Dr. Abhijit S. Deshmukh completed his basic education in veterinary sciences (BVSc & MVSc) from Maharashtra Animal & Fishery Sciences University, Nagpur, India. He did his PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India (2013). Following PhD, he joined as DST/INSPIRE Faculty at National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), Hyderabad, India, and joined as regular faculty at NIAB on 30th January 2017.
Selected awards and fellowships
1. Early Career Research Award, SERB-DST, India, 2018
2. DST/INSPIRE Faculty award, Dept. of Science & Technology, India, 2013
3. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Award, Gordon Research Conference, Italy, 2013
4. National Eligibility Test & Fellowship: CSIR and ICAR, India, 2007
We study the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes disease Toxoplasmosis. This parasite is found in one-third of the world population and is capable of infecting any nucleated cell with a wide range of mammalian and avian hosts, making it one of the most successful parasites on earth. The infection in domestic animals causes abortion and leads to greater economic losses to livestock production. In humans, it causes lethal disease in the immunocompromised individuals, and in the developing foetus. We use a broad array of biochemical, cell biological, genetic and genomic approaches to understand fundamental Toxoplasma biology and use this knowledge to identify and develop targets for disease intervention. Currently we are focusing on the following specific areas:
Cell cycle and transcription
Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites (highly multiplying stage) undergo asexual replication and produces two parasites per mitotic cell cycle, this process is called as endodyogeny. This mechanism involves the development of two daughter cells within a mother cell (Fig. 1), which is consumed by the offspring upon their maturation. The Toxoplasma cell cycle is composed of three phases: G1, S and M with G2 phase being brief or absent. Data mining of the Toxoplasma genome has revealed limited repertoires of Crks and cyclins. We identified and characterized two Crk proteins, Crk7 and Crk9 in T. gondii. While Crk7 kinase is important for transcription initiation, the kinase activity of Crk9 is essential for transcription elongation. Given the absence of a full repertoire of canonical CDKs and cyclins in Toxoplasma, the role and relevance of these proteins merit investigation. Current research focuses on understanding the unique cell cycle of Toxoplasma using a wide array of approaches, including protein biochemistry, cell biology and genetics. The research is directed towards identifying potential drug targets to intervene parasite progression.
Figure 1. Asexual replication of Toxoplasma gondii, endodyogeny. IFA labeling with anti-IMC1 displaying parasites undergoing endodyogeny: Two daughter parasites are produced inside mother cell.
Genotyping and population structure
T. gondii has a highly clonal population structure consisting of three predominant lineages designated as I, II and III, indicating that its propagation in nature occurs mainly through asexual propagation. However, the analysis of isolates collected in South America and Africa showed a predominance of non-archetypal strains. Presently, there are limited reports on the genetic diversity of T. gondii from different hosts and geographical locations in Asia. In Asia, an increasing number of studies have been conducted on strains circulating in China (atypical genotype). However, little is known about genotypes circulating in other Asian countries especially India. Therefore, the current research focuses on examining the genetic diversity of Toxoplasma gondii strains in India. This work is important to understand the population structure, transmission patterns, and pathogenesis of Toxoplasmosis.
Development of diagnostic assay
Diagnosis of toxoplasmosis relies mainly on serological tests particularly MAT and ELISA. Commercial serological assays use crude parasite antigens grown in mice or cultured cells. This makes antigenic preparations challenging to standardize and increase the cost of production. To overcome this difficulty, we would like to use immunodominant recombinant antigens of Toxoplasma (tachyzoite and bradyzoite stages, Fig. 2) in these diagnostic assays. The recombinant antigens potentially represent the antigen diversity offered by Toxoplasma crude lysate, at much lower costs. These antigens may form the basis for various immunodiagnostic assays including ELISA and immunochromatographic test for detection of T. gondii infection in animals and humans.
