• Staff Scientist V: National Institute for Plant Genome Research (2018- Present)
• Staff Scientist IV: National Institute for Plant Genome Research (2014-2018)
• Marie Curie Fellow: University of Oxford, UK (Sep 2012-Sep 2014)
• Scientific staff: University of Rostock Germany (Nov 2010-Aug 2012)
• Postdoctoral Fellow: Max Planck institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Germany (Nov 2007-Nov 2010)

• 2018-2020 DST-DAAD Fellow
• 2016: SERB Early Career Research Award
• 2015: Innovative Young Biotechnologist Award
• 2015: Ramanujan Fellowship from DST (not availed)
• 2014: Ramalingaswami Fellowship from DBT
• 2014: Hind Rattan Award NRI Welfare Society of India
• 2014: Hind Rattan Award NRI Welfare Society of India
• 2013: Listed in Marquis Who’s Who World 2013, 2014
• 2013: Listed in Marquis Who’s Who World 2013, 2014
• 2012: Presens OXYVIEW competition finalist
• 2012: Marie Curie Career Development Fellowship from European Union
• 2011: European Science Foundation: Short visit grant holder
• 2010: FEBS YTF travel grant
• 2007-2010: Postdoctoral Fellowship from German Research Foundation (DFG/SFB) at Max Planck Institute, Potsdam, Germany
• 2004-2007: Doctoral fellowship from German Research Foundation (DFG/SFB) in the research centre of mechanism of inter-specific interaction of organisms.
• 2004 January-2004 May: Short term fellowship from International Max Planck Research School, J   Jena, Germany

The functional role of nitric oxide in flooding stress:

Molecular oxygen is required for respiration in all aerobic organisms but oxygen levels are very low in some plant organs such as seeds, tubers and buds, where hypoxia is linked to quiescence. The release from hypoxia in these organs coincides with the transition of cells from the quiescent to the metabolically active state. In contrast, the hypoxia experienced by roots during flooding has deleterious effects on the tissues and can lead to cell death. Nitric oxide (NO), which is a powerful signalling molecule in plants and animals, is important in the release from seed dormancy and flooding tolerance but the mechanisms involved remain to be fully characterised. Our lab is currently working on to characterise the functions of NO in the adaptation to hypoxia and release from the hypoxic state, with a particular focus on the signalling functions of NO and reactive oxygen species (ROS) during the release of cells from the quiescent state in seeds and buds, and in roots subjected to flooding in the model plant species such as chickpea and tomato. Under oxygen limitation, regeneration of NAD+ for glycolysis is required for maintenance of a minimal ATP supply. Recent studies document that plants can fine tune oxygen consumption in response to low oxygen concentrations and maintain glycolysis by switching to alternative pathways for NAD+ regeneration, including nitrate reduction. The mechanisms that underlie this sensing and response to oxygen deprivation have not been fully elucidated. It is also not clear whether plants use NO as a major regulator of bioenergetics and oxygen homeostasis as animals are known to do. At present answering these questions is very important priority of our lab in order to achieve complete understanding of low oxygen sensing mechanisms and the metabolic adaptations to oxygen deprivation in plants. Our research in this line will provide new insights into these mechanisms and the metabolic adjustments associated with controlled use of carbohydrate and ATP during hypoxic survival. The knowledge gained from this project will help to develop plants with better survival and performance in areas suffering from frequent rainstorms and flooding. 

Role of nitrogen nutrition on plant pathogen Interactions:

Plants need nitrogen because it’s a major constituent of the plants. Nitrate and ammonium are the major N sources for the plants. Biological mineralization (complex chemical reactions) provides nitrate or ammonium to the plants. The application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer has been a major factor in modern high crop yields and must play a major role in meeting the food security agenda.  Ammonium as a N form of nitrogen enters into the soil via fixation of atmosphere nitrogen; decomposition of organic matter by bacteria and fungi, By nitrification pathway ammonium is oxidized to nitrite and further nitrate. Nitrate is a component of many primary and secondary metabolites. Pathogen attack represents a significant source of reduced crop yield, so that optimizing plant resistance to disease is equally important. In order to meet the challenge of allowing the maximizing the benefits of N fertiliser use whilst minimizing the effects of increased pathogen-susceptibility, We are investigating effect of N nutrition on plant resistance to pathogens. Our ongoing affords to generate various transgenic plants that have altered nitrate reductase activity, using these plant we will further investigate nitrate nutrition role under biotic stress. Most importantly we will examine examine N-flux in the plant and metabolomic analyses of plant-microbial exchanges in the apoplast to better understand how N type can influence pathogen virulence and plant resistance.  To determine how application of the non-pathogenic biocontrol fungus Trichoderma could increase both resistance and the efficiency of the use of certain types of fertilise

