Plant EnSiGn Lab - IISER Kolkata

Our Team

Current Members

Dr. Devyan Das

Senior Research Fellow (2020-2026)

Nupur Bhattacharya

Senior Research Fellow (2021 to till date)

Shivani Singh

Senior Research Fellow (2019 to till date)

Annesha Roy

Senior Research Fellow (2026 to till date)

Nilesh Bhandari

Junior Research Fellow (2025 to till date)

Shraddha Biswas

Junior Research Fellow (2025 to till date)

Shreya Roy

Junior Research Fellow (2025 to till date)

Dr. Jinia Chakrabarty

IISER-K Postdoctoral Fellow (2024 to till date)

Dr. Vishmita Sethi

Project Associate (2024 to till date) DBT-Research Associate (2021-2024)

Alumni

Dr. Annayasa Modak

PhD (2020-2025)

Currently Postdoc at NIPGR, New Delhi

Dr. Bidhan Chandra Malakar

PhD (2019-2025)

Currently Postdoc at University of Paris-Saclay, France

Dr. Chirag Singhal

PhD (2019-2025)

Currently Postdoc at NIPGR, New Delhi

Dr. Sreya Das

PhD (2019-2025)

Currently Postdoc at Academia Sinica, Taiwan

Dr. Vikas Garhwal

PhD (2019-2025)

Currently Postdoc at West Virginia State University, USA

Dr. Gouranga Upadhyaya

N-PDF & IISERK PDF (2022-2024)

Currently working as INSPIRE Faculty Fellow at Jadavpur University, Kolkata, West Bengal

Dr. Archana Srivastava

N-PDF (2021-2022)

currently working in Industry

Rajanesh Chandramohan

BS-MS (2023-2024)

Research Student

Ananya Bhramhachari

BS-MS (2024-2025)

Research Student

Rahul Bhoi

BS-MS (2025-2026)

Research Student

Najma A

BS-MS (2024-2025)

Research Student

Aparna

BS-MS (2022-2023)

Research Student

Kunal Pal

BS-MS (2020-2021)

Research Student

Abro Biswas

BS-MS (2019-2020)

Research Student

Publications

CUL3^LRB^ E3 ubiquitin ligases control thermosensory growth in Arabidopsis by differentially regulating HY5 and PIF4 protein stability.

Singhal C, Upadhyaya G, Rajkumar MS, Modak A, Sethi V, Singh S, Das D, Jain M, Gangappa SN.

Sci Adv. 2026 Mar 6;12(10):eaec7817.

DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aec7817

Conserved inter-domain interactions drive trans-Golgi network localization and trafficking of homologous copper-ATPases.

Jose SM, Maji S, Paul M, Singhal C, Gangappa SN, Mallick Gupta A, Gupta A.

J Cell Sci. 2026 Jan 15;139(2):jcs264111.

DOI: 10.1242/jcs.264111

Threshold-dependent negative autoregulation of PIF4 gene expression optimizes growth and fitness in Arabidopsis.

Das S, Garhwal V, Mondal K, Das D, Gangappa SN.

PLoS Genet. 2025 Aug 11;21(8):e1011758.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011758

The B-BOX protein BBX21 suppresses thermosensory growth under short- and long-day photoperiods by distinct mechanisms.

Malakar BC, Chandramohan R, Sethi V, Gangappa SN.

Plant J. 2025 Jul;123(1):e70345.

DOI: 10.1111/tpj.70345

THE PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 3, a bHLH transcription factor, promotes thermosensory growth by directly activating PIF4 transcription and its protein accumulation in Arabidopsis.

Das S, Modak A, Rajkumar MS, Garhwal V, Sethi V, Jain M, Gangappa SN.

New Phytol. 2025 Aug;247(4):1742-1762.

DOI: 10.1111/nph.70278

BBX24 and BBX25 antagonize the function of thermosensor ELF3 to promote PIF4-mediated thermomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis.

Chandra Malakar B, Singh S, Garhwal V, Chandramohan R, Upadhyaya G, Sethi V, Gangappa SN.

Plant Commun. 2025 Jul 14;6(7):101391.

DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2025.101391

Ecdysone regulates phagocytic cell fate of epithelial cells in developing Drosophila eggs.

Ghosh G, Das D, Nandi A, De S, Gangappa SN, Prasad M.

J Cell Biol. 2025 Aug 4;224(8):e202411073.

