For green matter production, Tobacco is well suited as a factory for recombinant protein production because it is easy to alter genetically and produces great deal of biomass. It is a non food, non feed crop and has no chances of entering the food chain. GCSF has been expressed in various foreign hosts such as E.coli, yeast and mammalian cells. In this study binary vector (PMDC 83) harboring human GCSF under 35S promoter was used to transform tobacco leaf explants by Agrobacterium mediated genetic transformation. The transformants are being analysed for GCSF production.

Endophytic fungi form mutualistic interactions with their host, which frequently leads to enhanced growth of the host. We observed that Piriformospora indica effectively colonizes the roots of Centella asiatica. Co-cultivation of C.asiatica with P.indica resulted in a rapid increase in shoot and root biomass. Another important consequence of endophyte colonization in C. asiatica was the significant enhancement of the medicinally important triterpenoid-asiaticoside in the colonized plants. Preliminary results indicate that co-cultured whole plant cultures are efficient targets for improved asiaticoside production in C. asiatica. The use of whole fungal cultures and host plants obviates the need for infrastructure sophistications and labour involved in maintaining plant cell cultures. Further studies are currently in progress to explore detailed molecular mechanisms and pathways involved in growth and secondary metabolite enhancement of host plants.
Email Id : jisha@rgcb.res.in

Upon pathogen infection, the first line of active defense in plants is triggered by perception of Pathogen (Microbe) Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs/ MAMPs) through cell surface receptors like FLS2, XA21, CEBiP, EFR, etc, which leads to PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). This basal defense system appears very early in plant-pathogen interaction and leads to a more broad spectrum response called Systemic Acquired Resistance (SAR) in most plants. Our ongoing efforts reveal that both host basal defense and SAR play critical roles in evading pathogens in resistant Piper sp. Hence my focus would be in understanding the basic signalling signatures, the PAMP vs. PRRs leading to PTI in Piper, which will be validated in suitable model systems.
Email Id: chidambareswaren@rgcb.res.in

Virus Induced Gene silencing (VIGS) is a technology that exploits an RNA-mediated antiviral defense mechanism. It has been used widely in plants for analysis of gene function and has been adapted for high-throughput functional genomics. I am trying VIGS strategy for functional validation of candidate defense genes identified in wild pepper-Piper colubrinum.
Email Id: anuk@rgcb.res.in