Career

• July 2014 - present : Staff Scientist IV, National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi.
• Mar 2011 - July 2014 : Staff Scientist III, National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi.
• Jun 2008 - Jul 2010 : Visiting Scientist at Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, USA.
• Mar 2007 - Feb 2011 : Staff Scientist II, National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi.
• Jan 2006 - Feb 2007 : Research Scientist, Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP), University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi.
• Feb 2005 - Dec 2005 : Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Genetics, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi.

Awards and Honors

• S. Ramachandran-National Bioscience Award for Career Development (2019)
• NASI- Scopus Young Scientist Award -Agriculture (2017)
• National Academy of Agriculture Science-Associate (2017)
• Max Planck India Fellow (2012-2016)
• DBT-Innovative Young Biotechnology Award (2012)
• NIPGR-Short Term Overseas Fellowship: Visiting Scientist at Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, USA (2008-2010)
• INSA Young Scientist Medal - Agriculture Biotechnology (2007)
• Editorial board member: Frontier in Plant Science, Nature Scientific Reports, Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants

Lab News

• March 2018: Lab receives Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) financial support for event selection trial and compositional analysis of low glucosinolate mustard
• September 17-20, 2017: Bisht is a speaker at the 4th International Glucosinolate Conference in  Berlin, Germany
• Glucosinolate research of Bisht’s lab receives Best Poster Awards in The India International Science Festival for two successive years (2016 & 2017)
• Dr. Rehna Augustine work on developing low glucosinolate mustard has received national accolade including Young Scientist Medal from INSA (2015), NASI (2016) and Jawaharlal Nehru Award (2015) in Plant Biotechnology for outstanding Doctoral Thesis research in Agricultural and Allied Sciences by ICAR, New Delhi.

Research Interest

(A) Investigating the molecular genetic mechanism of glucosinolates biosynthesis and transport processes in Brassica crops

Glucosinolates are a group of amino acid-derived plant secondary metabolites distinctive to the order Capparales, which includes agriculturally important Brassica vegetables, condiments and oilseed crops and the model species Arabidopsis thaliana. Glucosinolates and their hydrolytic compounds (thiocyanates, isothiocynates and nitriles) possess wide range of biological activities in nature including antimicrobial, insect-repellent, anti-carcinogenic and anti-oxidant properties. However, high amount of glucosinolates (and also erucic acid) in Brassica oilseeds is known to be anti-nutritional and reduces the meal palatability. Ironically, till date, no productive and agronomically viable low glucosinolate line has been reported in Indian oilseed mustard (Brassica juncea), as the trait follows a complex inheritance and the breeding approaches are encumbered by linkage-drags. In the quest to improve flavour and nutritional qualities of Brassica crops and to boost plant protection, the major thrust area of my laboratory is to understand the genetic and biochemical basis of glucosinolates biosynthesis and transport in Indian oilseed mustard. Through targeted silencing of a key transcriptional regulator (BjMYB28), we reported development of low glucosinolate transgenic mustard lines. In addition, we are also investigating the role of key players regulating the source-sink relationship in glucosinolate transport process, which can be manipulated to engineer the tissue specific accumulation of glucosinolates while maintaining plant fitness in Brassica crops.

(B) Intricacies of G-protein signalling in allotetraploid Brassica juncea

The heterotrimeric G-protein signaling, comprising Gα, Gβ and Gγ subunits, is an evolutionarily conserved-signaling cascade that is known to integrate a wide range of signals related to various plant growth and developmental morphologies, multiple hormones, environmental sensing, biotic and abiotic stresses, thereby regulating overall fitness. Brassica crop play an important role in global agriculture and human health. However, our understanding of the key signaling intricacies involved in plant growth and development and in responses to various environmental cues is sparse in Brassica crops due to their inherent polyploidy and complex genome architecture, and needs immediate attention. Initial studies in our lab revealed that whole genome triplication events in the Brassica lineage (dated around 13-17 mya) had proportionally increased the inventory of the Gβ and Gγ, but not of the Gα subunit. Further, co-expression and interaction analysis have revealed functional selectivity of G-protein subunit genes in polyploid Brassica species. Much of our work is devoted to see the sub-functionalization and neo-functionalization of multiple G-protein subunit genes in Brassica species. This will strengthen our current knowledge of G-protein functions during plant development and stress responses, which hopefully will translate into improvements in crop architecture for increased harvest index.

We are growing and NCB Lab welcomes you ......