Tachyzoite (Acute infection)
Bradyzoite (chronic infection)
Figure 2. IFA using tachyzoite and bradyzoite stage specific markers. Anti-SAG1 antibodies stained “tachyzoite surface”. Anti-CST1 antibodies stained “cyst wall” and anti-SRS9 antibodies stained “bradyzoite surface”.
Selected publications
1. Mitra, P., Deshmukh, A.S., Gurupwar, R. & Kashyap, P. (2019) Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii Spt5 like transcription elongation factor. BBA-Gene Regulatory Mechanisms 1862, 184-197.
2. Deshmukh, A.S., Mitra, P., Kolagani, A. & Gurupwar, R. (2018) Cdk-related kinase 9 regulates RNA polymerase II mediated transcription in Toxoplasma gondii. BBA-Gene Regulatory Mechanisms 1861, 572-585.
3. Deshmukh, A. S., Mitra, P. and Maruthi, M. (2016) Cdk7 mediates RPB1-driven mRNA synthesis in Toxoplasma gondii. Scientific Reports 19;6:35288
4. Deshmukh, A. S., Agarwal, M., and Dhar, S. K. (2016) Regulation of DNA replication proteins in parasitic protozoans: possible role of CDK like kinases. Current Genetics 62(3):481-6.
5. Deshmukh, A. S., Agarwal, M., Mehra, P., Gupta, A., Gupta, N., Doerig, C., and Dhar, S. K. (2015). Regulation of Plasmodium falciparum Origin Recognition Complex subunit 1 (PfORC1) function through phosphorylation mediated by CDK like kinase PK5. Molecular Microbiology 98, 17-33.
6. Deshmukh, A. S., Srivastava, S., Herrmann, S., Gupta, A., Mitra, P., Gilberger, T. W., and Dhar, S. K. (2012). The role of N-terminus of Plasmodium falciparum ORC1 in telomeric localization and var gene silencing. Nucleic Acids Research 40, 5313-5331.
PhD StudentsPoonam kashyap
Research Interest: Regulation of gene expression in Toxoplasma gondii
Kalyani Aswale
Research Interest: Transcript maturation in Toxoplasma gondii
Chitti Raju khandavalli
Research Interest: Regulation of gene expression in Toxoplasma gondii
Project Assistants
Rajkumar Gurupwar
Research Interest: Prevalence and genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii
Nikita Pimpalkar
Research Interest: Cell cycle of Toxoplasma gondii
Bhavana Khebbar
Research Interest: Prevalence and genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii
Lab Alumni
Sneha Banerjee (MSc Dissertation)
Sai Sha Kumar (BTech Dissertation)
Yamini Sree (MSc Dissertation)
The laboratory is funded from intramural (NIAB, CORE) and extramural research grants (INSPIRE-DST, SERB-DST, BIRAC and DBT).
Following ongoing research projects have received funding:
1. Understanding the cell cycle regulators associated with cell cycle and transcription of Toxoplasma gondii
2. Understanding the mRNA transcript maturation of Toxoplasma gondii
3. Development of simple and cost-effective diagnostic assay for Toxoplasma gondii detection in animals and humans
4. Understanding the genetic diversity and population structure of Toxoplasma gondii in India
5. Social development project for Socio-economic upliftment of landless and marginal farmers through biotechnological interventions
Room No. 107, 1st Floor B Wing
National Institute of Animal Biotechnology
Survey No. 37, Opp. Journalist Colony
Extended Q City Road, Near Gowlidoddy
Gachibowli, Hyderabad
Telangana – 500032
Email: abhijit[at]niab[dot]org[dot]in
Tel: +91-(0)40-2312-0137
1. Development of recombinant protein-based ELISA for detection of Toxoplasma gondii infection in animals and humans
2. Identification of key proteins mediating different transcription events of Toxoplasma gondii
Enthusiastic candidates interested in pursuing Molecular Parasitology research may email their CV to Abhijit (abhijit[at]niab[dot]org[dot]in)
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