Scientist V
National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), New Delhi
- 91-11-26735252, Fax: 91-11-26741658
- vgaur@nipgr.ac.in, vineetgaur1982@gmail.com
Profile
Research Area
Structural Biology, Protein biochemistry, and Biophysics
Research Interest and recent work
The Laboratory of Structural Biology at NIPGR is interested in understanding various DNA repair and recombination mechanisms in plants from structural and biochemical perspectives. In addition, we are interested in novel nucleases with structure-selective endonuclease activity. We have identified At-HIGLE, a GIY-YIG endonuclease, as a possible plant homolog of Slx1 with Holliday Junction (four-way DNA molecule) resolving potential (left panel figure). We have also identified novel structure-selective endonuclease activity associated with the Cas4 protein from Thermococcus onnurineus (right panel figure).
Professional & Academic Background
Staff Scientist V (2022- present): National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi.
Ramalingwaswami Fellow (2019-2024): National Institute of Plant Genome Research, New Delhi.
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2012-2019): International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, PolandPost-Doctoral Fellow (2012-2019): International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Poland
Post-Doctoral Fellow (2010-2012): The Ohio State University, USA
Ph.D. (2004-2010): National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi
M.Sc. (2002-2004): in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Delhi, New Delhi.
B.Sc. (H) (1999-2002): in Zoology from Hindu College, University of Delhi, New Delhi.
Awards & Honors
Team award of the Polish Minister of Science, Poland (2022).
Core Research Grant, Dept. of Science and Technology, Government of India (2020-2023)
Ramalingaswami Fellowship, Dept. of Biotechnology, Government of India (2019-2024)
NET-JRF (CSIR), Govt. of India (2004-2009).
Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2004 with an all-India rank of 20
Catch Them Young scholarship, CSIR-university interaction model (2003-2004)
Jean and Ashit Ganguly Education Scholarship (2002-2004)
Third rank in Delhi University in B.Sc (H) Zoology (2002).
Current Members
Ms. Megha Parihar
Ph.D. student
Mr. Asish Pattnayak
Ph.D. student
Ms. Tamalika Datta
Ph.D. student
Ms. Bharti Sharma
Ph.D. student
Mr. Sreerag Sukumaran
PA-1
Ms. Naiya Chauhan
PA-1
Mr. Ramesh
Lab attendant
Former Members
Ms. Shreya Negi
PA-1
Ms. Reetika Tandon
PA-1
Ms. Poonam Kumari
PA-1
Mr. Praveen Rai
PA-1
Publications
Jain M, Pattnayak AK, Aggarwal S, Rai P, Kavya J, Chandrayan S, Goel M, Gaur V. Branched DNA processing by a thermostable CAS-Cas4 from Thermococcus onnurineus: expanding biochemical landscape of nuclease activity. (2025) J Biol Chem. 110701.
Rai P, Kumari P, Gaur V. Erasing methylation marks on DNA by plant-specific DEMETER family DNA glycosylases. (2025) Journal of Plant Growth Regulation 44 (5), 1810-1826.
Mahtha SK, Kumari K, Gaur V, Yadav G. Cavity architecture based modulation of ligand binding tunnels in plant START domains. (2023) Comput Struct Biotechnol J. 21: 3946-3963.
Kumar U, Goyal P, Madni ZK, Kamble K, Gaur V, Rajala MS, Salunke DM. A structure and knowledge-based combinatorial approach to engineering universal scFv antibodies against influenza M2 protein. (2023) J Biomed Sci. 30: 56.
Jaiswal D, Kumar U, Gaur V, Salunke DM. Epitope-directed anti-SARS-CoV-2 scFv engineered against the key spike protein region could block membrane fusion. (2023) Protein Sci. 32: e4575.
Verma P, Kumari P, Negi S, Yadav G,┬аGaur V*. Holliday junction resolution by At-HIGLE: an SLX1 lineage endonuclease from┬аArabidopsis thaliana┬аwith a novel in-built regulatory mechanism. (2022)┬аNucleic Acids Research. 50: 4630тАУ4646┬а
Raul B, Bhattacharjee O, Ghosh A, Upadhyay P, Tembhare K, Singh A, Shaheen T, Ghosh AK, Torres-Jerez I, Krom N, Clevenger J, Udvardi M, Scheffler BE, Akins PO, Sharma RD, Bandyopadhyay K,┬аGaur V, Kumar S, Sinharoy S. Microscopic and transcriptomic analyses of Dalbergoid legume peanut reveal a divergent evolution leading to Nod Factor dependent epidermal crack-entry and terminal bacteroid differentiation. (2022)┬аMol Plant Microbe Interact.35: 131-145.