Group Members

	Dr. Roshan Kumar Research Fellow Email: kumarroshan08@gmail.com  Research: 1) Understanding of RGS mediated heterotrimeric G-protein regulation in Brassica crops 2) Understanding of regulatory network involved in primary and secondary metabolism in Brassica species
	Ms. Deepti M. Nambiar Ph.D. scholar- August 2012 onwards Email: deepti.m.nambiar@gmail.com Research: Investigating the sub-functionalization of glucosinolate transporters in polyploid Brassica species
	Mr. Pawan Kumar Ph.D. scholar - August 2013 onwards Email: pawan@nipgr.ac.in  Research: Glucosinolates and their potential role in plant defence
	Ms. Juhi Kumari PhD scholar – August 2015 onwards Email: juhi.parmar30@gmail.com Research: Tissue specific manipulation of glucosinolate transport in Brassica juncea
	Ms. Ruchi Tiwari PhD scholar – August 2016 onwards Email: ruchi@nipgr.ac.in  Research: Functional characterization of G-protein signalling in plants
	Ms. Aprajita Sharma Project JRF Email: aprajitasharma67@gmail.com Research: Improved strategies for genome editing in polyploid Brassica species
	Mr. Shailendra Kharwal Technical Staff Gr. III Email: shail2385@nipgr.ac.in Technical assistance to lab researchers and managing project related activities
	Mr. Vinod Kumar Multitasking Staff Email: vinodkumar868@gmail.com Supporting various lab and field related activities including phenotypic and metabolite analysis of Brassica germplasm & transgenic events

Former Group Members

	Dr. Rehna Augustine (Ph. D.) PhD students and Research Associate, 2007-2017 Current: Research Scientist Agrigenome Labs, Kochi Email: rehna.nipgr@gmail.com
	Dr. Prabodh Kumar (Ph. D.) SERB-NPDF, 2016-18 Current: Postdoc Fellow, ARO, Israel Email: prabodhbajpai@hotmail.com
	Dr. Gulab C. Arya SRF-DBT-IYBA project Research: Functional characterization of heterotrimeric Gβ and Gγ subunit genes in Brassica species Email: garya56@gmail.com
	Dr. Ruby Chandna Research Associate, 2011-2012 Email: rubychandna@gmail.com
	Ms. Praveena Kanchupati-Challa PhD-JRF, 2009-2011 Current: Postdoc Fellow, South Dakota State University, USA Email: praveenakanchupati5@gmail.com
	Dr. Meenu Research Associate, 2009-2011 Email: meenu224@rediffmail.com

Selected Publications

Patent:

• Bisht NC, Jagannath A, Gupta V, Burma PK and Pental D. A novel method for obtaining improved fertility restorer lines for transgenic male-sterile crop plants and a DNA construct for use in said method. US Patent 7741541 (granted on 22.06.2010); Indian Patent 238973 (granted on 03.03.2010); European Patent 1644506 (granted on 09.09.2009).
• Bisht NC and Augustine R. Compositions and methods for production of transgenic plants having reduced glucosinolate levels. Indian Patent Application no. 363/DEL/2012 (filed).

Publications (in chronological order):