Maximizing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in crops by understanding a nitric oxide-mediated modulatory switch

Our lab in collaboration with IBERS, UK, will explore a novel method of increasing nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in crops to help meet the food security agenda. Nitric oxide is a product of nitrogen (N) metabolism but excess of NO production may suppress N uptake thereby acting as a negative feedback mechanism. Intrinsic to this feedback mechanism is the-suppression of nonsymbiotic haemoglobin (snHb) expression which would otherwise oxidize the excess of NO to NO3. In this context we will establish how snHb expression is regulated to modulate NO accumulation and further we will explore how NO modulates N-channels and NUE.

• Anders S, Pareek A, Pareek SL, Gupta KJ, Foyer CH (2020) Innovative plant breeding could deliver crop revolution. Nature. 577, 622
• Gupta KJ*, Mur LAJ, Wany A, Kumari A, Ferine AR, Ratcliffe R.G (2020) The role of nitrite and nitric oxide under low oxygen conditions in plants. New Phytologist (In Press)
• Gupta KJ*, Hancock JT, Petrivalsky M, Kolbert Z, Lindermayr C, Durner J, Barroso JB, Palma JM, Brouquisse R,  Wendehenne D, Corpas FJ, Loake GJ (2020) Recommendations on terminology and experimental best practice associated with plant nitric oxide research. New Phytologist (In Press)
• Florez-Sarasa I, Fernie AR, Gupta KJ (2020) Does the alternative respiratory pathway offer protection against the adverse effects resulting from climate change?. Journal of Experimental Botany (In Press)
• Kumari A, Pathak PK, Loake GJ, Gupta KJ (2019) The PHYTOGLOBIN-NO cycle regulates plant mycorrhizal symbiosis. Trends in Plant Science (In Press)
• Kolbert ZS, Barroso JB, Brouquisse R, Corpas FJ,  Gupta KJ, Lindermayr C, Loake GJ, Palma JM, Petřivalský M, Wendehenne D, Hancock JT (2019) A forty year journey: The generation and roles of NO in plants. Nitric Oxide (In Press)
• Lokesh V, Manjunatha G, Namratha SH, Bulle M, Bijesh P, Gupta KJ*, Neelwerne B* (2019) Polyamine induction in postharvest banana fruits in response to NO occurs via L–arginine mediated pathway and not via competitive diversion of S adenosyl-L-methionine. Antioxidants(In Press)
• Vishwakarma A,  Wany A, Pandey S, Bulle M,  Kumari A, Kishorekumar R, Igamberdiev AU , Mur LAJ , Gupta KJ (2019)  Current approaches to measure nitric oxide in plants. Journal of Experimental Botany (In Press)
• Hussain A, Wook Yun B, Kim JH, Gupta KJ, Hyun NI, and Loake GJ (2019) Novel and conserved functions of  S-nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) in tomato. Journal of Experimental Botany (In Press)
• Sen B, Rastogi A, Nath R, Shasthry M, Pamecha V, Pandey S, Gupta KJ, Sarin SK, Trehanpati N, Ramakrishna G (2019) "Senescent hepatocytes in decompensated liver show reduced UPRMT and its key player, CLPP, attenuates senescence in vitro. Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (In Press)
• Pandey S,  Kumari A, Manu Shree, Kumar V, Singh P, Bharadwaj C, Loake GJ,  Parida SK, Masakapalli SK, Gupta KJ (2019) Nitric oxide accelerates germination via the regulation of respiration in chickpea. Journal of Experimental Botany. (In Press)
• Mur LAJ, Kumari A, Brotman Y, Zeier J, Mandon J, Cristescu S, Harren F, Kaiser WM, Fernie AR, Gupta KJ (2019) Nitrite and nitric oxide are important in the adjustment of primary metabolism during the hypersensitive response in tobacco. Journal of Experimental Botany (In Press)
• Wany A, Gupta AK, Kumari , Mishra S, Singh N, Pandey S, Vanvari R, Igamberdiev AU, Fernie AR, Gupta KJ (2019) Nitrate nutrition influences multiple factors in order to increase energy efficiency under hypoxia in Arabidopsis. Annals of Botany (In Press)
• Mohanapriya G, Bharadwaj R, Noceda C, Costa JH, Kumar SR, Sathishkumar R, Thiers KLL, Santos Macedo E, Silva S, Annicchiarico P, Groot SP, Kodde J, Kumari A, Gupta KJ and Arnholdt-Schmitt B (2019) Alternative Oxidase (AOX) Senses Stress Levels to Coordinate Auxin-Induced Reprogramming From Seed Germination to Somatic Embryogenesis—A Role Relevant for Seed Vigor Prediction and Plant Robustness. Frontiers in Plant Science 10:1134
