Residence Address: 10, 4th cross, Kumaraswamy layout, opposite

Dayananda college, Bangalore-560 078, India.

Residence Phone No. 91-080-6661648 / 6661394

Education

Name of Institution: Indian Institute of Science, Dept. of Biochemistry

Location: Bangalore, India

Degree received: Ph.D in Biochemistry.

Year : 1984

Title of the Thesis: Studies on Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase from mint (Mentha viridis L.) leaves.

Papers Published: 11

Positions Held

• August 1976-June 1984, Research Fellow, Dept of Biochemistry, I.I.Sc, Bangalore.

• Since June 1984 - working as Lecturer, Reader & now Professor in the

Dept. of Botany, St. Joseph’s College P.G. Centre, Bangalore.

Teaching Experience: 20 years at the Postgraduate & under-graduate level.

Language: Very good command over English, basic knowledge in French.

PUBLICATIONS

1) Studies on phenylalanine ammonia lyase during growth and germination of cucumber seedlings.

Nayeem Ullah Khan & C.S.Vaidyanathan.

Ind. J. Biochem. Biophys.(1980), 17, 51

2) Oxidation of indoles.

S.P.Kunapuli, Nayeem Ullah Khan, N.G. Divakar & C.S.Vaidyanathan

J.Indian Inst. Sci, (1981) ,63c, 167

3) Seperation of protocatechuate and homoprotocatechuate by paper chromatography and estimation of protocatechuate by colorimetry using a new FeCl3 reagent

S.G. Raju, Nayeem Ullah Khan & C.S.Vaidyanathan .

J.Indian Inst Sci., (1983), 63C, 1

4) A simple and direct method for synthesis of S-mercuric -N-dansylcysteine.

Nayeem Ullah Khan & C.S.Vaidyanathan .

Ind. J. Biochem Biophys, (1984), 21, 124

5) A simple affinity procedure for purification of mint Pal.

Nayeem Ullah Khan & C.S.Vaidyanathan .

ICSC short reports, Contemporary themes in Biochemistry, (1986), 6, 252

6) A new, simple spectrophotometric assay of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase.

Nayeem Ullah Khan & C.S.Vaidyanathan .

Curr. Sci, (1986), 55, 391

7) Study of interfering substances in a simple, new spectrophotometric assay for phenylalanine ammonia-lyase.

Nayeem Ullah Khan & C.S.Vaidyanathan .

Biochemistry International, (1987), 14, 457

8) Cinnamate toxicity expression on phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity. Germination and growth of cucumber (cucumis sativus L.) seedlings.

Nayeem Ullah Khan & C.S.Vaidyanathan .

Plant and Soil, (1987), 97, 299

9) Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase: an update on its kinetics.

Nayeem Ullah Khan, M.A. Bhat & C.S.Vaidyanathan .

Curr. Sci, (1989), 58, 427.

10) Role of membranes and cell organelles in flavonoid formation, secretion and storage.

Nayeem Ullah Khan .

Flavonoids in Biology and Medicine III: Current Trends In Flavonoid Research. National University of Singapore. (1990), pp 565-579.

11) Living systems, physical laws, and energy transactions.

Nayeem Ullah Khan & D.Sivaramakrishna.

J.Swamy Bot. Cl., (1996), 13, 1

12) A book review of Ecological Stoichiometry in Current Science dated

25th July 2003.

Research Experience.

Phenyl alanine ammonia lyase (PAL) is the key enzyme of phenolic metabolism. It has attracted the attention of enzymologists but also plant physiologists, phytopathologists and clinicians. This diversity of interest has led to its purification from plant, fungal and bacterial sources. The enzyme has not been demonstrated to occur in animals so far. Because of its potential use in cancer therapy and in combating genetic disorders like phenylketonuria, it is imperative that enzyme should be purified from as many sources as possible to discover easier and economical ways of purification which would make the enzyme available in larger quantities for the study of its both fundamental and applied aspects.

Preliminary studies were done with PAL from cucumber seedlings. Most interesting observation that was made was toxicity of cinnamate to cucumber seedlings. This toxicity is perphaps the result of inhibitory effect of cinnamate on PAL. Light had stimulatory effect on PAL. Actinomycin D and cyclohexylimide inhibited the appereance of the enzyme activity in the seedlings. All the chemicals tested except DL-phenylalanine reduced the fresh weight of the seedlings. Phenolics in mint were analysed by paper chromatography. Among the phenolic acids that were identified in mint p-hydroxyphenyllactic and p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid are of rare occurrence in plants. Protocatechuate was estimated in mint leaves using a new chromogenic reagent. The chromogenic reagent was prepared using a combination of FeCl3 and ammonium molybdate. The enzyme of phenolic metabolism namely, PAL, cinnamic acid 4-hydroxylase and p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase were found to be active in mint leaves. The enzyme was found in cytosol, mitochondria and chloroplast.

