Epigenetic regulatory network of the brain during development, behaviour and diseases
Our complex behavioural traits are the end result of a very complex gene regulatory system streamlining developmental and behavioural events of our nervous system. Regulation of gene expression is at the heart of broad as well as fine tuning of development and function of a cell. Transcription factors and regulatory complexes are responsible for bringing about changes in transcription status of cells by responding to extracellular signals- which is fundamental to developmental decisions or behavioural changes upon environmental cues. In many cases these transcriptional changes need to be more stable, leading to long-term or even permanent change in gene expression for a given cell type. This is implemented by permanent modification of accessibility of regions of the genome- by change in chromatin architecture, or epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, post-translational modification of histone tails or remodelling of nucleosome positioning.
We use fruit fly (Drosophila) model system to study how change in chromatin architecture is mechanistically associated with developmental and behavioural principles and how their mis-regulations lead to disease pathogenesis. Combining the powerful genetics of Drosophila with recent advances of genomic techniques we will be address questions on how our environment exerts a lasting impact on our brain. Our current questions range from chromatin link of long term memory formation and neuronal activity related changes in genomic accessibility. We will also address how oxidative stress, ageing and memory related brain disorders are causally linked to transcriptional and epigenetic players.
Research areas
Epigenetic framework of learning and long term memory formation
Neuronal activity dependent changes in transcriptional and chromatin signatures
Study of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Drosophila model
Trans-generational inheritance of acquired memory
Spontaneous neuronal activity in shaping social behavior
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Epigenetic Regulation of Neurological Disorders Mondal P., Sarkar S. , Das A. By Epigenetics in Organ Specific Disorders 269-310 (2023)
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Neuroblast lineage-specific origin of the neurons of the Drosophila larval olfactory system 5) Abhijit Das, Tripti Gupta, Sejal Davla, Laura Lucia Prieto Godino, S¨oren Diegelmann, O.Venkateswara Reddy, K.Vijay Raghavan, Heinrich Reichert, Jennifer Lovick and Volker Hartenstein By Developmental Biology 15;373(2) 322-337 (2013)
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Identification and analysis of a glutamatergic local interneuron lineage in the adult Drosophila olfactory system 3) Abhijit Das, Albert Chiang, Sejal Davla, Rashi Priya, Heinrich Reichert, K. VijayRaghavan and Veronica Rodrigues By Neural Systems and Circuits 1, 4 1-13 (2011)
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Central synaptic mechanisms underlie short-term olfactory habituation in Drosophila larvae 4) Aoife Larkin, Somdatta Karak, Rashi Priya, Abhijit Das, Champakali Ayyub, Kei Ito, Veronica Rodrigues, and Mani Ramaswami By Learning and Memory 17 645-653 (2010)
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Notch regulates the generation of diverse cell types from the lateral lineage of Drosophila antennal lobe 2) Abhijit Das, Heinrich Reichert, and Veronica Rodrigues By Journal of Neurogenetics 24 42-53 (2010)
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Drosophila olfactory local interneurons and projection neurons derive from a common neuroblast lineage specified by the empty spiracles gene 1) Abhijit Das, Sonia Sen, Robert Lichtneckert, Ryuchi Okada, Kei Ito, Veronica Rodrigues, & Heinrich Reichert By Neural Development 3, 33 1-12 (2008)
Principal Investigator
- Transcriptional and Chromatin Signature of Long-term Memory in Drosophila
Co-Principal Investigator
- In vitro and in Vivo Investigation of the Role of Intrinsically Disordered Regions in the Regulation of HOX Transcription Factor Function Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB)
- Regulation of Experience-dependent Synaptic Plasticity by Ube3a: Implication in Autism Spectrum Disorders DBT, NEW DELHI
Ph. D. Students
Nikita Veronica Saibo
Area of Research:
Papiya Mondal
Area of Research:
Sarani Dey
Area of Research: Neuro-epigenetics
Shreya Mandal
Area of Research: Neurobiology, Epigenetics
Snehasis Majumder
Area of Research: Neurobiology, Epigenetics
Subhajit Sarkar
Area of Research: Neurobiology, Epigenetics