• Vega-Mas I , Rossi MT , Gupta KJ, González-Murua  , R.G. Ratcliffe  , Estavillo JM , González-Moro MB (2019) Tomato roots exhibit in vivo glutamate dehydrogenase aminating capacity in response to excess ammonium supply. Journal of Plant Physiology (In Press)
• Kumari A,  Pathak PK, Bulle M, Igamberdiev AU, Gupta KJ (2019) Alternative oxidase is an important player in the regulation of nitric oxide levels under normoxic and hypoxic conditions in plants. Journal of Experimental Botany (In Press)
• Wany A, Foyer CH, Gupta KJ (2018) Nitrate, NO and ROS Signaling in Stem Cell Homeostasis. Trends in Plant Science (In Press)
• Vishwakarma A, Kumari A, Mur LAJ, Gupta KJ (2018) A discrete role for alternative oxidase under hypoxia to increase nitric oxide and drive energy production. Free Radical Biology and Medicine ,122:40-51.
• Gupta KJ*, Kumari A, Florez-Sarasa I, Fernie AR, Igamberdiev AU (2018) Interaction of Nitric Oxide with the Components of Plant Mitochondrial Electron Transport Chain. Journal of Experimental Botany ,69 (14),3413-3424.
• Berger A, Brouquisse R,  Pathak P K Hichri I,  Inderjit,  Bhatia S,  Boscari A,  Igamberdiev, AU,  Gupta KJ (2018) Pathways of nitric oxide metabolism and operation of phytoglobins in legume nodules: missing links and future directions Plant Cell & Environment,41(9)2057-2068.
• Wany A, Gupta KJ (2018) Reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide production and antioxidant gene expression during development of aerenchyma formation in wheat. Plant Signalling & behaviour,13 (2),3002-17.
• Wany A, Kumari A, Gupta KJ (2017) Nitric oxide is essential for the development of aerenchyma in wheat roots under hypoxic stress. Plant Cell and Environment 40: 3002-3017
• Pandey S, Kumari A and Gupta KJ (2017) Measurement of Respiration and Internal Oxygen in Germinating Cicer arietinum L. seeds Using Micro sensor. Methods in Molecular Biology 1670: 57-62.
• Pathak PK and Gupta KJ (2017) Using an Oxygen Microsensor to Measure Oxygen Dynamics in Tomato Plants in Response to Pseudomonas syringe Infection. Methods in Molecular Biology 1670: 63-69.
• Gupta KJ, Lee CP, Ratcliffe RG (2017) Nitrite protects mitochondrial structure and function under hypoxia. Plant and Cell Physiology 58 (1): 175-183
• Kumari A, Preston G, Gupta KJ (2017) Measurement of Oxygen Status in Arabidopsis Leaves Undergoing Hypersensitive Response During Pseudomonas Infection. Methods in Molecular Biology 1670: 71-76.
• Pandey S, Kumari A, Gupta KJ (2017) Isolation of physiologically active and intact mitochondria from chickpea. Methods in Molecular Biology 1670: 77-85.
• Mur LAJ, Simpson C, Kumari A, Gupta A, Gupta KJ (2017) Moving nitrogen to the centre of plant defence against pathogens. Annals of Botany 19 (5): 703-709
• Vishwakarma A and Gupta KJ (2017) Isolation and Structural Studies of Mitochondria from Pea Roots. Methods in Molecular Biology 1670: 87-95
• Kumari A and Gupta KJ (2017) VisiSens Technique to Measure Internal Oxygen and Respiration in Barley Roots. Methods in Molecular Biology 1670: 39-45.
• Gupta KJ. Igamberdiev A U (2016) Reactive nitrogen species in mitochondria and their implications in plant energy status and hypoxic stress tolerance. Frontiers in Plant Science 7: 369
• Wany A and Gupta KJ (2016) Localisation of nitric oxide in wheat roots by DAF fluorescence. Methods in Molecular Biology 1424: 39-49
• Gupta AK, Kumari A, Mishra S, Wany A, and Gupta KJ. (2016) The functional role of nitric oxide in plant mitochondrial metabolism. Advances in Botanical Research 77: 145-163
• Kumari A, Wany A, Mishra S, Gupta AK, Gupta KJ (2016) Nitric oxide measurement from purified enzymes and estimation of scavenging activity by gas phase chemlimunimescence. Methods in Molecular Biology 1424: 31-38
• Wany A, Gupta AK, Kumari A, Gupta S, Mishra S, Jaintu R, Pathak PK,   Gupta KJ (2016) Chemiluminescence dectection of nitric oxide from roots, leaves and root mitochondria. Methods in Molecular Biology 1424:15-29
• Royo B, Moran JF, Ratcliffe RG, Gupta KJ (2015) Nitric oxide induces the alternative oxidase pathway in Arabidopsis seedlings deprived of inorganic phosphate. Journal of Experimental Botany 66: 6273-80