Cytosolic PAL of mint leaves was purified using DEAE-cellulose and affinity chromatography. Methods of preparation of cyanogen bromide, AH-Sepharose and L-phenylalanine -AH-Sepharose, which was used as affinity matrix, have been described. A new sensitive and simple assay for PAL which used absorbance af cinnamate to toluene at 290nm was developed. I have successfully purified PAL using an affinity matrix. The enzyme was purified 357 fold with a yield of 86% and had a specific activity of 740 mu/mg protein. The molecular weight and subunit structure of the enzyme has been determined and its kinetic properties studied.

Highlights of current research

Current research is being carried out with a view to understand the biochemical mechanisms of the genetic disease phenylketonuria (PKU). Phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) is being studied from various sources. This is an important plant enzyme which has been employed in the management of PKU. The present studies indicate that PAL from cucumber seedlings is the most suitable enzyme for detecting PKU. Certain unusual properties of this enzyme have been observed. These properties may be very important and valuable in the management of PKU. An assay of PAL which is free from interference by several phenyl derivatives was developed and used in the determination of L-phenylalanine because of non- interference by phenylpyruvate, an aromatic acid which is present in the PKU patient’s plasma. Thus the present method of L-phenylalanine estimation is not only suitable for easily detecting PKU but also for estimating the amino acid in PKU patient’s plasma. The basis of the assay is the measurement of absorbance at 290nm of cinnamate extracted in toluene. Cinnamate is formed by the action of PAL. The present assay of L-phenylalanine has made possible the exact estimation of the amino acid in adults having PKU where the acid may reach exceedingly high levels especially during the episodes of infection, fever or pregnancy.

Ammonium sulphate precipitated PAL from cucumber was loaded on to an affinity column at pH 6 in ammonium acetate buffer. The affinity matrix was L-phenylalanine-aminohexyl Sepharose-4B. pH gradient of pH 6-10 was used for elution. The enzyme eluted in two fractions. The first fraction (Ff ) eluted between pH 8.5-9 while a second fraction (Fr ) eluted between pH 9-10. The fraction Fr was most unusual in that at pH 8.8, the enzyme in this fraction showed only the reverse reaction of PAL, actively synthesising L-phenylalanine from cinnamate while the fraction Ff showed the normal PAL mobility on analytical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Further work is in progress to characterise these PAL fractions in cucumber.

Writing and creative skills

Excellent command over English language- - Popular articles in local English magazine. One article was published in November 1997 issue of the magazine “ Indian Management” on haiku. Haiku poet, published poetry in World Poetry Society and “Poets International” magazine- - Article on Prozaic drug in a popular magazine. Anthology of poems “ Roses in the Morning Dew”.

Leadership skills.

1) Secretary, student’s council, Indian Institute of Science. 1978-79.

2) Head of dept of post-graduate and undergraduate studies in Botany

between 1995-97 in St. Joseph’s College.

3) Member of Governing Council of St. Joseph’s College during 1995-98

4) Director of Honours programme in Enzymology 1993-97.

5) President , Faculty Association of St. Joseph’s college 1997-98.

Membership of professional bodies

1) Society of Biological chemists, India.

2) Karnataka Association for Advancement of Science.

3) Founder, treasurer, Trustee of Haiku Society of India.

CONSULTANCY

Holding adjunct/guest faculty positions at :

1) Bangalore University Post-graduate Center, Dept. of Botany, Kolar, during 1995-97.

2) P.G. Dept of Microbiology, Maharani’s Science College for Women, Palace road, Bangalore.

3) Karnataka Association for the Advancement of Science, Central College, Bangalore.

4) Consultancy work undertaken for MEG Center, Bangalore.

The project undertaken was Environment impact study of the lakes of MEG center, Ulsoor campus, Bangalore, in association with Mr. Zafar Fatehally.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE

1) Visited National University of Singapore, 1986.

2) Chaired a Scientific Session in an International Conference, National University of Singapore, 1989.

CURRENT INTERESTS

Application of Thermodynamics to living systems. Secondary metabolism. Theoretical models of ecosystems. Thermodynamic theory of origin of universe. Stability criteria for living systems and the universe. Philosophy of social ecology. Evolutionary biology. Comparitive study of economic and ecosystem.

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