The researchers from the Plant Cell Technology Lab of IIT Madras have developed a genome-scale metabolic model for N. nimmoniana plant cells using Computational tools.

Research paper

In a Research Paper published in 2021, IIT Madras researchers identified a microbe as a sustainable and high-yielding alternative source for the plant-derived anti-cancer drug Camptothecin.

Due to extensive overharvesting to meet the market demand its major plant sources are now red-listed as per IUCN.

The N. nimmoniana population has seen more than a 20 per cent decline in the last decade alone, say sources from IIT Madras.

Metabolic Engineering

In the current research, metabolic engineering of the plant cells using a genome-scale metabolic model was led by Ms. Sarayu Murali, PhD student, IIT Madras, Dr. Maziya Ibrahim, Computational Systems Biology Lab, IIT Madras, Prof. Karthik Raman and Prof. Smita Srivastava, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras, along with Dr. Shyam K. Masakapalli and Ms. Shagun Saini from Metabolic Systems Biology Lab, IIT Mandi.

Research

The research was funded by the Science and Engineering Board (SERB) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.

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This study was recently published in the peer-reviewed Journal Frontiers of Plant Science (https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1207218).

Prof Smita said integration of metabolic engineering with bioprocess engineering principles can ensure enhanced and sustainable production of Camptothecin, to continuously meet its increasing market demand in minimum time and cost in addition to natural resource conservation.

Platform

Further, the Co-investigator of the study Prof. Karthik Raman, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Madras, added this platform technology for model-based rational metabolic engineering of plant cells can be adapted to enhance the production of many other high-value phytochemicals as well.

This study can pave the way for effective and efficient commercial production of camptothecin and other medicinally important monoterpene indole alkaloids, with reduced dependence on nature, said Prof Karthik Raman of IIT Madras.

CPT

Camptothecin (CPT) is an important anti-cancer drug lead molecule for high-value drugs like Topotecan and Irinotecan, say sources from IIT Madras.

It is a potent topoisomerase I inhibitor extracted mainly from – Camptotheca acuminata (native to Eastern Asia) and Nothapodytes nimmoniana (native to India).

However, the conjunction of climate change and extensive deforestation undertaken for CPT extraction has pushed these plants into the endangered species category, say sources from IIT Madras.

It is satisfying to collaborate with the Plant Cell Technology Lab at IIT Madras, which has developed a potential platform for five-fold increased synthesis of camptothecin, a much-needed anti-cancer phytochemical, he said.

Technical aspects

Elaborating on the technical aspects of this research, First Author of the Research Paper Ms. Sarayu Murali, PhD student, IIT Madras, said, “The metabolic model was reconstructed and curated using in house experimental data.

Computational tools were then used to identify and rank suitable enzyme targets for overexpression and downregulation to maximize camptothecin production in N. nimmoniana plant cells.

We experimentally validated the overexpression of an enzyme predicted by the model, which led to the development of a 5-fold high camptothecin-yielding cell line of N. nimmoniana in comparison to the untransformed plant cell line, he said.

In India, the number of cases is expected to rise to 15.7 lakh by 2025 according to the Indian Council of Medical Research-National Cancer Registry Programme (ICMR-NCRP 2020).

With increasing cancer incidences each day, the demand for enhanced production of anti-cancer drugs has been a compelling need of the hour.

The schedule to submit applications for JEE Advanced 2025 has been announced along with that of AAT 2025 registration,

Application process for AAT starts after result declaration of JEE Advanced. This year too, the trend is no different.

Who will conduct AAT 2025?

AAT 2025 will be conducted by IIT Kanpur and is expected to see a participation in impressive numbers. The same institution is conducting JEE Advanced 2025.

Details about the exam are available on the official website mentioned above. Students who pass AAT 2025 will be able to study BArch in IIT Roorkee, IIT Kharagpur and IIT (BHU) Varnasi.

Who can take up AAT 2025 registration?

Students who have passed JEE Advanced 2025 with required qualifying marks can take up AAT 2025 registration. Applying for JEE Advanced requires a pass in JEE Mains.

Candidates who have passed plus two with maths, physics and chemistry as subjects will be able to take up JEE Mains registration. The process to take up JEE Advanced AAT 2025 registration is online.

1. The URL has to be typed into the browser and the webpage has to be allowed to download.

2. Once the website is available, students should click the link for JEE Advanced AAT 2025 registration and enter JEE Advanced 2025 registration number, their date of birth, mobile number and email address.

3. Post providing the above details, applicants will be asked if they are interested in AAT. Students have to answer ‘Yes’ to take up JEE Advanced AAT 2025 registration.

4. Candidates have to provide the required information and choose the centers where they wish to write the exam and submit the form.

5. They will receive message indicating successful completion of JEE Advanced AAT 2025 registration.

The message has to be downloaded and a printout of it has to be taken and preserved for use in future. This could be of use during the admission process.

Website for JEE Advanced 2025/AAT 2025 Registration is Here

Exam pattern

Candidates who have completed JEE Advanced AAT 2025 registration must also know the exam pattern if they are to score good marks.

Those who have taken up AAT 2025 registration can take up the exam which will be held in offline mode, as a pen and paper mode test.

Candidates will have three hours time to answer all the questions. The medium of the test is English.

The sections in the question paper are – Imagination and aesthetic sensitivity, three dimensional perception, Geometrical drawing, Freehand drawing and Architectural Awareness.

Syllabus for AAT 2025

The next thing to do after completing AAT 2025 registration is focus on preparing for the test.

The subjects to be studied while preparing for AAT 2025 are mentioned below. Candidates can also refer the official website for more information on syllabus when the registration for the exam begins:

Geometrical Drawing

Exercises in geometrical drawing containing lines, angles, triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, circles, etc. Study of plan (top view), elevation (front or side views) of simple solid objects like prisms, cones, cylinders, cubes, splayed surface holders, etc.

Freehand Drawing

This would comprise of simple drawing depicting the total object in its right form and proportion, surface texture, relative location and details of its component parts in appropriate scale.

Common domestic or day-to-day life usable objects like furniture, equipment, etc., from memory.

Three dimension perception

Understanding and appreciation of three-dimensional forms with building elements, colour, volume and orientation. Visualization through structuring objects in memory.

Architectural Awareness

General interest and awareness of famous architectural creations – both national and international, places and personalities (architects, designers, etc.) in the related domain.

Imagination and Aesthetic Sensitivity

Composition exercise with given elements. Context mapping.

Creativity check through innovative uncommon test with familiar objects. Sense of colour grouping or application.

The medium of the test is English. The sections in the question paper are – Imagination and aesthetic sensitivity, three dimensional perception, Geometrical drawing, Freehand drawing and Architectural Awareness.

The admit cards obtained for JEE Advanced 2025 can also be used to gain entry into the test centers for AAT 2024.

Point to remember

Candidates can visit the official website of JEE Advanced exam for more information on JEE Advanced AAT 2025 registration and other related topics.

The students have to quickly take up the AAT 2025 registration as the time left would be very short.

Like JEE Advanced exam where the registration is open for a longer duration, that of AAT 2025 registration is open for only a short period.

The details about AAT 2025 registration provided above are for general understanding purpose of the students.

There could be some changes in the exam, students can visit the official website of the exam at regular intervals to receive updates.

More information could be provided as the time for AAT 2025 registration would commence, till that time, students can refer other sources also.

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