and Aeromonas spp. to the aquatic arthropod Gerris spinolae and plants in the River Ganga, Varanasi. FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology 12: 113–120.
65. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1995) Relationship between enterotoxicity and multiple drug resistance in Aeromonas spp. Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research 13:172–175.
66. Tikoo Anjali, Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1994) Influence of animal passage on haemolysin and enterotoxin production in Vibrio cholerae O1 biotype El Tor stains. Journal of Medical Microbiology 40: 246–251.
67. Singh DV, Sanyal SC. (1994) Antibiotic resistance in clinical and environmental isolates of Aeromonas spp. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy 33: 368–369.
68. Singh DV, Dubey RS and Sanyal SC (1993) Adherence of haemagglutinating and non-haemagglutinating clinical and environmental isolates of Aeromonas spp. Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research 11: 157-160.
69. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1993) Haemagglutinating activity, serum sensitivity and enterotoxicity of Aeromonas spp. Journal of Medical Microbiology 38: 49–53.
70. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1992) Biochemical characteristics and enterotoxicity of Aeromonas species isolated from man and environment. Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research 10: 231-234.
71. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1992) Production of chitinase by enterotoxigenic Aeromonas species isolated from clinical and environmental sources. Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research 10: 213–216.
72. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1992) Production of haemolysin and its correlation with enterotoxicity in Aeromonas spp. Journal of Medical Microbiology 37: 262-267.
73. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1992) Enterotoxicity of clinical and environmental isolates of Aeromonas spp. Journal of Medical Microbiology 36: 269–272.
74. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1992) Haemolysin and enterotoxin production by Aeromonas caviae isolated from diarrhoeal patients, fish and environment. Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research 10: 16–20.
75. Singh DV and Sanyal SC (1992) Virulence factors of Aeromonas  In: Recent Advances in Toxinology, Gopalakrishnakone P, Tan CK editors, National University of Singapore 1:291–307.

DBT: Department of Biotechnology, Government of India

DST: Department of Science and Technology, Government of India
ICMR: Indian Council of Medical Research, Government of India

• Staphylococcus haemolyticus formed the biofilm comprising of protein or DNA or both and srtA has a role to play in the development of biofilm.
• Staphylococcus epidermidis strains carrying mecA gene are multidrug resistant, virulent and diverse irrespective of sources of isolation of which ST179 and ST59 was prevalent ST among infected eye isolates.
• Developed a multiplex PCR, a valuable procedure for rapid detection of mecA, czrC, qacA/B genes and identification of PVL-positive and -negative Staphylococcus aureus and CoNS from a variety of ocular samples.
• An MLST database on the PubMLST.org website was made available at http://pubmlst.org/shaemolyticus/ to study population structure of S. haemolyticus.
• Genetically diverse cholerae O1 containing Haiti ctxB allele that caused cholera outbreak in Silvassa, India, are undergoing global dissemination.
• Antharacene-based Ionic Liquids that showed anti-biofilm activity can be utilized to enhance the effectiveness of an antibacterial drug when used along with AnILBr.