Annual Report 2016-2017 Contents 1. From the Executive Director’s Desk 07 2. Mandate of the Regional Centre for Biotechnology 09 3. Scientific Reports 11 Infectious Disease Biology 12 Molecular Determinants of Genomic Integrity and Plasticity Biology of Infectious and Idiopathic Inflammation of the Gut Transcription Regulation: Structure and Mechanism Structural Biology of Host-Microbial Interactions in Health and Diseases Pathophysiology of Thrombosis, Inflammations and Immune Responses in Various Disease Conditions Biology of Medically Important Viruses Molecular Medicine 27 Post-Translational Protein Modification: Involvement in Cellular Processes and Disease Regulation Signals that Regulate Skeletal Muscle Structure and Function Cancer Biology and Therapeutics 36 Mechanisms of Cell Division and Cellular Dynamics Engineering of Nanomaterials for Biomedical Applications Dyneins and Development: Role of Dynein Light Intermediate Chains in Embryonic Divisions and Vertebrate Embryogenesis Agricultural Biotechnology 48 Molecular Intricacies that Regulate and Execute Effector-Triggered Innate Immunity in Plants Modulation of Host Immunity and Nutrient Allocation by a Biotrophic Pathogen Understanding Taste and Its Modulation Using Drosophila melanogaster as a Model System 4. Academic Activities 61 Academic Programmes Seminars by Visiting Scientists Scientific Events at RCB Lectures Delivered/ Conferences Attended/ Visits Abroad Memberships of Professional/ Academic Bodies/ Editorial boards/ Review Boards Distinctions, Honours and Awards Publications Distinguished Lectures Scientific Colloquia 5. Extramural Activities 77 International and National Networking NCR Biotech Science Cluster, Faridabad Advanced Technology Platform Centre (ATPC) NCR Biotechnology Business Incubator Technology Advancement Unit (TAU) Biosafety Support Unit (BSU) 6. Extramural Funding 87 7. Infrastructure 91 Laboratory Infrastructure Digital Initiatives RCB’s e-Library 8. Financial Statements 95 Auditor’s Report Balance sheet 9. Institutional Governance 103 10. Memories 113 From the Executive Director’s Desk Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) was conferred the status of an institution of national importance by the Indian Parliament in July 2016, and over the last one year the Centre has worked tirelessly to frame the RCB statutes, ordinances and regulations. Having been approved by the respective authorities, these have now been published in the Gazette of India and are being presented to the Indian Parliament. This would complete the process of giving the formal structure to RCB as an academic institution with the authority to grant degrees in various specialities of biotech sciences. Accordingly, RCB launched its very own doctoral programme this year where over 20 students were admitted to work towards their PhD degree. Admission to an integrated MSc-PhD programme in Biotechnology has also been announced; the programme will start from July 2018. RCB continues to provide opportunities for young scientists by offering innovative education and training programmes that contribute to the human resource development in the advanced areas of life sciences and biotech sciences. An International Symposium-cum-Workshop on “Structural proteomics of Macromolecular Complexes using X-ray crystallography and Mass spectrometry” was organized at RCB in December 2016 From the Executive Director’s Desk that brought together eminent scientists, researchers from the finest institutions from around the globe to exchange ideas. RCB organized a joint mini-symposium with Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (AIST) of Japan on “Cellular Mechanisms in Health and Disease” in February 2017. Jointly with THSTI, RCB 7 hosted the 5th Molecular Virology meeting in February 2017. The meeting brought together researchers from various Indian institutions working in the various areas of virology. RCB continues to be a category-2 institution of the UNESCO; the linkage providing an international reach to our academic and training programmes. RCB is working with Merck, in partnership with African Union, Ethiopian Ministry of Health and UNESCO, to train researchers from the African continent. A student each from Kenya and Cameroon were trained at RCB under this programme this year. We are also working with UNESCO to organize the review of the Asian Biotechnology School and exploring possibilities for participation of RCB in this programme. Under the auspices of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) of Government of India, and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) Council, RCB signed a three-year arrangement for the medium-term scientific use of synchrotron radiation for non-proprietary research, with focus in structural biology, to provide access to the ESRF to Indian scientists. This programme has provided tremendous support to the Indian structural biologists and has benefitted a large number of young research students. The Centre has continued to make advances in the various research areas being pursued by its principal investigators. Besides, RCB continues to participate in a multi-institutional research programme aimed to understand the biology of pre-term birth to identify possible biomarkers to predict the outcomes. A large cohort of pregnant women has been established by THSTI at the Gurgaon Civil Hospital and the scientists at RCB are conducting a comprehensive study on the proteome of the various tissue samples from these women. The various scientific programmes of RCB can be broadly grouped under the following heads: Infectious Disease Biology, Molecular Medicine, Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, and Agricultural Biotechnology. The scientific reports section of the annual report provides details of progress made under the various programmes. Notable progress in a couple of areas is highlighted below. Bacterial motility is mediated by the action of flagella that are complex dynamic structures composed of numerous proteins. The assembly of functional flagella requires coordinated expression of about 40 genes for synthesis of its structural and regulatory components and the associated chemosensory apparatus. FleN, a P loop ATPase is vital for maintaining a monotrichous phenotype in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. FleN exhibits antagonistic activity against FleQ, the master transcriptional regulator of flagellar genes. Crystal structures of FleN revealed that it undergoes drastic conformational changes on ATP binding to attain a structure capable Mandate of the Regional Centre for of dimerization. The study revealed that ATP-induced structural remodeling facilitated the formation of the functional dimer in FleN and helped the antiactivator attain a reversible form that could calibrate FleQ activity Biotechnology to an optimal level. The mandate of the Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB) is to provide a platform for biotechnology Current membrane-targeting antimicrobials fail to target Mycobacteria due to their hydrophobic membrane education, training and research at the interface of multiple disciplines. The programmes of the Centre are structure, ability to form drug-resistant biofilms, and their natural intracellular habitat within the confines designed to create opportunities for students to engage in multi-disciplinary research where they learn biotech of macrophages. Synthetic antimicrobial polymers (SAMPs) derived from biocompatible polyamides were science while integrating engineering, medicine and natural sciences, to provide solutions for human and engineered that could target drug-sensitive and drug-resistant Mycobacteria with high selectivity. This has animal health, agriculture and environmental technologies. implications for developing novel therapies to treat Mycobacterial infections. The vision is to produce human resource tailored to drive innovation in biotechnology, particularly in areas Finally, I would like to acknowledge the full cooperation from my colleagues in the RCB faculty and of new opportunities and also to fill talent gaps in deficient areas. The Centre is regarded as a “Category 2 administration, and complete support from DBT and UNESCO, the members of the Board of Governors, the Centre” in terms of the principles and guidelines for the establishment and functioning of UNESCO Institutes Programme Advisory Committee and the various other statutory committees in accomplishing the various and Centres. scientific and academic activities at the Centre, and I look forward to their continued support in the future. The objectives of the Regional Centre are: a. to disseminate and to advance knowledge by providing instructional and research facilities in such Sudhanshu Vrati branches of biotechnology and related fields as it may deem fit including technology policy development, Executive Director b. to provide capacity-building through education, training, research and development in biotechnology and related academic fields for sustainable development objectives through regional and international cooperation, c. to facilitate transfer of knowledge and technology relating to biotechnology at the regional level, d. to create a hub of biotechnology expertise and to address human resource needs in the countries in the region, e. to promote and strengthen international co-operation to improve the social and economic conditions and From the Executive Director’s Desk welfare of the people, Mandate of the Regional Centre for Biotechnology 8 f. to promote and facilitate a network of satellite centres in the region