DOI: 10.1083/jcb.202411073

The E3 ubiquitin ligases RING DOMAIN OF UNKNOWN FUNCTION 1117 1 (RDUF1) and RDUF2 control seedling photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis.

Modak A, Singh S, Singhal C, Upadhyaya G, Chakrabarty J, Gangappa SN.

New Phytol. 2025 Jul;247(2):684-705.

DOI: 10.1111/nph.70169

The COP1^W467^ tryptophan residue in the WD40 domain is essential for light- and temperature-mediated hypocotyl growth and flowering in Arabidopsis.

Malakar BC, Escudero CM, Sethi V, Upadhyaya G, Gangappa SN, Botto JF.

Plant J. 2025 Feb;121(4):e70051.

DOI: 10.1111/tpj.70051

Unequal Genetic Redundancies Among MYC bHLH Transcription Factors Underlie Seedling Photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis.

Garhwal V, Das S, Gangappa SN.

Plant Direct. 2025 Feb 13;9(2):e700042.

DOI: 10.1002/pld3.70042

ALOG/LSHs: a novel class of transcription factors that regulate plant growth and development.

Upadhyaya G, Sethi V, Modak A, Gangappa SN.

J Exp Bot. 2025 Feb 7;76(3):836-850.

DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erae409

DET1 regulates HY5 through COP1: A new paradigm in the regulation of HY5.

Das S, Garhwal V, Gangappa SN.

Mol Plant. 2021 Jun 7;14(6):864-866.

DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2021.05.023

COP1 regulates the stability of CAM7 to promote photomorphogenic growth.

Senapati D, Kushwaha R, Dutta S, Maurya JP, Biswas S, Gangappa SN, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant Direct. 2019 Jun 25;3(6):e00144.

DOI: 10.1002/pld3.144

Functional interrelation of MYC2 and HY5 plays an important role in Arabidopsis seedling development.

Chakraborty M, Gangappa SN, Maurya JP, Sethi V, Srivastava AK, Singh A, Dutta S, Ojha M, Gupta N, Sengupta M, Ram H, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant J. 2019 Sep;99(6):1080-1097.

DOI: 10.1111/tpj.14381

DET1 and COP1 Modulate the Coordination of Growth and Immunity in Response to Key Seasonal Signals in Arabidopsis.

Gangappa SN, Kumar SV.

Cell Rep. 2018 Oct 2;25(1):29-37.e3.

DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.08.096

DET1 and HY5 Control PIF4-Mediated Thermosensory Elongation Growth through Distinct Mechanisms.

Gangappa SN, Kumar SV.

Cell Rep. 2017 Jan 10;18(2):344-351.

DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.12.046

PIF4 Coordinates Thermosensory Growth and Immunity in Arabidopsis.

Gangappa SN, Berriri S, Kumar SV.

Curr Biol. 2017 Jan 23;27(2):243-249.

DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.11.012

The Multifaceted Roles of HY5 in Plant Growth and Development.

Gangappa SN, Botto JF.

Mol Plant. 2016 Oct 10;9(10):1353-1365.

DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2016.07.002

SWR1 Chromatin-Remodeling Complex Subunits and H2A.Z Have Non-overlapping Functions in Immunity and Gene Regulation in Arabidopsis.

Berriri S, Gangappa SN, Kumar SV.

Mol Plant. 2016 Jul 6;9(7):1051-65.

DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2016.04.003

Short Hypocotyl in White Light1 Interacts with Elongated Hypocotyl5 (HY5) and Constitutive Photomorphogenic1 (COP1) and Promotes COP1-Mediated Degradation of HY5 during Arabidopsis Seedling Development.

Srivastava AK, Senapati D, Srivastava A, Chakraborty M, Gangappa SN, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant Physiol. 2015 Dec;169(4):2922-34.

DOI: 10.1104/pp.15.01184

Interaction of MYC2 and GBF1 results in functional antagonism in blue light-mediated Arabidopsis seedling development.

Maurya JP, Sethi V, Gangappa SN, Gupta N, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant J. 2015 Aug;83(3):439-50.

DOI: 10.1111/tpj.12899

Arabidopsis CAM7 and HY5 physically interact and directly bind to the HY5 promoter to regulate its expression and thereby promote photomorphogenesis.

Abbas N, Maurya JP, Senapati D, Gangappa SN, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant Cell. 2014 Mar;26(3):1036-52.

DOI: 10.1105/tpc.113.122515

Convergence of Light and ABA signaling on the ABI5 promoter.

Xu D, Li J, Gangappa SN, Hettiarachchi C, Lin F, Andersson MX, Jiang Y, Deng XW, Holm M.

PLoS Genet. 2014 Feb 27;10(2):e1004197.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1004197

The BBX family of plant transcription factors.

Gangappa SN, Botto JF.

Trends Plant Sci. 2014 Jul;19(7):460-70.

DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2014.01.010

Z-box binding transcription factors (ZBFs): a new class of transcription factors in Arabidopsis seedling development.

Gangappa SN, Srivastava AK, Maurya JP, Ram H, Chattopadhyay S.

Mol Plant. 2013 Nov;6(6):1758-68.

DOI: 10.1093/mp/sst140

MYC2 differentially regulates GATA-box containing promoters during seedling development in Arabidopsis.

Gangappa SN, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant Signal Behav. 2013 Oct;8(10):doi: 10.4161/psb.25679.

DOI: 10.4161/psb.25679

Molecular interactions of BBX24 and BBX25 with HYH, HY5 HOMOLOG, to modulate Arabidopsis seedling development.

Gangappa SN, Holm M, Botto JF.

Plant Signal Behav. 2013 Aug;8(8):e25208.

DOI: 10.4161/psb.25208

The regulation of the Z- and G-box containing promoters by light signaling components, SPA1 and MYC2, in Arabidopsis.

Gangappa SN, Maurya JP, Yadav V, Chattopadhyay S.

PLoS One. 2013 Apr 30;8(4):e62194.

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062194

The Arabidopsis B-BOX protein BBX25 interacts with HY5, negatively regulating BBX22 expression to suppress seedling photomorphogenesis.

Gangappa SN, Crocco CD, Johansson H, Datta S, Hettiarachchi C, Holm M, Botto JF.

Plant Cell. 2013 Apr;25(4):1243-57.

DOI: 10.1105/tpc.113.109751

MYC2, a bHLH transcription factor, modulates the adult phenotype of SPA1.

Gangappa SN, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant Signal Behav. 2010 Dec;5(12):1650-2.

DOI: 10.4161/psb.5.12.13981

Functional interconnection of MYC2 and SPA1 in the photomorphogenic seedling development of Arabidopsis.

Gangappa SN, Prasad VB, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant Physiol. 2010 Nov;154(3):1210-9.

DOI: 10.1104/pp.110.163717

SHW1, a common regulator of abscisic acid (ABA) and light signaling pathways.

Bhatia S, Gangappa SN, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant Signal Behav. 2008 Oct;3(10):862-4.

DOI: 10.4161/psb.3.10.6038

SHORT HYPOCOTYL IN WHITE LIGHT1, a serine-arginine-aspartate-rich protein in Arabidopsis, acts as a negative regulator of photomorphogenic growth.

Bhatia S, Gangappa SN, Kushwaha R, Kundu S, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant Physiol. 2008 May;147(1):169-78.

DOI: 10.1104/pp.108.118174

A basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor in Arabidopsis, MYC2, acts as a repressor of blue light-mediated photomorphogenic growth.

Yadav V, Mallappa C, Gangappa SN, Bhatia S, Chattopadhyay S.

Plant Cell. 2005 Jul;17(7):1953-66.

DOI: 10.1105/tpc.105.032060

Melatonin: an emerging phytohormone with multifaceted functions in the regulation of plant growth and development.

Sethi, V., Upadhyaya, G. and *Gangappa, S.N. (2022)

In: Advancement of melatonin research in plants. CRC Press (Taylor and Francis group), pp. 40-54.

Phytomelatonin: a versatile abiotic stress regulator in plants.

Upadhyaya, G., Sethi, V. and *Gangappa, S.N. (2022)

In: Advancement of Melatonin Research in Plants, pp. 162-185.

Photomorphogenesis: The interplay of negative and positive regulators.

Gangappa, S.N. and Chattopadhyay, S. (2010)

In: Current Trends in Plant Biology. Eds. Trivedi, P.C. and Sopory, S.K. Aavishkar publishers Distributers, India. pp. 132-146.

Lab News

April 2026

Congratulations Dr. Devyan Das on your final thesis defense.

September 2025

Congratulations Dr. Bidhan Chandra Malakar on your final thesis defense.