• Horn R, Gupta KJ, Colomobo N (2014) Mitochondrion role in molecular basis of cytoplasmic male sterility. Mitochondrion 19: 198-205.
• Gupta KJ, Mur LAJ, Ratcliffe RG (2014) Guarding the guard cells? New Phytologist. 203: 349-351.
• Gupta KJ, Brotman Y., Mur L.A.J. (2014) Localisation and quantification of reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide in Arabidopsis roots in response to fungal infection. Bio Protocols (Online).
• Gupta KJ, Hebelstrup KH, Kruger NJ, Ratcliffe RG (2014) Nitric oxide is required for homeostasis of oxygen and reactive oxygen species in barley roots under aerobic conditions. Molecular Plant 7: 747-750.
• Gupta KJ, Mur L, Brotman Y. (2014) Trichoderma asperelloides suppresses nitric oxide generation elicited by Fusarium oxysporum in Arabidopsis roots. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions. 27: 307-314.
• Igamberdiev AU, Ratcliffe RG, Gupta KJ. (2014). Plant mitochondria: Source and target for nitric oxide. Mitochondrion. 19: 329-333.
• Gupta KJ, Brotman Y, Segu S, Zeier T, Zeier J, Persijn ST, Cristescu SM, Harren FJM, Bauwe H, Fernie A.R. (2013) The form of nitrogen nutrition affects resistance against Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola in tobacco. Journal of Experimental Botany (64): 553-568.
• Gupta KJ, and Igamberdiev AU (2013) Recommendations of using at least two different methods for measuring NO. Frontiers in Plant Science 4
• Mur LAJ, Hebelstrup KH, Gupta KJ (2013) Striking a balance: does nitrate uptake and metabolism regulate both NO generation and scavenging? Frontiers in Plant Science 4: 288.
• Mur LAJ, Mandon J, Persijn S, Cristescu SM, Moshkov IE, Novikova GV, Hall MA, Harren FJM, Hebelstrup KH, Gupta KJ (2013) Nitric oxide in plants: an assessment of the current state of knowledge. AoB Plants 5.
• Gupta KJ., Shah JK, Brotman Y, Jahnke K, Willmitzer L, Kaiser WM, Bauwe H, Igamberdiev AU (2012) Inhibition of aconitase by nitric oxide leads to induction of the alternative oxidase and to a shift of metabolism towards biosynthesis of amino acids. Journal of Experimental Botany 963: 1773-1784..
• Gupta KJ, Igamberdiev AU, Mur LAJ (2012) NO and ROS homeostasis in mitochondria: a central role for alternative oxidase. New Phytologist 195: 1-3.
• Manjunatha G, Gupta KJ, Lokesh V, Mur LA, Neelwarne B. (2012) Nitric oxide counters ethylene effects on ripening fruits. Plant Signal Behaviour 7: 476-483.
• Gupta KJ, HebelstrupKH, Mur LAJ, Igamberdiev AU (2011) Plant hemoglobins: important players at the crossroads between oxygen and nitric oxide. FEBS letters 585: 3843-3849.
• Engel N, Ewald R, Gupta KJ, Zrenner R, Hagemann M, Bauwe H (2011) The pre sequence of Arabidopsis serine hydroxymethyltransferase SHM2 selectively prevents import into mesophyll mitochondria. Plant Physiology 157: 1711-1720.
• Ramirez-Aguilar SJ, Keuthe M, Rocha M, Fedyaev VV, Kramp K, Gupta KJ, Rasmusson AG, Schulze WX, van Dongen J.T. (2011). The composition of plant mitochondrial super complexes changes with oxygen availability. Journal of Biol Chem 286: 43045-43053.
