Profile
My laboratory focuses on molecular analysis of innate immune responses in Piper nigrum L. To develop novel priming-based host protection strategies, we generate high throughput omics data, under conditions of disease and priming and perform functional analysis (in vitro and in vivo).
Current Focus Areas
1. Molecular mechanisms and metabolic imprints of ' Defense Priming' in black pepper
2. Secretome analysis in Phytophthora capsici for identification of anti-oomycete drug targets
3. Metabolomics approach in Tea for identification of 'Priming' associated metabolite biomarkers
Selected Publications
Saranya.V and Manjula.S. (2024). Validation of reference gene stability for normalization of RT‑qPCR in Phytophthora capsici Leonian during its interaction with Piper nigrum L. Scientific Reports, 14,7331
M. Indu, B. Meera, KC. Sivakumar, Chidambareswaren Mahadevan, K Mohammed Shafi, B. Nagarathnam, Ramanathan Sowdhamini and Manjula Sakuntala. 2022. Priming’ protects Piper nigrum L. from Phytophthora capsici through reinforcement of phenylpropanoid pathway and possible enhancement of Piperine biosynthesis. Frontiers in Plant Science: doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2022.1072394
Rajeswari Gopal Geetha, Sivakumar Krishnankutty Nair Chandrika, Gayathri G Saraswathy , Asha Nair Sivakumari and Manjula Sakuntala. ROS dependent antifungal and anticancer modulations of Piper colubrinum Osmotin. Molecules. 26 (2021), 2239
Nair D. S and S.Manjula. 2020. Induction of root endosymbiosis as a highly sustainable and efficient strategy for overproduction of the medicinally important diterpenoid lactone-andrographolide in Andrographis paniculata (Burm. F.) Wall. ex Nees. Industrial Crops and Products. 156 (2020)112835.
Mahadevan C, Krishnan A, Saraswathy GG, Surendran A, Jaleel A and Sakuntala M (2016). Transcri ptome Assisted Label-Free Quantitative Proteomics Analysis Reveals Novel Insights i nto Piper nigrum Phytophthora capsici Phytopathosystem . Front. Plant Sci. 7:785. doi: 10.3389/fpls.201 6.00785