September 2025

Congratulations Dr. Annayasa Modak on your final thesis defense.

June 2025

Welcome to our new lab members: Nilesh, Shreya and Shraddha all the very best for your PhD journey.

June 2025

Congratulations to Dr. Vikas Garhwal, Dr. Sreya Das and Dr. Chirag Singhal on your Graduation in the 12th Convocation of IISER Kolkata.

January 2024

Mr. Bidhan Chandra Malakar awarded Best Poster at EMBO-ISPP

PhD student Mr. Bidhan Chandra Malakar was awarded the best poster award at the prestigious EMBO-International Symposium on Plant Photobiology (EMBO-ISPP) held at NISER Bhubaneswar (from 8th to 13th January 2024), Orissa.

January 2024

Ms. Annayasa Modak receives Poster Award at EMBO-ISPP Satellite Meeting

PhD student Ms. Annayasa Modak was awarded the poster award at the EMBO-International Symposium on Plant Photobiology (EMBO-ISPP) Satellite meeting held at IISER Bhopal (from 15th to 17th January 2024), Madhya Pradesh, India.

2024

Ms. Sreya Das selected among "Top 25 Inspiring Women Scientists in Plant Biology"

PhD student Ms. Sreya Das was selected as one of the "top 25 inspiring women scientists in Plant Biology" in the "Early Career Researcher" category by the American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB) in the year 2024.

June 2024

Ms. Sreya Das awarded ASPB ECPS Travel Award

PhD Student Ms. Sreya Das was awarded “ASPB Early Career Plant Science (ECPS) section travel award ($1000)” to attend Plant Biology 2024 on June 22-26, 2024, in Honolulu, Hawaii, from ASPB_ECPS.

March 2024

Ms. Sreya Das receives Eklavya-Ignite Travel Grant

PhD Student Ms. Sreya Das was awarded “Eklavya-Ignite Travel Grant from Ignite Life Science Foundation” to attend Photosensory Receptors and Signal Transduction Gordon Research Seminar (GRS) and Gordon Research Conference (GRC), held on March 2 - 8, 2024, in Lucca, Italy.

August 2023

Ms. Sreya Das awarded SPB_ECPS Travel Fund

PhD Student Ms. Sreya Das was awarded the “SPB_ECPS Travel Fund ($450)” for attending the Plant Biology Conference on Aug 5-9, 2023, in Savannah, Georgia, from ASPB_ECPS 2023.

August 2023

Ms. Sreya Das receives Travel Award for APS Agricultural Microbiomes Thinkathon

PhD Student Ms. Sreya Das was awarded a travel award ($1500) for the APS Agricultural Microbiomes Thinkathon Workshop on Aug 12, 2023, in Denver, Colorado, USA, from The Agricultural Microbiomes RCN 2023.

2024

Mr. Vikas Garhwal awarded ICAR 2024 Equity Grant

PhD Student Mr. Vikas Garhwal was awarded an ICAR 2024 Equity Grant for the ICAR 2024 Annual Meeting in San Diego, USA, from NAASC.

2023

Mr. Vikas Garhwal receives SEB Outreach Grant Award

PhD Student Mr. Vikas Garhwal was awarded the Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) Outreach Grant Award 2023 for scientific outreach.

Unraveling the genetic and molecular mechanisms of how plants respond to climate change

Principal Investigator

Academic Profile & Journey

Associate Professor

Ramalingaswami Fellow

Assistant Professor Grade-I

Marie-Curie Research Fellow & Postdoctoral Scientist

Research Scientist

Postdoctoral Fellow

PhD in Plant Molecular and Developmental Biology

MSc(Agri.), Genetics & Plant Breeding

BSc(Agri.), General Agriculture

Research Interests

Current Research Focus Areas:

Our Team

Current Members

Dr. Devyan Das

Nupur Bhattacharya

Shivani Singh

Annesha Roy

Nilesh Bhandari

Shraddha Biswas

Shreya Roy

Dr. Jinia Chakrabarty

Dr. Vishmita Sethi

Alumni

Dr. Annayasa Modak

Dr. Bidhan Chandra Malakar

Dr. Chirag Singhal

Dr. Sreya Das

Dr. Vikas Garhwal

Dr. Gouranga Upadhyaya

Dr. Archana Srivastava

Rajanesh Chandramohan

Ananya Bhramhachari

Rahul Bhoi

Najma A

Aparna

Kunal Pal

Abro Biswas

Publications

CUL3^LRB^ E3 ubiquitin ligases control thermosensory growth in Arabidopsis by differentially regulating HY5 and PIF4 protein stability.

