Browsing by Author "Swati Verma"

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Auxin response factors in plant adaptation to drought and salinity stress
(John Wiley and Sons Inc, 2022) Swati Verma; Neelam Prabha Negi; Shalini Pareek; Gaurav Mudgal; Deepak Kumar
Salinity and drought stresses affect plant growth worldwide and limit crop production. Auxin is crucial in regulating plants' salinity and drought stress adaptative response. As a chemical messenger, auxin influences gene expression through a family of functionally distinct transcription factors, the DNA-binding AUXIN RESPONSE FACTORS (ARFs). Various studies have revealed the important roles of ARFs in regulating drought and salinity stress responses in plants. Different ARFs regulate soluble sugar content, promote root development, and maintain chlorophyll content under drought and saline stress conditions to help plants adapt to these stresses. The functional characterization of ARFs pertaining to the regulation of drought and salinity stress responses is still in its infancy. Interestingly, the small RNA-mediated post-transcriptional regulation of ARF expression has been shown to influence plant responses to both stresses. The current knowledge on the diverse roles of ARFs in conferring specificity to auxin-mediated drought and salinity stress responses has not been reviewed to date. In this review, we summarize the recent research concerning the role of ARFs in response to drought and salinity stresses: gene expression patterns, functional characterization, and post-transcriptional regulation under drought and salinity stresses. We have also reviewed the modulation of ARF expression by other molecular regulators in the context of drought and salt stress signaling. © 2022 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.
Calcium signaling in coordinating plant development, circadian oscillations and environmental stress responses in plants
(Elsevier B.V., 2022) Swati Verma; Neelam Prabha Negi; Parul Narwal; Pratibha Kumari; Arun Vincent Kisku; Pallavi Gahlot; Nishu Mittal; Deepak Kumar
Calcium (Ca2+) is an intracellular second messenger involved in many signal transduction pathways in plants. The perception of environmental and internal cues leads to alterations in the cytosolic Ca2+ signatures which translate into changes in gene expression and cellular functions. Herein, we review the novel roles of Ca2+ signalling in coordinating plant stem cell niche homeostasis for root and shoot development. We also summarize the regulatory networks between Ca2+ signalling and other plant signalling pathways which commence into activation or repression of genes involved in regulating vegetative to reproductive phase transition and light-mediated plant growth responses. The possible functions of Ca2+ in the input pathway as a second messenger, external stimuli and the output of the clock regulating the rhythmicity of the plant circadian system are being reviewed. Additionally, we have also highlighted the new insights into the roles of Ca2+ signalling components in the perception and regulation of abiotic/ biotic stress responses in plants. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.
Improved laser capture microdissection (LCM)-based method for isolation of RNA, including miRNA and expression analysis in woody apple bud meristem
(Springer Verlag, 2019) Swati Verma; Vibhav Gautam; Ananda K. Sarkar
Main conclusion: Isolation of high-quality RNA, including miRNA, from microscopic woody apple bud meristem using laser capture microdissection-based method. It is often challenging to study the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) or genes in less accessible inner tissues of tree species rich in polyphenols or polysaccharides. Here, we report a laser capture microdissection (LCM)-based method for efficient and cost-effective isolation and expression analysis of miRNAs and genes in the meristem tissue of woody apple bud. The tissue fixation, processing, infiltration, and sectioning steps were optimized for LCM-based excision and subsequent RNA isolation. Further, we have confirmed that RNA isolated from LCM-derived apple bud meristem contained miRNAs and was of good quantity and quality, sufficient for downstream expression analysis. © 2019, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.
