Mallesham Bulle

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Research scientist at Louisiana State University

Can plants remember drought? Emerging evidence suggests that prior stress exposure leaves an epigenetic imprint, reprogramming plants for enhanced resilience. However, the stability and functional relevance of drought memory remain unresolved. This review synthesizes recent advances in epigenetic modifications, transcriptional reprogramming, and me...

The resilience of plants to concurrent abiotic stresses—such as drought, salinity, extreme temperatures, heavy metals, and elevated CO2 levels—is paramount in the era of climate change. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), traditionally perceived as mere byproducts of metabolic processes, serve a dual role: as crucial signaling molecules that facilitate...

Drought stress threatens the productivity of numerous crops, including chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum). DnaJ proteins are known to play a protective role against a wide range of abiotic stresses. This study investigates the regulatory mechanism of the chloroplast‐targeted chaperone protein AdDjSKI, derived from wild peanut (Arachis diogoi), in enha...

Heat stress substantially reduces tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) growth and yield globally, thereby jeopardizing food security. DnaJ proteins, constituents of the heat shock protein system, protect cells from diverse environmental stresses as HSP‐70 molecular co‐chaperones. In this study, we demonstrated that AdDjSKI, a serine‐rich DnaJ III protein...

An effective CRISPR/Cas9 reagent delivery system has been developed in a commercially significant crop, the chilli pepper using a construct harboring two distinct gRNAs targeting exons 14 and 15 of the Phytoene desat-urase (CaPDS) gene, whose loss-of-function mutation causes a photo-bleaching phenotype and impairs the biosynthesis of carotenoids. T...

The world population’s growing demand for food is expected to increase dramatically by 2050. The agronomic productivity for food is severely affected due to biotic and abiotic constraints. At a global level, insect pests alone account for ~20% loss in crop yield every year. Deployment of noxious chemical pesticides to control insect pests always ha...

Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz is a woody medicinal shrub (Lythraceae) commonly known as the “fire flame bush.” W. fruticosa plant parts either alone or whole plant have a long history of recommended use in the Indian medicine systems of Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha (AUS). This plant is prominently known for its pharmacological properties, viz., ant...

DnaJ proteins, constituents of the heat shock protein system, protect cells from environmental stresses as HSP-70 molecular co-chaperones. Here, we demonstrated that a pathogen-induced AdDjSKI, a serine-rich DnaJ III protein plays an important role in the stability of photosystem II in response to heat stress. Under high temperatures, transplastomi...

Isolation of mitochondrial DNA from root tissues of mung bean (Vigna radiata) is quite tedious, complex, and often results in low yield. Hence here we show a simple, rapid, and improved protocol for isolation of mitochondrial DNA from root tissues of hydroponically grown mung bean plants. This method involves purification of mitochondria and subseq...

Hypoxia or anoxia condition can occurs during flooding or waterlogging and can cause intense damage to the plants. Since oxygen is important for active operation of electron transport chain in mitochondria to generate energy production (ATP) any drop in oxygen can cause an energy crisis during flooding/waterlogging. To cope with this energy crisis...

Nitrogen (N) is a macro-nutrient that is essential for growth development and resistance against biotic and abiotic stresses of plants. Nitrogen is a constituent of amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, chlorophyll, and various primary and secondary metabolites. The atmosphere contains huge amounts of nitrogen but it cannot be taken up directly by...

Nitrogen is one of the crucial macronutrients essential for plant growth, development, and survival under stress conditions. Depending on cellular requirement, plants can absorb nitrogen mainly in multiple forms such as nitrate (NO3−) or ammonium (NH4+) or combination of both via efficient and highly regulated transport systems in roots. In additio...

Nitric oxide (NO) is known to antagonize ethylene by various mechanisms; one of such mechanisms is reducing ethylene levels by competitive action on S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM)—a common precursor for both ethylene and polyamines (PAs) biosynthesis. In order to investigate whether this mechanism of SAM pool diversion by NO occur towards PAs biosyn...

Nitric oxide (NO), is now established as an important signalling molecule in plants where they influence growth, development and responses to stress. Despite of extensive research, the most appropriate methods to measure and localise these signalling radicals are debated and still needs investigation. Many confounding factors such as presence of ot...

Nitric oxide (NO), is now established as an important signalling molecule in plants where they influence growth, development and responses to stress. Despite of extensive research, the most appropriate methods to measure and localise these signalling radicals are debated and still needs investigation. Many confounding factors such as presence of ot...