Conserved inter-domain interactions drive trans-Golgi network localization and trafficking of homologous copper-ATPases.

Threshold-dependent negative autoregulation of PIF4 gene expression optimizes growth and fitness in Arabidopsis.

The B-BOX protein BBX21 suppresses thermosensory growth under short- and long-day photoperiods by distinct mechanisms.

THE PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR 3, a bHLH transcription factor, promotes thermosensory growth by directly activating PIF4 transcription and its protein accumulation in Arabidopsis.

BBX24 and BBX25 antagonize the function of thermosensor ELF3 to promote PIF4-mediated thermomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis.

Ecdysone regulates phagocytic cell fate of epithelial cells in developing Drosophila eggs.

The E3 ubiquitin ligases RING DOMAIN OF UNKNOWN FUNCTION 1117 1 (RDUF1) and RDUF2 control seedling photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis.

The COP1^W467^ tryptophan residue in the WD40 domain is essential for light- and temperature-mediated hypocotyl growth and flowering in Arabidopsis.

Unequal Genetic Redundancies Among MYC bHLH Transcription Factors Underlie Seedling Photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis.

ALOG/LSHs: a novel class of transcription factors that regulate plant growth and development.

DET1 regulates HY5 through COP1: A new paradigm in the regulation of HY5.

COP1 regulates the stability of CAM7 to promote photomorphogenic growth.

Functional interrelation of MYC2 and HY5 plays an important role in Arabidopsis seedling development.

DET1 and COP1 Modulate the Coordination of Growth and Immunity in Response to Key Seasonal Signals in Arabidopsis.

DET1 and HY5 Control PIF4-Mediated Thermosensory Elongation Growth through Distinct Mechanisms.

PIF4 Coordinates Thermosensory Growth and Immunity in Arabidopsis.

The Multifaceted Roles of HY5 in Plant Growth and Development.

SWR1 Chromatin-Remodeling Complex Subunits and H2A.Z Have Non-overlapping Functions in Immunity and Gene Regulation in Arabidopsis.

Short Hypocotyl in White Light1 Interacts with Elongated Hypocotyl5 (HY5) and Constitutive Photomorphogenic1 (COP1) and Promotes COP1-Mediated Degradation of HY5 during Arabidopsis Seedling Development.

Interaction of MYC2 and GBF1 results in functional antagonism in blue light-mediated Arabidopsis seedling development.

Arabidopsis CAM7 and HY5 physically interact and directly bind to the HY5 promoter to regulate its expression and thereby promote photomorphogenesis.

Convergence of Light and ABA signaling on the ABI5 promoter.

The BBX family of plant transcription factors.

Z-box binding transcription factors (ZBFs): a new class of transcription factors in Arabidopsis seedling development.

MYC2 differentially regulates GATA-box containing promoters during seedling development in Arabidopsis.

Molecular interactions of BBX24 and BBX25 with HYH, HY5 HOMOLOG, to modulate Arabidopsis seedling development.

The regulation of the Z- and G-box containing promoters by light signaling components, SPA1 and MYC2, in Arabidopsis.

The Arabidopsis B-BOX protein BBX25 interacts with HY5, negatively regulating BBX22 expression to suppress seedling photomorphogenesis.

MYC2, a bHLH transcription factor, modulates the adult phenotype of SPA1.

Functional interconnection of MYC2 and SPA1 in the photomorphogenic seedling development of Arabidopsis.

SHW1, a common regulator of abscisic acid (ABA) and light signaling pathways.

SHORT HYPOCOTYL IN WHITE LIGHT1, a serine-arginine-aspartate-rich protein in Arabidopsis, acts as a negative regulator of photomorphogenic growth.

A basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor in Arabidopsis, MYC2, acts as a repressor of blue light-mediated photomorphogenic growth.

Melatonin: an emerging phytohormone with multifaceted functions in the regulation of plant growth and development.

Phytomelatonin: a versatile abiotic stress regulator in plants.

Photomorphogenesis: The interplay of negative and positive regulators.

Lab News

Mr. Bidhan Chandra Malakar awarded Best Poster at EMBO-ISPP