Grant to PU Faculty

Chandigarh, March 12, 2019: A project entitled " Structure-Activity relationship studies of a novel Two-component lantibioticRoseocin " has been approved for funding by DST-SERB, New Delhi, Govt of India to Dr.Dipti Sareen, Department of Biochemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh wherein the project carries the Equipment grant worth Rs.19,75,000/- and consumables worth Rs.12,00,000/- alongwith the grant for Manpower (JRF), Travel, Contingency and Overhead, as per norms, for a period of 3 years.
Prof. Raj Kumar PU VC, assured of all the support required to successfully carry out the approved project.
The project aims to address the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified anti-microbial peptides, also known as ‘lantibiotics’. These are emerging as more promising drugs against antibiotic resistant bacteria since a significant resistance development against lantibiotics takes a long time as compared to antibiotics.
Earlier studies in this lab, have already established the biosynthesis of a novel lantibiotic, Roseocin from an actinomycete, whereby a genetically engineered expression system enabling the independent production of fully modified and matured components of a lantibiotic in E. coli host strain was achieved. The expression system developed in this study constitutes an important cornerstone for the proposed in vivo peptide engineering studies and is of significance for potential applications aiming at higher production titres of ribosomally synthesised, post translationally modified peptides.
In order to fully realize the potential of newly discovered peptide lantibiotic, Roseocin, it is necessary to understand the biology and, in particular, to elucidate their structure -function relationships and mode of action.