Plant mitochondria possess two different pathways for electron transport from ubiquinol: the cytochrome pathway and the alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway. The AOX pathway plays an important role in stress tolerance and is induced by various metabolites and signals. Previously, several lines of evidence suggested that the AOX pathway prevents overpr...

A simple and an efficient in vitro regeneration system was developed in Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub. Var. lutea (Witt.) Maheswari, Fabaceae), using cotyledonary node explants derived from axenic seedlings. The induction of shoots was achieved on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with different concentrations of 6- benzylaminopurine (BAP...

Maize is one of the important cereal crops around the world. An efficient and reproducible regeneration protocol via direct organogenesis has been established using split nodes as ex-plants derived from 7-10 day old in vitro grown seedlings. Surface sterilized maize seeds were germinated on MS medium lacking plant growth regulators. Nodal sections...

Maize is one of the important cereal crops around the world. An efficient and reproducible regeneration protocol via direct organogenesis has been established using split nodes as ex-plants derived from 7 to 10day old in vitro grown seedlings. Surface sterilized maize seeds were germinated on MS medium lacking plant growth regulators. Nodal section...

Transgenic chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants tolerant to salinity stress were produced by introducing the wheat Na+/H+ antiporter gene (TaNHX2) via Agrobacterium mediated transformation. Cotyledonary explants were infected with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring a binary vector pBin438 that contains a wheat antiporter (TaNHX...

In the present study, a protocol for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation has been optimized for Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz. Precultured axenic leaf segments were co-cultivated with A. tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring the binary plasmid pCAMBIA1301 with b-glucuronidase (uidA) containing intron as the reporter gene and hygromyci...

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a serine/threonine-specific protein phosphatase. PP2A holoenzymes are heterotrimeric complexes comprising a catalytic, scaffolding, and regulatory (B) subunits. The B subunits are responsible for substrate specificity and localization of the holoenzyme complex and are classified into B55, B’, and B’’ non-related fam...

The objective of the present study was to develop a protocol for in vitro plantlet regeneration and Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated genetic transformation using immature cotyledon explants of Indian Kino tree (Pterocarpus marsupium Roxb.). Immature cotyledon explants excised from 9-day-old axenic seedlings produced optimal callus on Murashige an...

An efficient protocol for the in vitro clonal propagation of Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz using node explants from mature plants was established. Axillary bud proliferation was initiated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA; 4.40, 8.90, 13.30, 17.70, 22.20 and 26.50 µM) or kinetin (Kn, 4.60, 9.30, 13.90, 18.50,...

Soil salinity is a major environmental stress limiting plant productivity. Vacuole Na+/H+ antiporters play important roles for the survival of plants under salt stress conditions. We have developed salt stress tolerant transgenic tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum cv. PED) by overexpression of the wheat Na+/H+ antiporter gene TaNHX2 using Agrobact...

Efficient shoot regeneration and Agrobacteriummediated genetic transformation systems were developed for Bacopa monnieri L. (Scrophulariaceae), a plant well known for its medicinal properties. Leaf explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and in combination with either ind...

An efficient in vitro leaf regeneration protocol has been established in Woodfordia fruticosa L. (Lathyraceae), a threatened woody shrub. The leaf segments derived from in vitro-grown plants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog’s medium supplemented with Thidiazuron (2.27, 4.54, 6.81, and 9.08 μM) and 6-Benzyladenine (4.4, 8.90, 13.30, and 17.70 μ...

An efficient protocol for the in vitro clonal propagation of Woodfordia fruticosa (L.) Kurz using node explants from mature plants was established. Axillary bud proliferation was initiated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 6-benzyladenine (BA; 4.40, 8.90, 13.30, 17.70, 22.20 and 26.50 μM) or kinetin (Kn, 4.60, 9.30, 13.90, 18.50,...

Efficient shoot regeneration and Agrobacteriummediated genetic transformation systems were developed for Bacopa monnieri L. (Scrophulariaceae), a plant well known for its medicinal properties. Leaf explants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium with different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and in combination with either ind...

An efficient in vitro leaf regeneration protocol has been established in Woodfordia fruticosa L. (Lathyraceae), a threatened woody shrub. The leaf segments derived from in vitro-grown plants were cultured on Murashige and Skoog’s medium supplemented with Thidiazuron (2.27, 4.54, 6.81, and 9.08 μM) and 6-Benzyladenine (4.4, 8.90, 13.30, and 17.70 μM...