Research Interests

Our laboratory is interested in exploring the mechanistic basis and functional relevance of unique proofreading mechanisms that are operational in the cell to maintain a high fidelity during translation of the genetic code. We are particularly interested in a D-aminoacyl-tRNA deacylase(DTD)-fold present in two functional contexts a) as an editing module of archaeal threonyl-tRNA synthetases and b) as a free standing domain responsible for ‘Chiral proofreading’ i.e removal of D-amino acids mistakenly attached to tRNA. We are currently looking at the biological role of DTD using cell biological as well as in vivo approaches using model systems like drosophila and mouse. Structural biology work is underway on a couple of other proofreading systems for which the mechanism is not well understood.

Selected Publications

Gogoi J., Pawar K.I., Sivakumar K., Bhatnagar., A., Suma K., Ann, K.J., Pottabathini, S., Kruparani, S.P., Sankaranarayanan, R. (2025) A metal ion mediated functional dichotomy encodes plasticity during translation quality control. Nat Commun https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-58787-2

Kumar P, Roy A, Mukul SJ, Singh AK, Singh DK, Nalli A, Banerjee P, Babu KSD, Raman B, Kruparani SP, Siddiqi I, Sankaranarayanan R. (2024) A translation proofreader of archaeal origin imparts multialdehyde stress tolerance to land plants eLife https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.92827.2.

Kumar P, Babu KSD, Singh AK, Singh DK, Nalli A, Mukul SJ, Roy A, Mazeed M, Raman B, Kruparani SP, Siddiqi I, Sankaranarayanan R. (2023) Distinct localization of chiral proofreaders resolves organellar translation conflict in plants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A doi: 10.1073/pnas.2219292120.

Sivakumar K, Venkadasamy VL, Amudhan G, Ann KJ, Goud GK, Nayani K, Gogoi J, Kuncha SK, Mainkar PS, Kruparani SP, Sankaranarayanan R. (2023) Design principles and functional basis of enantioselectivity of alanyl-tRNA synthetase and a chiral proofreader during protein biosynthesis. Nucleic Acids Res. doi: 10.1093/nar/gkad205.

Mondal,S., Kinatukara,P., Singh, S., Shambhavi, S., Patil,G.S., Dubey,N., Singh,S.H., Pal,B., Shekar,P.C., Kamat,S.S., Sankaranarayanan, R. (2022) DIP2 is a unique regulator of diacylglycerol lipid homeostasis in eukaryotes. elife doi: 10.7554/eLife.77665.