• Kumar R, Lee SL, Augustine R, Reichelt M, Vassão DG, Palavalli MH, Allen A, Gershenzon J, Jez JM, Bisht NC (2019) Molecular basis of the evolution of methylthioalkylmalate synthase and diversity of methionine-derived glucosinolates. The Plant Cell
• Bajpai PK, Reichelt M, Augustine R, Gershenzon J, Bisht NC (2019). Heterotic patterns of primary and secondary metabolites in the oilseed crop Brassica juncea. Heredity (In Press).
• Augustine R, Bisht NC (2019) Targeted silencing of genes in polyploids: lessons learned from Brassica juncea-glucosinolate system. Plant Cell Reports 38: 51-57.
• Kumar R, Bisht NC (2018) Duplicated RGS (Regulator of G-protein signaling) proteins exhibit conserved biochemical but differential transcriptional regulation of heterotrimeric G-protein signaling in Brassica species. Scientific Reports 8: 2176
• Kumar P, Augustine R, Singh AK, Bisht NC (2017) Feeding behaviour of generalist pests on Brassica juncea: implication for manipulation of glucosinolate biosynthesis pathway for enhanced resistance Plant, Cell & Environment 40: 2109-20
• Kumar R, Sharma A, Chandel I and Bisht NC (2017) Pattern of expression and interaction specificity of multiple G-protein beta (Gβ) subunit isoforms with their potential target proteins reveal functional dominance of BjuGβ1 in the allotetraploid Brassica juncea. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 118: 22-30.
• Pandey C, Augustine R, Panthri M, Zia I, Bisht NC and Gupta M (2017) Arsenic affects the production of glucosinolate, thiol and phytochemical compounds: A comparison of two Brassica cultivars. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry 111: 144-154.
• Chandna R, Augustine R, Kanchupati P,Kumar R,Kumar P, Arya GC and Bisht NC (2016) Class-specific evolution and transcriptional differentiation of 14-3-3 family members in mesohexaploid Brassica rapa. Frontiers in Plant Science 7: 12.
• Augustine R and Bisht NC (2015) Biofortification of oilseed Brassica juncea with the anti-cancer compound glucoraphanin by suppressing GSL-ALK gene family. Scientific Reports 5: 18005.
• Augustine R, Bisht NC (2015) Biotic elicitors and mechanical damage modulate glucosinolate accumulation by co-ordinated interplay of glucosinolate biosynthesis regulators in polyploid Brassica juncea. Phytochemistry 117: 43-50.
• Bisht NC, Jagannath A, Augustine R, Burma PK, Gupta V, Pradhan AK, Pental D (2015) Effective restoration of male-sterile (barnase) lines requires overlapping and higher levels of barstar expression: A multi-generation field analysis in Brassica juncea. Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology 24: 393-399
• Meenu, Augustine R, Majee M, Pradhan AK, Bisht NC (2015) Genomic origin, expression differentiation and regulation of multiple genes encoding CYP83A1, a key enzyme for core glucosinolate biosynthesis, from the allotetraploid Brassica juncea. Planta 241: 651-665.
• Gupta S, Malviya N, Kushwaha H, Nasim J, Bisht NC, Singh VK, Yadav D (2015) Insights into structural and functional diversity of Dof (DNA binding with one finger) transcription factor. Planta 241: 549-562.
• Malviya N, Gupta S, Singh VK, Yadav MK, Bisht NC, Sarangi BK, Yadav D (2015) Genome wide in silico characterization of Dof gene families of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L) Millsp.). Molecular Biology Reports 42: 535-552.
• Gupta S, Kushwaha H, Singh VK, Bisht NC, Sarangi BK and Yadav D (2014) Genome wide in silico characterization of Dof transcription factor gene family of sugarcane and its comparative phylogenetic analysis with Arabidopsis, rice and sorghum. Sugar Technology 16: 372-384.
• Kumar R, Arya GC, Bisht NC (2014) Differential expression and interaction specificity of the heterotrimeric G-protein family in Brassica nigra reveal their developmental- and condition-specific roles. Plant and Cell Physiology 55:1954-68.
• Arya GC, Kumar R, Bisht NC (2014) Evolution, expression differentiation and interaction specificity of heterotrimeric G-protein subunit gene family in the mesohexaploid Brassica rapa. PLoS One. 9: e105771.
• Augustine R, Arya GC, Nambiar DM, Kumar R, Bisht NC (2014) Translational genomics in Brassica crops: challenges, progress, and future prospects. Plant Biotechnology Reports 8: 65-81.
• Augustine R, Majee M, Gershenzon J, Bisht NC (2013) Four genes encoding MYB28, a major transcriptional regulator of aliphatic glucosinolate pathway, are differentially expressed in the allopolyploid Brassica juncea. Journal of Experimental Botany 64: 4907-21.
• Augustine R, Mukhopadhyay A, Bisht NC (2013) Targeted silencing of BjMYB28 transcription factor gene directs development of low glucosinolate lines in oilseed Brassica juncea. Plant Biotechnology Journal 11: 855-66.
• Kushwaha H, Gupta S, Singh VK, Bisht NC, Sarangi BK, Yadav D (2013) Cloning, in silico characterization and prediction of three dimensional structure of SbDof1, SbDof19, SbDof23 and SbDof24 proteins from sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench]. Molecular Biotechnology 54: 1-12.
