Home > Academics > Academic Units > Departments > Biotechnology > Ananta Kumar Ghosh
Professor
Biotechnology
Our lab has been working on the molecular characterization of cypovirus infecting tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta. We have purified the virus, examined its structure by electron microscopy and showed by molecular analysis that it is a cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus belongs to the Reoviridae family containing eleven (S1-S11) double stranded segmented RNA in its genome. Functional analysis of these genome segments has been done by cloning, sequencing and expression in E. coli and insect cells to understand their roles in viral replication and pathogenesis. We have shown that S10 encodes polyhedrin to form polyhedra, S9 encodes a non-structural protein having RNA binding property to help viral packaging, S8 and S7 encodes viral structural proteins, S6 encodes a protein having ATP binding and ATPase activity, S2 encodes viral RNA dependent RNA polymerase, S5 encodes guanylyltransferase and S4 methyl transferase for capping 5? end of viral RNA, S1 and S3 encodes viral minor and major capsid proteins. Currently we are working to determine the crystal structure of viral polymerase for the development structure based anti-viral compounds and raising antibodies (polyclonal and monoclonal) against viral capsid proteins to develop a sensitive viral detection system. An EST database of this silkworm has been established for functional analysis of genes involved in silk gland development. We have purified a fungal protease inhibitor from the hemolymph of this silkworm, characterized it molecularly and determined its structure by X-ray crystallography. We are now working on microsporidia infecting these silkworms to improve tasar sericulture in India, and also characterizing major silk proteins, fibroin and sericin for their use as biomaterials. In addition, we are purifying anti-microbial peptides from the hemolymph of these silkworms for their use as potential therapeutics against ant-biotic resistant bacteria. Recently we are also characterizing microbes present in stored food grains.
Molecular cloning and characterization of Antheraea mylitta cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus genome segment 9. by Qanungo, K.R., Kundu, S.C., Mullins J.I and Ghosh, A.K. Journal of General Virology 83 1483-1491 (2002)
Protein purification, cDNA cloning and characterization of a novel protease inhibitor from the Indian tasar silkworm, Antheraea mylitta. by Shrivastava, B. and Ghosh, A. K. Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 33 1025-1033 (2003)
Molecular cloning and characterization of Antheraea mylitta cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus polyhedrin gene and its variant forms. by Sinha-Datta, U., Venkata Ramana Murthy Chavali, and Ghosh, A.K. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communication. 332 710-718 (2005)
Genome segment 6 of Antheraea mylitta cypovirus encodes a structural protein with ATPase activity. by Chavali, V.R.M., Madhurantakam, C., Ghorai, S., Roy, S., Das, A. K., and Ghosh, A.K. Virology 377 7-18 (2008)
Molecular characterization of genome segment 2 encoding RNA dependent RNA polymerase of Antheraea mylitta cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus. by Ghorai, S., Chakrabarti, M., Roy, S., Chavali V. R. M., Bagchi, A., and Ghosh, A. K. Virology 404 21-31 (2010)
Molecular characterization of genome segments 1 and 3 encoding two capsid proteins of Antheraea mylitta cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus. by Chakrabarti, M., Ghorai, S., Mani, S.K.K. and Ghosh, A.K. Virology Journal, 7 181-192 (2010)
Identification of an antifungal peptide from Trapa natans fruits with inhibitory effects on Candida tropicalis biofilm formation. by Mandal, S Migliolo L, Franco OL, and Ghosh A. K. Peptides 32 1741-1747 (2011)
Kinetic analysis, expression pattern and production of a recombinant fungal protease inhibitor of tasar silkworm Antheraea mylitta by Roy, S., Ravipati, V. R., Ghorai, S., Chakrabarti, M., Das, A. K. and Ghosh, A. K. Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology 168 1076-1085 (2012)
Soumita Dutta
Area of Research: Characterization of non-mulberry sericin protein
Ranjana Kumari
Area of Research: Analysis of foodgrain microbes and insect cell line
Sanjukta Banerjee
Area of Research: Algal Biorefinery