Verma P, Tandon R, Yadav G,┬аGaur V*. Structural aspects of DNA repair and recombination in crop improvement. (2020) Frontiers in Genetics. 11: 1-30. (* Corresponding author).
Gaur V, Ziajko W, Nirwal S, Szlachcic A, Gapi┼Дska M, Nowotny M. Recognition and processing of branched DNA substrates by Slx1-Slx4 nuclease. (2019)┬аNucleic Acids Research. 47: 11681-11690.
Jaciuk M*, Swuec P*,┬аGaur V*, Kasprzak JM, Renault L, Dobrych┼Вop M, Nirwal S, Bujnicki JM, Costa A, Nowotny M. A combined structural and biochemical approach reveals translocation and stalling of UvrB on the DNA lesion as a mechanism of damage verification in bacterial nucleotide excision repair. (2019)┬аDNA Repair. 85: 102746. (* Equal contribution).
Nowotny M*,┬аGaur V*. Structure and mechanism of nucleases regulated by SLX4. (2016)┬аCurr Opin Struct Biol.┬а36: 97тАУ105. (* Corresponding authors).
Gaur V, Wyatt HD, Komorowska W, Szczepanowski RH, de Sanctis D, Gorecka KM, West SC, Nowotny M. Structural and Mechanistic Analysis of the Slx1-Slx4 Endonuclease. (2015)┬аCell Reports. 10: 1467тАУ1476.
Gaur V, Vyas R, Fowler JD, Efthimiopoulos G, Feng JY, Suo Z. Structural and kinetic insights into binding and incorporation of L-nucleotide analogs by a Y-family DNA polymerase. (2014)┬аNucleic Acids Research.┬а42: 9984тАУ9995.
Espinoza-Herrera SJ,┬аGaur V, Suo Z, Carey PR. Following DNA chain extension and protein conformational changes in crystals of a Y-family DNA polymerase via Raman crystallography. (2013)┬аBiochemistry┬а52: 4881-4890.
Tapryal S*,┬аGaur V*, Kaur KJ, Salunke DM. Structural evaluation of a mimicry-recognizing paratope: plasticity in antigen-antibody interactions manifests in molecular mimicry. (2013)┬аJ Immunol.┬а191:456-63. (* Equal contribution).
Gaur V, Chanana V, Jain A, Salunke DM. The structure of a haemopexin-fold protein from cow pea (Vigna unguiculata)┬аsuggests functional diversity of haemopexins in plants. (2011)┬аActa Cryst.┬аF67: 193-200.
Gaur V, Qureshi IA, Singh A, Chanana V, Salunke DM. Crystal structure and functional insights of hemopexin fold protein from grass pea. (2010)┬аPlant Physiology┬а152: 1842-1850.
Gupta P,┬аGaur V┬аand Salunke DM. Purification, identification and preliminary crystallographic studies of a 2S albumin seed protein from┬аLens culinaris. (2008)┬аActa Cryst. F64: 733тАУ736.
Gaur V, Sethi DK and Salunke DM. Purification, identification and preliminary crystallographic studies of Pru du amandin, an allergenic protein from┬аPrunus dulcis. (2008)┬аActa Cryst. F64: 32тАУ35
PDB AND PROTEIN SEQUENCE ENTRIES
3LP9: Crystal structure of LS-24, seed albumin from┬аLathyrus sativus.
3EHK: Crystal structure of Pru du amandin, an allergenic protein from┬аPrunus dulcis.
3OYO: Crystal structure of hemopexin fold protein CP4 from┬аVigna unguiculata.
4QW8, 4QW9, 4QWA, 4QWB, 4QWC, 4QWD, 4QWE: Ternary Crystal Structures of a Y-family DNA polymerase Dpo4 from┬аSulfolobus solfataricus┬аin complex with DNA and dCTP or its L-analogs.
4HOG, 4HOI, 4HOH: Structural evaluation of a mimicry recognizing paratope: plasticity in antigen-antibody interactions manifests in molecular mimicry.
4XLG, 4XM5:Structural and mechanistic analysis of the Slx1-Slx4 endonuclease from┬аCandida glabrata.
6SEH, 6SEI: Recognition and processing of branched DNA substrate by Slx1-Slx4 nuclease from┬аThermothielavioides terrestris.
7WME:┬а Crystal Structure of the catalytic domain of At-HIGLE from┬аArabidopsis thaliana.
P86190: Protein sequence of LS-24 from┬аLathyrus sativus.