(Group Leader)
Dr. Sohail Hameed
Principal Scientist
Activities:
- Biochemical and molecular studies on macro/micronutrient mobilization (N, P & Zn) by plant root associated bacteria and mycorrhizae.
- Study plant-microbial interactions in brassica, groundnut, maize, mungbean, soybean, sunflower and wheat.
- Ultrastructure & Immuno-gold labeling for plant-microbial interaction studies.
- Bacterial transformation with fluorescent protein for localization studies through confocal laser scanning microscopy.
During the year 2009, our group was involved in isolating and characterizing, rather unconventional, non-rhizobial bacteria from root nodules of leguminous plants, that are found to co-exist with (Brady)rhizobium and provide enhanced beneficial effect to the eukaryotic host in terms of nutrient availability and plant yield. The identification of these non-rhizobial bacteria has only been made possible through DNA sequence analysis, like 16S rDNA gene sequencing. Ultra structural studies through transmission electron microscopy have extensively been used, to establish the effective role of these microorganisms with and within the plant root tissue.
The group is also involved in isolating and characterizing bacteria associated with the roots of oil seed crops, both leguminous (groundnut & soybean) and non-leguminous (Brassica & sunflower), with an effort to enhance quality and quantity of their oil content through effective plant – microbe interaction. In this regard bacterial isolations have been carried out from soil and plant rhizosphere samples collected from areas of varied climatic conditions in Pakistan. All the potentially beneficial bacteria studied under controlled environmental conditions have also been screened for their beneficial growth parameters in the field.
Studies are also being carried out on rhizobacteria of maize and wheat and a number of isolations have been made from these crops particularly from hilly areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. Some of the potential isolates are also been screened for their biocontrol activity and efforts will be made to extract and purify the active biocontrol ingredient produced by these microorganisms.
The techniques and instrumentation involved in the above mentioned research is indigenous to NIBGE and these are:
Ultrastructure studies:
- Through Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), using techniques like immuno-cytochemistry and Immunogold labeling.
- Through Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM), using fluorescent gene expression technique, i.e., bacterial transformation with fluorescent genes mainly, GFP, YFP, CFP & td Tomato and their protein expression.
Molecular techniques:
- Through DNA sequencing of 16S, 18S rDNA & ITS region
- DNA Fingerprinting technique of RAPD
- Gene Amplification of nifH & PQQ
- DNA Probe Hybridization
- Microbial Transformations for fluorescent gene expression