Dr M.S. Shekhar, Principal Scientist

Dr M.S. Shekhar, Principal Scientist

Genetics and Biotechnology Unit, ICAR-Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture

Skills: Genetics and Biodiversity, Health and Biosecurity, Shrimp

Email: [email protected]

Experience

I have 24 years of research experience in aquaculture biotechnology. My major research interests include the development of molecular diagnostic tests for aquatic health management and the development of DNA markers for genetic characterisation of brackishwater shellfish and finfish. Presently, my research is focussed on exploring candidate genes for economically important traits in brackishwater organisms using biotechnology and bioinformatic tools, whole genome sequencing of shrimp and sequencing of viral shrimp pathogens using NGS techniques.

Projects

  • Bioprospecting of genes and allele mining for abiotic stress tolerance (ICAR-NAIP project).
  • Immunomodulation studies in freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii using recombinant proteins of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (DBT project).
  • Molecular studies on sequential pathogenesis of WSSV and defence mechanism in Penaeus monodon (DBT project).
  • Whole genome sequencing of Indian white shrimp Penaeus indicus (ICAR-CRP project).
  • Poverty alleviation through prevention and future control of the two major socio-economically important diseases in Asian aquaculture (DBT-BBSRC project).
  • Biotechnological interventions and application of bioinformatic tools for improvement of brackishwater fish and shellfish (ICAR project).

Publications

  • Shekhar, M.S., A. Gomathi, N.K. Dubey, K. Vinaya Kumar and K.K. Vijayan. (2017). Effect of immune gene silencing in WSSV infected tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon. Fish & Shellfish Immunology Vol. 70, pp. 252-259.
  • Shekhar, M. S., and A. Gomathi. (2017). Molecular characterization of differentially expressed ADP ribosylation factor from WSSV infected black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, India Section B: Biological Sciences, Vol. 87(3), pp. 827–837.
  • Shekhar, M.S., A. Gomathi, G Gopikrishna, A.G. Ponniah. (2015). Gene expression profiling in gill tissues of white spot syndrome virus infected black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon by DNA microarray. Virus Disease, Vol. 26(1), pp. 9-18.
  • Shekhar, M.S., A.G. Ponniah. (2015). Recent insights into host pathogen interaction in white spot syndrome virus infected penaeid shrimp. Journal of Fish Diseases, Vol. 38 (7), pp. 599–612.
  • Shekhar, M.S., J. Kiruthika, S. Rajesh, A.G. Ponniah. (2014). High salinity induced expression profiling of differentially expressed genes in shrimp (Penaeus monodon). Molecular Biology Reports, Vol. 41(9), pp. 6275-6289.
  • Shekhar, M.S., J. Kiruthika, A.G. Ponniah. (2013). Identification and expression analysis of differentially expressed genes from shrimp (Penaeus monodon) in response to low salinity stress. Fish & Shellfish Immunology, Vol. 35(6), pp. 1957–1968.
  • Shekhar, M.S., M. Dilli Kumar, K. Vinaya Kumar, G. Gopikrishna, S. Rajesh, J. Kiruthika, A. G. Ponniah. (2012). Transcript Analysis of White spot syndrome virus Latency and Phagocytosis Activating Protein Genes in Infected Shrimp (Penaeus monodon). Indian Journal of Virology, Vol. 23(3), pp. 333–343.
  • Shekhar, M.S., M. Natarajan, M. and K. Vinaya Kumar, K. (2011). PCR-RFLP and sequence analysis of 12S and 16S rRNA mitochondrial genes of grey mullets from east coast of India. Indian Journal of Geo-Marine Sciences, Vol. 40(4), pp. 529-534.
  • Shekhar, M. S., Sahoo P.K., Dillikumar M., Abhilipsa Das. (2011). Cloning, expression and sequence analysis of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus genes: Indian isolate. Aquaculture Research, Vol. 42(12), pp. 1778- 1788.
  • Shekhar, M.S., DilliKumar & G. Gopikrishna. (2010). Development of immunodot blot assay for detection of white spot syndrome virus infection in shrimps (Penaeus monodon). Aquaculture Research, Vol. 41(11), pp. 1683–1690.
  • Shekhar, M.S and Yuanan Lu. (2009). Application of Nucleic-acid-based Therapeutics for Viral Infections in Shrimp Aquaculture. Mar. Biotechnol., Vol. 11, pp. 1–9.
  • Shekhar, M.S., Gopikrishna G., Gopal, C., Pillai S.M. and Ravichandran, P. (2007). Sequence Comparison of Mitochondrial 16s rRNA Gene Segment in Penaeids. Asian Fisheries Science, Vol. 20, pp. 205-216.
  • Shekhar, M.S. and Ravichandran, P. (2007). Comparison of white spot syndrome virus structural gene sequences from India with those at GenBank. Aquaculture Research, Vol. 38, pp. 321-324.
  • Shekhar, M.S., Azad I.S and Jithendran K.P. (2006). RT-PCR and sequence analysis of Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus: Indian isolate. Aquaculture, Vol. 252, pp. 128-132.
  • Shekhar, M.S., Azad I.S., and Ravichandran P. (2006). Comparison of dot blot and PCR diagnostic techniques for detection of white spot syndrome virus in different tissues of Penaeus monodon. Aquaculture, Vol. 261, pp. 1122-1127.

Book chapters

  • Shekhar, M.S., G. Gopikrishna and K.K.Vijayan. (2015). Effect of salinity stress on gene expression in black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon. In Arun Shanker and Chitra Shanker (eds). Abiotic and Biotic Stress in Plants - Recent Advances and Future Perspectives: INTECH publishers pp 101-120. ISBN 978-953-51-2250-0.

Contact details

Genetics and Biotechnology Unit
Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture
75 Santhome High Road
R.A. Puram, Chennai - 600028
India
Mobile: +91 (44) 24618817
Fax: +91 (44) 24610311
Email: [email protected]

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