• Choudhury SR, Westfall CS, Laborde JP, Bisht NC, Jez JM, Pandey S (2012) Two chimeric Regulator of G-protein Signaling (RGS) proteins differentially regulate soybean heterotrimeric G-protein cycle. Journal of Biological Chemistry 287: 17870-81.
• Chandna R, Augustine R, Bisht NC (2012) Evaluation of candidate reference genes for gene expression normalization in Brassica juncea using real time quantitative RT-PCR. PLoS One e36918.
• Dubey AK, Yadav S, Anand G, Bisht NC, Yadav D (2012) Insights to sequences of PCR amplified pectin lyase genes from different fungal strains. Online Journal of Bioinformatics 13: 80-92.
• Korekar G, Sharma RK, Kumar R, Meenu, Bisht NC, Srivastava RB, Ahuja PS, Stobdan T (2012) Identification and validation of sex-linked SCAR markers in dioecious Hippophae rhamnoides L. (Elaeagnaceae). Biotechnology Letters 34: 973-8.
• Choudhury SR, Bisht NC, Thompson R, Todorov O, Pandey S. (2011) Conventional and novel Gγ protein families constitute the heterotrimeric G-protein signaling network in soybean. PLoS One 6: e23361
• Bisht NC, Jez JM, Pandey S (2011) An elaborate heterotrimeric G-protein family from soybean expands the diversity of plant G-protein networks. New Phytologist 190: 35-48 (Commentary on New Phytologist)
• Guttikonda SK, Trupti J, Bisht NC, Chen H, An C, Pandey S, Xu D, Yu O (2010) Whole genome co-expression analysis of soybean cytochrome P450 genes identifies nodulation-specific P450 monooxygenases. BMC Plant Biology 10: 243.
• Bisht NC, Ramchiary N, Gupta V, Mukopadhyay A, Arumugam N, Sodhi YS, Pental D, Pradhan AK (2009) Tagging of loci involved in biosynthesis of aliphatic glucosinolate by candidate gene(s) for marker assisted introgression in Brassica juncea. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 118: 413-21.
• Yadav D, Singh VK, Sarita, Bisht NC, Singh NK (2008) PCR based cloning of seed storage protein promoters of wheat, oat and rice and their in silico analysis for cis-regulatory elements. Bioinformatics Trends 3: 67-74.
• Panjabi P, Jagannath A*, Bisht NC*, Padmaja L*, Sharma S*, Gupta V, Pradhan AK, Pental D (2008) Comparative mapping of Brassica juncea and Arabidopsis thaliana using Intron Polymorphism (IP) markers: homeologous relationships, diversification and evolution of the A, B and C Brassica genomes. BMC Genomics 9: 113. * - equal contribution.
• Ramchiary N*, Bisht NC*, Gupta V*, Mukopadhyay A*, Arumugam N*, Sodhi YS, Pental D, Pradhan AK (2007) QTL analysis reveals context-dependent loci for seed glucosinolate trait in oilseed Brassica juncea: Importance of recurrent selection backcross scheme for the identification of ‘true’ QTL. Theoretical and Applied Genetics 116: 77-85. * - equal contribution.
• Ray K, Bisht NC, Pental D, Burma PK (2007) Development of barnase/barstar transgenics for hybrid seed production in Indian oilseed mustard (Brassica juncea L. Czern & Coss) using a mutant acetolactate synthase gene conferring resistance to imidazolinone-based herbicide ‘Pursuit’. Current Science 93: 1390-96.
• Gupta V, Pradhan AK, Bisht NC, Sodhi YS, Arumugam N, Mukopadhyay A and Pental D (2007). Mapping and tagging of agronomically important genes in Brassica juncea. In: Proceedings 12th International Rapeseed Congress: Sustainable Development in Cruciferous Oilseed Crops Production, March 26-30, 2007; Wuhan China, Vol 1: 298-300.
• Bisht NC, Jagannath A, Burma PK, Pradhan AK, Pental D (2007) Retransformation of a male sterile barnase line with the barstar gene as an efficient alternative method to identify male sterile-restorer combinations for heterosis breeding. Plant Cell Reports 26: 727-33.
• Bisht NC, Jagannath A, Gupta V, Burma PK, Pental D (2004) A two gene–two promoter system for enhanced expression of a restorer gene (barstar) and development of improved fertility restorer lines for hybrid seed production in crop plants. Molecular Breeding 14: 129-44.
• Bisht NC, Burma PK, Pental D (2004) Development of 2,4-D resistant lines in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea). Current Science 87: 367-70.

 

Book chapters

• Augustine R, Bisht NC (2017) Regulation of Glucosinolate Metabolism: From Model Plant Arabidopsis thaliana to Brassica Crops. In Kishan Ramawat and Jean-Michel Mérillon (ed.) Reference Series in Phytochemistry: Glucosinolates. p163-199. Springer Press, Germany.
• Yadav D, Anand G, Yadav S, Dubey AK, Bisht NC and Sarangi BK (2013) Intellectual Property Rights in Plant Biotechnology: Relevance, Present Status and Future Prospects. In “OMICS Applications in Crop Sciences” ed by Debmalya Barh. p621-670. CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group.

In News

• Hands of God: Regulations should be in harmony with research for India to progress in gene editing. Cover Story of THE WEEK February 16, 2019