Career
- Director, National Institute for Plant Genome Research (2020-Present)
- Staff Scientist VII, National Institute for Plant Genome Research (2015-2020)
- Staff Scientist VI, National Institute for Plant Genome Research (2011-2015)
- Staff Scientist V, National Institute for Plant Genome Research (2007-2011)
- Staff Scientist IV, National Institute for Plant Genome Research (2003-2007)
- Staff Scientist III, National Institute for Plant Genome Research (2000-2003)
- Staff Scientist II, National Institute for Plant Genome Research (1998-2000)
- Research Scientist, Jawaharlal Nehru University (1997-1998)
Awards and Honours
Research
Our research is focused in three main areas: Nutritional Genomics, Plant Immunity & Stress Genomics, and delayed fruit softening.
Nutritional Genomics
Our aim is to improve the nutritional quality of important food crops since the nutritional health of humans predominantly depends on pant food. As part of protein quality improvement program, we have cloned a seed albumin gene AmA1 from Amaranthus hypochondriacus and developed protein-rich transgenic potato. Currently, our laboratory is developing transgenic cereals using this novel gene for protein quality improvement. Alternatively, for removal of antinutrient element, we focus on oxalate toxicity as it is the major dietary factor involved in kidney related diseases. Towards this end, an oxalate degrading enzyme, oxalate decarboxylase is being used to develop low-oxalate transgenic plants. Also, we are developing enabling technologies for transforming oxalate-rich fruits and vegetables with oxalate decarboxylase.
Stress Genomics
A second area of our interest is Stress Genomics in plants with specific emphasis to fungal pathogenicity. Plants frequently encounter different biotic stresses that adversely affect growth, development and more importantly the overall productivity. Stress signals perceived by plant cells leads to changes in gene expression profiles that dictate how cells overcome these stresses. Oxalic acid is a potent elicitor in fungal pathogenicity in many crop plants. We have developed fungal resistant transgenic tomato plants that express oxalate decarboxylase. Our current interest is to unravel the role of oxalate decarboxylase in fungal tolerance. In addition, we are identifying resistant gene candidates and defense mechanism of plants in response to fungal wilt. Our laboratory is developing a genome wide transcriptome of legume against Fusarium wilt to study stress perception, differential gene expression and thereby changes in metabolic responses. Our aim is to understand the biological and pathophysiological role of differentially expressed gene/s that control fungal pathogens. The ultimate goal is to use few novel genes for developing transgenic crops with improved fungal tolerance. A third area of our research is to investigate the regulation of fruit softening using tomato as a model system. We are interested in enhancing shelf-life of fruits and vegetables because delay in fruit softening is the key regulatory mechanism to control their spoilage. Experimental approaches include softening related gene mining and developing knock-out transgenic plants for the candidate genes.
The tools used in our laboratory are molecular biology, biochemistry, Microarray, RNA Seq., Proteomic technology, Computational biology and genetic transformation.
Selected Publications
Book Chapters
- Pandey A, Chakraborty S and Chakraborty N (2018). Nuclear proteome: isolation of intact nuclei, extraction of nuclear proteins, and 2-de analysis. In Plant Membrane Proteomics. Eds. H. Mock A. Matros and K. Witzel, Humana Press, New York, NY, pp. 41-55.
- Narula K, Aggarwal PR, Chakraborty N and Chakraborty S (2016a)Plant fungus interaction proteomics: An update. In G.H. Salekdeh (ed.) Agricultural Proteomics Volume 2 (pp. 227-250) Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
- Narula K, Sinha A, Haider T, Chakraborty N and Chakraborty S (2016b)Seed proteomics: An overview. In G.H. Salekdeh (ed.) Agricultural Proteomics Volume 1 (pp. 31-52) Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.
- Narula K, Elagamy E, Datta A, Chakraborty N and Chakraborty S (2012) Comparative analyses of extracellular matrix proteome: An under-explored area in plant research. InA. Goyal(ed.)Crop Plants (pp. 145-166), Janeza Tradine, Croatia: InTech.
- Chakraborty S, Pandey A, Datta A and Chakraborty N (2008) Nucleus.InG.K. Agrawal and R. Rakwa(eds.)Plant Proteomics: Technology, Strategies, and Applications (pp. 327-338)John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S and Datta A (2005) Nutritional genomics: Commitment to society. In P. Tandon, M. Sharma and R. Swarup (eds.) Biodiversity: Status and Prospects (pp.35-42), New Delhi: Narosa Publishing House Pvt. Ltd.
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S and Datta A (2005) Designer GM potato with increased nutritive value. In JS Singh and VP Sharma (eds.) Glimpses of the work on environment and development in India (pp.269-272), New Delhi: Angkor Publishers (P) Ltd.
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Kesarwani M, Mohammad A and Datta A (1998) Increased nutritive and qualitative value of transgenic plants expressing genes specifying amaranth seed albumin and Collybia oxalate decarboxylase. In K.T. Shao (eds.) Frontiers in Biology: The Challenges of Biodiversity Biotechnology. (pp 125-131), Taipei: Academia Sinica.
- Mehta A, Natarajan K, Raina A, Biswas S, Chakraborty N and Datta A (1997) Molecular analysis of genes encoding Amaranthus seed specific protein and Collybia oxalate decarboxylase to develop transgenic plants. Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology. In K.K. Tiwari and G.S. Singhal (eds.), (pp 321-326) New Delhi: Narosa Publishing House.