• Gupta KJ (2011) Protein S-nitrosylation in plants: photorespiratory metabolism and NO signaling. Science Signaling 154 jc1.
• Gupta KJ, Fernie AR, Kaiser WM, van Dongen JT (2011) On the origins of nitric oxide. Trends in Plant Science16:160-168.
• Van Dongen JT, Gupta KJ, Ramírez-Aguilar SJ, Araujo WJ, Nunes-Nesi A, Fernie AR (2011) Regulation of respiration in plants: A role for alternative metabolic pathways. Journal of Plant Physiology 168:1434-1443.
• Gupta KJ, Hincha D.K., Mur L.A.J. (2011) NO way to treat a cold. New Phytologist. 189: 360-363..
• Manjunatha G, Lokesh SV, Neelwarne B, Singh Z, Gupta KJ (2011) Nitric oxide applications for quality enhancement of horticulture produce. Horticulture reviews 42.
• Gupta KJ, Igamberdiev A.U. (2011) The anoxic mitochondrion as nitrite: NO reductase. Mitochondrion 11: 537-543.
• Gupta KJ, Igamberdiev AU, Manjunatha G, Segu S, Moran JF, Neelawarne B, Bauwe H, Kaiser WM (2011) The emerging roles of nitric oxide (NO) in plant mitochondria. Plant Science181: 520-6.
• Gupta KJ, Bauwe H, Mur LAJ (2011) Nitric Oxide, Nitrate Reductase and UV-B tolerance. Tree Physiology 31: 795–797.
• Brotman Y, Gupta KJ, Vetribo A. (2010) Trichoderma: Quick Guide. Current Biology 20: 390-391.
• Gupta KJ, and Kaiser WM (2010) Production and scavenging of nitric oxide by barley root mitochondria. Plant and Cell Physiology 51: 576-584.
• Gupta KJ, and Igamberdiev AU (2010) Kudzu invasion leads to NOx increase and ozone pollution: unravelling possible mechanisms. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) 107: E 153..
• Gupta KJ, Igamberdiev AU, Kaiser WM,(2010) New insights into the mitochondrial nitric oxide production pathways. Plant Signalling and Behaviour. 5: 999–1001.
• Zabalza A, van Dongen JT, Froehlich A, Oliver S, Faix ., Gupta KJ, Schmalzlin E, Igal M, Orcaray L, Royuela M, Geigenberger P. (2009) Regulation of respiration and fermentation to control plant internal oxygen concentration. Plant Physiology 149: 1087-1098.
• Rumer S, Gupta KJ, Kaiser WM.(2009) Plant cells oxidize hydroxylamines to NO. Journal of Experimental Botany 60: 2065-72.
• Gupta KJ, Zabalza A, van Dongen JT (2009) Regulation of respiration when the oxygen availability changes. Plant Physiology 137: 383-391.
• Rümer S, Gupta KJ, Kaiser WM (2009) Oxidation of hydroxylamine to NO by plant cells. Plant Signalling and Behaviour 4: 853-855.
• Stoimenova M, Igamberdev AU, Gupta KJ, Hill R.D. (2007) Nitrite driven anaerobic ATP synthesis by barley and rice root mitochondria. Planta 226: 465-474.
• Planchet E, Gupta KJ, Sonoda M, Kaiser WM (2005) Nitric oxide emission from  tobacco leaves and cell suspensions: rate-limiting factors and evidence for the involvement of mitochondrial electron transport. The Plant Journal 41: 732–743..
• Gupta KJ, Stoimenova M, Kaiser WM (2005) In higher plants, only root mitochondria, but not leaf mitochondria reduce nitrite to NO, in vitro and in situ. Journal of Experimental Botany 56: 2601-9.