Late Quaternary fluvio-aeolian interactions and possible aridification in west-central India: Implications for prehistoric human adaptations in the Central Tapi Valley
(Elsevier Ltd, 2025) Sourav Mukhopadhyay; Pratik Pandey; Prabhin Sukumaran; Binita Phartiyal; Swati Verma; Varun Vyas; Navashni Naidoo; Avantika Binani; Jessica L. Conroy; Parth Randhir Chauhan
The Central Tapi Valley in India presents a unique opportunity to study Late Quaternary environmental changes, with a particular focus on fluvio-aeolian interactions, aridification, and their implications for human adaptation. To reconstruct the sedimentary history, we used a multi-proxy approach using microstructural analysis of quartz grains, grain size distribution and magnetic susceptibility. Our findings reveal a two-phase depositional process: fluvial processes dominate the upper layers (Phase 1), while aeolian influences characterize the lower layers (Phase 2), suggesting seasonal wind variations and episodic aridification in the region. In the magnetic susceptibility data, Phase 1 is characterized by ferrimagnetic minerals linked to increased pedogenesis and intensified Indian Summer Monsoon activity, and Phase 2, dominated by antiferromagnetic minerals, is indicative of aeolian processes and drier conditions. These findings underscore the broader patterns of intercontinental aridification, extending into central India and influencing human habitation and adaptation strategies during this period. Hence, this study contributes to the understanding of the Late Quaternary landscape transformations and provides valuable insights into how climate variability and environmental stressors shaped human adaptation in West-Central India, and demonstrates the potential to enhance the understanding of intercontinental aridification and dustiness in central India, reaching beyond the Himalayan and Thar Desert zones. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd and International Union for Quaternary Research
Reconstruction of Holocene relative sea-level from beach ridges of the central west coast of India using GPR and OSL dating
(Elsevier B.V., 2023) Pankaj Prasad; Victor Joseph Loveson; Vinayak Kumar; Anil Dutt Shukla; Priyankar Chandra; Swati Verma; Ramanand Yadav; Rajni Magotra; Gurudas M. Tirodkar
The Holocene sea-level and associated shoreline regression of beach ridges in the central west coast of India have been reconstructed based on internal sedimentary architecture and luminescence chronology. For this purpose, various techniques namely ground penetrating radar (GPR), optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, and interferometry synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) have been used. The berm and beach-dune boundary of paleo beach ridges have been mapped from the high-resolution sub-surface images and converted into sea-level indicators using modern analogs and OSL ages. GPR reflection data shows a number of seaward dipping radar facies with a few landward dipping facies in paleo beach ridges. In the case of the swale, radar signal has been highly attenuated due to the presence of water and mud causing the appearance of multiple horizontal and parallel positive and negative couplets in the sedimentary layer. The results of the research reveal that the oldest beach ridge was formed around 7.7 kyr BP and sea-level was +2 m above mean sea-level. The average progradation rate of these ridges is 0.14 m/yr. From the grain size analysis, it has been found that the larger share of grain size falls into the classes of fine and moderate sand. The present displacement map of the region, which has been generated from the Sentinel-1 datasets, demonstrates that the average upliftment is 2.5 mm/yr whereas subsidence is 1 mm/yr. The fall of the Holocene relative sea-level with respect to the study region is the consequence of both global and regional events. © 2023 Elsevier B.V.
Whole mount in situ localization of miRNAs and target mRNA transcripts in plants
(Springer Verlag, 2019) Vibhav Gautam; Archita Singh; Swati Verma; Sharmila Singh; Sourav Chatterjee; Ananda K. Sarkar
The functional characterization of miRNAs often involves understanding of their spatiotemporal expression, which mostly relies on reporter-based or in situ hybridization studies. The available in situ localization methods follow separate protocols for pre-hybridization, hybridization, post-hybridization, and detection steps for both miRNA and mRNA transcripts in plants. In this study, we present a single method which can be used for whole mount in situ localization of both miRNAs and mRNAs in different plant tissues. Our modified method provides enhanced sensitivity for the localization of miRNA and their target transcripts. Consequently, a less laborious, time-saving, economic and efficient method has been proposed by the modification of pre-hybridization, hybridization, post-hybridization and detection steps. © 2019, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology.