Cross-Species Reprogramming of Developmental Plasticity and Metabolic Rewiring via Banana-Derived WUS2 Developmental Regulator Roni Chaudhary, Surender Singh, Usman Ali, Siddharth Tiwari Plant Biotechnology Journal, 2026 Plant regeneration is governed by intrinsic gene regulation and phytohormonal cues. WUSCHEL ( WUS ) gene promotes regeneration, but its broader functional role remains unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that the constitutive and inducible expression of banana‐derived WUS2 ( GN‐WUS2 ) enhances regeneration in Nicotiana tabacum (tobacco) and Musa acuminata (banana) cv. Grand Naine, even in hormone‐free MS medium. Constitutive (CaMV35S:: GN‐WUS2 ) expression promoted shoot formation and modulated hormonal and morphogenic gene expression, as evidenced by molecular, biochemical and histological analyses. However, it caused some pleiotropic effects. To overcome this, glucocorticoid receptor‐based inducible GN‐WUS2 expression enabled healthy shoot development. The upregulated expression of HMGR1 , IPPI2 and SMT1‐2 in transgenic tobacco lines boosted isoprenoid and phytosterol biosynthesis and correlated with increased cell division, biomass, pod size and seed yield. Proteomic analysis of seeds from transgenic tobacco lines revealed an enrichment of lipid‐associated proteins and the accumulation of the novel lipid adipic acid, supported by expression profiling of NtKA and NtSA genes. Collectively, these results establish GN‐WUS2 as a master regulator that integrates developmental reprogramming with novel phytosterol biosynthesis and yield enhancement, presenting its versatile role in next‐generation regeneration and crop improvement.
Exploring the mechanisms of charged polysaccharides in regulating the microstructure, texture, and rheology of camellia oleosomes-based meat analogs Shahzad Farooq, Abdullah, Muhammad Ijaz Ahmad, Usman Ali, Sumeng Wei, Jiawen Xue, Tin Nyawe Nyawe Hlaing, Quancai Sun, Ye Peng, Hui Zhang Food Hydrocolloids, 2026 Plant-based meat analogs produced via the extrusion process still face challenges in replicating the textural attributes of real meat. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different charged polysaccharides, including anionic gellan gum (GG), neutral konjac glucomannan (KG), and cationic chitosan (CH), as well as their combinations (50:50 ratios) on the textural, rheological, and structural properties of camellia oleosomes-integrated meat analogs. Results showed that oleosomes mainly acted as active fillers within the interstitial spaces of textured proteins, transforming porous matrices into oleosome-embedded protein structures, which contributed to enhanced elastic properties. Furthermore, the incorporation of GG into the oleosome-protein matrices led to the formation of irregularly shaped pores and a sparse gel structure. In contrast, CH contributed to the development of a highly interconnected gel network, which not only immobilized water molecules but also enhanced the hardness from 7.01 N to 13.24 N and structure recovery ability from 65.78 % to 84.10 %. Furthermore, it was found that the sequential addition of CH/GG produced synergistic effects that enabled the meat analogs to develop a robust network with more connection zones and smaller pore sizes compared to CH/KG or GG/KG meat analogs. Lissajous-Bowditch data further revealed that GG/KG combination produced a more flexible gel structure that readily underwent erratic and abrupt deformations at ≤100 % strain amplitude. In contrast, CH/KG and CH/GG meat analogs demonstrated greater structural elasticity and resistance to large deformations (≤400 %), which was attributed to the slow relaxation behavior of their rigid, interconnected double-network structures composed of two interpenetrating polymer networks: a protein-polysaccharide network and a polysaccharide-polysaccharide network.
DEPLOYING GENETIC CONTROL OF WHEAT LEAF RUST: A QTL-BASED APPROACH FOR SUSTAINABLE YIELD Ersin Gulsoy, Emrah Kus, Betul Tan, Duried Alwazeer, Kadir Tan Pakistan Journal of Botany, 2026 Leaf rust (caused by Puccinia recondita f. sp. tritici) is the most widespread and regularly occurring rust on wheat. In most parts of the world, wheat production is significantly threatened by leaf rust (LR). For sustainable yield, the most effective approach of disease control is the incorporation of resistance LR genes into superior wheat gene pool. Identifying and characterizing new sources of LR resistance are crucial. Although numerous significant, LR genes for qualitative resistance have been found in wheat. Along with this, more beneficial quantitative resistance sources are still being explored to combat LR. This review refers to 249 LR resistance QTL and covers studies reported from January 1971 to January 2024. Reviewing the QTLs for LR resistance found in bi-parental and association-mapping (AM) studies, we evaluate them in comparison with those found in a 2015 QTL meta-analysis (Vasistha et al., 2024). We have assessed the progress made in locating the molecular markers for the quantitative trait loci (QTL) with respect to adult plant resistance (APR) for LR, which were mostly found in field research. Over the last fifty years, resistance loci for LR were mapped to genomic locations using chromosomal analysis and genome sequencing in bi-parental mapping populations, studies that encompass seventy-nine different donor lines for LR resistance. Furthermore, associations between adult-plant and seedlings resistance marker trait for LR have been found in overall seven association mapping studies in over 4,000 wheat genotypes. All twenty-one chromosomes of hexaploid (6x) wheat have adult plant LR resistance QTLs, with B genome harboring the most QTLs. Additionally, LR resistance QTLs are notably prevalent on the group 2 chromosomes. The A genome has the fewest QTLs linked with resistance LR.
Multi-Locus Genome-Wide Association Studies Reveal Novel Genomic Regions Associated With Fructan Content in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) Bhawna Sheoran, Gyanika Shukla, Vikas Kumar Singh, Deepak Yadav, Parveen Malik, Satish Kumar, Saloni Sharma, Mona Yadav, Apoorv Tiwari, Usman Ali, Shiveta Sharma, Amit Kumar Singh, Gyanendra Pratap Singh, Shailendra Singh Gaurav, Pradeep Kumar Sharma, Sundeep Kumar, Monika Garg, Shailendra Sharma Physiologia Plantarum, 2025 Fructans function as reserve carbohydrates and osmotic regulators, enabling the plant to withstand stresses like drought, cold, and salinity. In the present study, we explored the genetic determinants of fructan content in 278 wheat accessions over two consecutive years. To identify specific genetic elements associated with fructan content, we performed multi‐locus genome‐wide association studies (ML‐GWAS) using the GAPIT and mrMLM models, analyzing 9,333 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) alongside fructan content. Our analysis, employing six ML‐GWAS models from mrMLM, identified 41 significant marker–trait associations (MTAs), explaining 0.0%–17.84% of phenotypic variation. Additionally, the Bayesian‐information and linkage‐disequilibrium iteratively nested keyway (BLINK) model in GAPIT revealed 44 significant MTAs (−log10 ( p ) ≥ 3.0). We further identified candidate genes (CGs) involved in fructan biosynthesis and drought tolerance, including MYB genes, glycoside hydrolases, sugar transporters, glycosyltransferases, zinc finger RING/FYVE/PHD‐type proteins, and F‐box‐like domain proteins. These results were further validated by the in silico gene expression analysis and KnetMiner network. These findings highlight the complex genetic regulation of fructan content in wheat, contributing to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms controlling fructan accumulation for improving wheat quality.
Accelerated biodegradation of solid organic waste through biostimulation Proceedings of the Pakistan Academy of Sciences, 2013
RECENT SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Dry Beriberi With Hypoalbuminemia: Mimicking Wet Beriberi in a Post-Sleeve Gastrectomy Patient F Syed, US Ali, MH Shahid, M Umair, NKS Gargab, SMA Elbialy, ... Journal of Neurology Research, 45-48 , 2026 2026
Cross‐Species Reprogramming of Developmental Plasticity and Metabolic Rewiring via Banana‐Derived WUS2 Developmental Regulator R Chaudhary, S Singh, U Ali, S Tiwari Plant Biotechnology Journal , 2026 2026 Citations: 1
Physiochemical and sensory assessment of lip salve formulation utilizing red microbial colourant from Talaromyces assiutensis , CPEF04 and supercritical carbon … M Kaur, J Jauhari, U Ali, M Garg, M Goel Biotechnology for Sustainable Materials 2 (1), 24 , 2025 2025
Improving phishing email detection performance through deep learning with adaptive optimization M Hosseinzadeh, U Ali, S Ali, R Abbaszadi, FS Gharehchopogh, ... Scientific Reports 15 (1), 36724 , 2025 2025 Citations: 44
Algorithmic Governance and AI for Commons Management: Ethical Rulemaking and Sustainable Rural Development U Ali 2025
Multi‐Locus Genome‐Wide Association Studies Reveal Novel Genomic Regions Associated With Fructan Content in Bread Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) B Sheoran, G Shukla, VK Singh, D Yadav, P Malik, S Kumar, S Sharma, ... Physiologia Plantarum 177 (5), e70560 , 2025 2025 Citations: 1
Mineral content variation in Musa genomes: implications for banana nutritional value and fruit development S Khan, U Ali, S Verma, V Kumar, S Tiwari Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 108211 , 2025 2025 Citations: 3
Study of the Effect of Wheat Straw Arabinoxylan on the Physicochemical Properties of Cookies U Ali, R Maurya, K Mazumder ACS Food Science & Technology 5 (7), 2809-2819 , 2025 2025
Impact of inherent chemical composition of wheat and various processing technologies on whole wheat flour and its final products M Meenu, S Kaur, M Yadav, A Sharma, V Tiwari, U Ali, L Giri, AK Badwal, ... Cereal Research Communications 53 (1), 409-424 , 2025 2025 Citations: 20
Anthocyanin-rich black wheat as a functional food for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus: A study on high fat diet-streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats V Tiwari, A Kamboj, B Sheoran, E Chaudhary, M Yadav, A Kumari, ... Food & Function 16 (9), 3273-3295 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
A comprehensive atlas of endogenous peptides in maize U Ali, L Tian, R Tang, S Wang, W Luo, S Liu, J Zhang, L Wu Imeta 3 (6), e247 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Vitamin B: Eight Unsung Heroes, Longing for Attention B Sheoran, B Babal, A Kumari, R Rani, U Ali, S Mehla, S Strobbe, ... Biofortification for Nutrient-Rich Crops, 104-135 , 2024 2024
Can Anthocyanin Biofortified Colored Wheat Enhance Nutritional Quality of Wheat? S Kaur, U Ali, KG Singh, M Garg Wheat Research and Utilization , 2024 2024
A novel nonlinear dynamic measure for early detection of bearing fault using weighted squared envelope-based symbolic Lempel-Ziv complexity K Noman, U Ali, Y Li, S Wang, AU Patwari, A Kumar IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement 73, 1-16 , 2024 2024 Citations: 10
Evaluation of anthocyanin-enriched wheat varieties (black, blue, purple) for enhanced antioxidant content and premium biscuit quality U Ali, A Kumari, A Sharma, M Yadav, S Kaur, E Chaudhary, B Sheoran, ... Journal of Cereal Science 118, 103957 , 2024 2024 Citations: 9
Current status of specialty coffee production and market in Ethiopia: a review U Ali, A Tufa Journal of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources 2 (1), 79-91 , 2024 2024 Citations: 5
Evaluation of anthocyanin rich color wheat lines (black, blue, purple) for their cake making quality U Ali, E Chaudhary, S Kaur, A Sharma, M Yadav, A Kumari, B Sheoran, ... Journal of Cereal Science 113, 103757 , 2023 2023 Citations: 7
Immobilization of α-transglucosidase on silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles and its application for production of isomaltooligosaccharide from the potato peel R Maurya, U Ali, S Kaul, R Bhaiyya, RP Singh, K Mazumder Scientific Reports 13 (1), 12708 , 2023 2023 Citations: 8
Universal geographic information system productivity beneath optimum underwater sensor networks routing IA Hayder, R Yasmeen, U Ali, S Kayani, SR Khan, G Ahmed IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science 1202 (1), 012016 , 2023 2023 Citations: 1
A comparative study of colored wheat lines across laboratories for validation of their phytochemicals and antioxidant activity A Sharma, M Yadav, A Tiwari, U Ali, M Krishania, M Bala, D Mridula, ... Journal of Cereal Science 112, 103719 , 2023 2023 Citations: 44
MOST CITED SCHOLAR PUBLICATIONS
Protective and defensive role of anthocyanins under plant abiotic and biotic stresses: An emerging application in sustainable agriculture S Kaur, V Tiwari, A Kumari, E Chaudhary, A Sharma, U Ali, M Garg Journal of Biotechnology 361, 12-29 , 2023 2023 Citations: 202
Effect of anthocyanins on gut health markers, Firmicutes - Bacteroidetes ratio and short-chain fatty acids: a systematic review via meta-analysis P Kapoor, A Tiwari, S Sharma, V Tiwari, B Sheoran, U Ali, M Garg Scientific Reports 13 (1), 1729 , 2023 2023 Citations: 99
Hydroxycinnamic acid bound arabinoxylans from millet brans-structural features and antioxidant activity V Bijalwan, U Ali, AK Kesarwani, K Yadav, K Mazumder International journal of biological macromolecules 88, 296-305 , 2016 2016 Citations: 69
Effect of arabinoxylan and β-glucan stearic acid ester coatings on post-harvest quality of apple (Royal Delicious) U Ali, S Kanwar, K Yadav, S Basu, K Mazumder Carbohydrate Polymers 209, 338-349 , 2019 2019 Citations: 49
Effect of cellulose and starch fatty acid esters addition on microstructure and physical properties of arabinoxylan films S Kanwar, U Ali, K Mazumder Carbohydrate Polymers 270, 118317 , 2021 2021 Citations: 45
Effect of β-glucan-fatty acid esters on microstructure and physical properties of wheat straw arabinoxylan films U Ali, V Bijalwan, S Basu, AK Kesarwani, K Mazumder Carbohydrate Polymers 161, 90-98 , 2017 2017 Citations: 45
Improving phishing email detection performance through deep learning with adaptive optimization M Hosseinzadeh, U Ali, S Ali, R Abbaszadi, FS Gharehchopogh, ... Scientific Reports 15 (1), 36724 , 2025 2025 Citations: 44
A comparative study of colored wheat lines across laboratories for validation of their phytochemicals and antioxidant activity A Sharma, M Yadav, A Tiwari, U Ali, M Krishania, M Bala, D Mridula, ... Journal of Cereal Science 112, 103719 , 2023 2023 Citations: 44
Improved postharvest quality of apple (Rich Red) by composite coating based on arabinoxylan and β-glucan stearic acid ester U Ali, S Basu, K Mazumder International journal of biological macromolecules 151, 618-627 , 2020 2020 Citations: 36
Power of training and development on employee retention in pharmaceutical organization MU Aleem, M Purwani, U Ali IBT Journal of Business Studies (JBS) 2 (2) , 2018 2018 Citations: 24
EFFECT OF SOXHLET AND ULTRASOUND ASSISTED EXTRACTION ON ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF POMEGRANATE PEEL EXTRACT U Ali, P Kumar INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF FOOD AND NUTRITIONAL SCIENCES 3 (6), 265-270 , 2015 2015 Citations: 22
Impact of inherent chemical composition of wheat and various processing technologies on whole wheat flour and its final products M Meenu, S Kaur, M Yadav, A Sharma, V Tiwari, U Ali, L Giri, AK Badwal, ... Cereal Research Communications 53 (1), 409-424 , 2025 2025 Citations: 20
A novel nonlinear dynamic measure for early detection of bearing fault using weighted squared envelope-based symbolic Lempel-Ziv complexity K Noman, U Ali, Y Li, S Wang, AU Patwari, A Kumar IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement 73, 1-16 , 2024 2024 Citations: 10
Application and toxicity studies of arabinoxylan and β- d -glucan stearic acid ester composite coatings in extending postharvest storage of peach U Ali, P Kaur, S Kanwar, V Kumar, R Maurya, M Bishnoi, S Basu, ... Scientific reports 11 (1), 23848 , 2021 2021 Citations: 10
Evaluation of anthocyanin-enriched wheat varieties (black, blue, purple) for enhanced antioxidant content and premium biscuit quality U Ali, A Kumari, A Sharma, M Yadav, S Kaur, E Chaudhary, B Sheoran, ... Journal of Cereal Science 118, 103957 , 2024 2024 Citations: 9
Immobilization of α-transglucosidase on silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles and its application for production of isomaltooligosaccharide from the potato peel R Maurya, U Ali, S Kaul, R Bhaiyya, RP Singh, K Mazumder Scientific Reports 13 (1), 12708 , 2023 2023 Citations: 8
Evaluation of anthocyanin rich color wheat lines (black, blue, purple) for their cake making quality U Ali, E Chaudhary, S Kaur, A Sharma, M Yadav, A Kumari, B Sheoran, ... Journal of Cereal Science 113, 103757 , 2023 2023 Citations: 7
Effect of organic manures and varieties on growth, yield and quality traits of garlic (Allium sativum L.) U Ali, RB Ram, A Srivastava, R Pandey, BK Singh, H Singh Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry 7 (6), 40-42 , 2018 2018 Citations: 7
Anthocyanin-rich black wheat as a functional food for managing type 2 diabetes mellitus: A study on high fat diet-streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats V Tiwari, A Kamboj, B Sheoran, E Chaudhary, M Yadav, A Kumari, ... Food & Function 16 (9), 3273-3295 , 2025 2025 Citations: 6
UNSTEADY FLOW OF A MAXWELL FLUID IN A POROUS RECTANGULAR DUCT. Q Sultan, M Nazar, W Akhtar, U Ali Science International 25 (2) , 2013 2013 Citations: 6