Patents
US Patents
- Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Datta A, Asraf N, Basu S, Nag P and Singh M (2015) Polynucleotides derived from chickpea and uses thereof (US Patent No. 9,163,255).
- Datta, A., Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Meli, V, Ghosh, S. (2015). Polynucleotide Sequence of fruit Softening Associated B-D-N-Acetylhexosaminidase and its uses for enhancing fruit shelf life (US Patent No. 8,987,556)
- Datta, A., Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Meli, V, Ghosh, S. (2015). Polynucleotide sequence of fruit softening associated α-mannosidase and its uses for enhancing fruit shelf life (US Patent No. 8,962,918).
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Datta A, Wardhan V and Jahan K. Polynucleotide encoding CaTLP1 protein and uses thereof. (US No.14/399,706). Published by USPTO on 07/05/2015 (US20150128305 A1).
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Jaiswal DK, Mishra P, Subba P and Rathi D. Method of producing stress tolerant plants overexpressing CaSUN1. (US No. 14/588,737). Published by USPTO on 02/07/2015 (US20150184190 A1).
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Verma JK, Gayali S, Dass S and Kumar A. (2015) Method of producing stress tolerant plants overexpressing OsAlba1. (US No.20,150,247,161). Published by USPTO on 03/09/2015 (US20150247161 A1).
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Datta A and Bhushan D. (2012) Extracellular matrix localized ferritin-1 for iron uptake, storage, and stress tolerance (US patent No. 8,163,977).
- Datta A, Raina A and Biswas S. (1998) Method of making seed specific DNA (US Patent No. 5,846,736)
- Datta A, Raina A and Biswas S. (1997) Seed storage protein with nutritionally balanced amino acid composition (US Patent No. 5670635).
PCT Patents
- Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Datta A, Asraf N, Basu S, Nag P and Singh M (2017) Polynucleotides derived from chickpea and uses thereof for improving immunity to fungal pathogens (CP No. 2,772,654).
- Chakraborty, N., Chakraborty, S., Wardhan, V., Rathi, D., Gupta. S. (2017). Method of generating stress tolerant plant over-expressing CaRRP1, reagents and uses thereof (WO2017098530 A1).
- Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Datta A, Ashraf N, Basu S, Nag P and Singh M (2016) Polynucleotides derived from chickpea and uses thereof (EP No. 2470663).
- Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Datta A, Asraf N, Basu S, Nag P and Singh M (2015) Polynucleotides derived from chickpea and uses thereof (APA No. 2010288112).
- Datta A, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N and Meli V (2014) Polynucleotide Sequence of fruit Softening Associated B-D-N-Acetylhexosaminidase and its uses for enhancing fruit shelf life (EP-2315830)
- Datta A, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Ghosh S and Meli SV (2015) Polynucleotide sequence of fruit softening associated α-mannosidase and its uses for enhancing fruit shelf life (EP 2315835).
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Datta A, Wardhan V and Jahan K (2014) Polynucleotide encoding CaTLP1 and uses thereof (WO2013168181 A1).
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Datta A and Bhushan D (2013) Extracellular matrix localized ferritin-1 for iron uptake, storage, and stress tolerance (WO 2007141808 A2).
- Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Datta A, Asraf N, Basu S, Nag P and Singh M (2011) Polynucleotides derived from chickpea and uses thereof (WO2011024207A3).
Indian Patents
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Wardhan V, Rathi D, Gupta S (2015) Method of generating stress tolerant plant over-expressing CaRRP1, reagents and uses thereof [IPA No.3983/DEL/2015
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Verma JK, Dass S, Gayali S, Kumar A, Praveen S (2014) A method of producing stress tolerant plants over-expressing OsAlba1 [IPA No. 3759/DEL/2013].
- Datta A, Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Kamthan M and Kamthan A (2014). Polynucleotide Associated with Ergosterol Biosynthesis and uses thereof [IPA-925/DEL/2014].
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Jaiswal DK, Mishra P, Subba P and Rathi D (2014) A method of producing stress tolerant plants (IPA No. 8/DEL/2014).
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Verma JK, Gayali S, Dass S and Kumar A (2013) A method of producing stress tolerance rice plants (IPA No. 3759/DEL/2013).
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Datta A, Wardhan V and Jahan K (2012) Polynucleotide encoding CaTLP1 and uses thereof (IPA No.1406/DEL/2012)
- Datta A, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Kamthan M and Kamthan A (2012) Polynucleotide sequence of an ergosterol biosynthesis enzyme ∆7-sterol-C-5-desaturase and uses thereof (IPA No. 3671/DEL/2012).
- Datta A, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Ghosh S and Meli SV (2010) Polynucleotide sequence of fruit softening associated α-mannosidase and its uses for enhancing fruit shelf life (IPA No.1647/DEL/2008). Published by Indian Patent Office on 16.04.2010.
- Datta A, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty N, Ghosh S and Meli SV (2010) Polynucleotide sequence of fruit softening associated β-D-N-acetyhexosaminidase and its uses for enhancing fruit shelf life (IPA No.1648/DEL/2008). Published by Indian Patent Office on 23.04.2010.
- Chakraborty S, Datta A, Chakraborty N, Asraf N and Basu S (2009) Functional genomics and stress responsive polynucloetides from chickpea (IPA No.1565/DEL/2009).
- Chakraborty N, Chakraborty S, Datta A and Bhushan D (2006) Extracellular matrix localized ferritin-1 for iron uptake, storage, and stress tolerance (IPA No.1371/DEL/2006).