Profile
Our lab investigates the molecular interactions critical for regulating gene expression in opportunistic ESKAPE pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. We probe transcriptional regulatory circuits of flagella formation, biofilm formation and those responsible for antimicrobial resistance in these organisms. A unique combination of structural biology (X-ray crystallography, Small-Angle X-ray Scattering, and CryoEM), in-vitro biochemical, and in-vivo functional assays are being exploited for probing in-depth mechanisms of gene regulation. We also utilize the structural data generated in the laboratory to search for inhibitors of transcription factors to mitigate biofilm formation.
Current Focus Areas
Regulation of biofilm gene expression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Selected Publications
Sahoo, P.K., Sheenu and Jain D.* (2023) REC domain is essential for stabilization of the heptamer of σ54 dependent transcription factor, FleR from Pseudomonas aeruginosa iScience doi:10.1016/j.isci.2023.108397
Ruhal, R.#, Ghosh, M.#, Kumar, V., and Jain D.* (2023) Mutation of putative glycosyl transferases PslC and PslI confers susceptibility to antibiotics and leads to a drastic reduction in biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Microbiology doi:10.1099/mic.0.001392
Chanchal, Banerjee P, Raghav S, Goswami HN, Jain D*. (2021) The antiactivator FleN uses an allosteric mechanism to regulate σ54-dependent expression of flagellar genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Science Advances, doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abj1792
Banerjee, P, Chanchal, Jain, D.* (2019) Sensor I regulated ATPase activity of FleQ is essential for motility to biofilm transition in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ACS Chemical Biology
14:1515-1527
Chanchal, Banerjee P. and Jain D* (2017) ATP-Induced Structural Remodeling in the Antiactivator FleN Enables Formation of the Functional Dimeric Form. Structure 25:252