Rashmi Chandra

University of California, San Francisco

Chandra R et al. (2023) Cell "Sleep is required to consolidate odor memory and remodel olfactory synapses."

Brueggemann C, Saifuddin MFA, Munoz-Lobato F, Andersen K, Soohoo E, Benedetti KL, Daigle KC, Alladin S, Kato S, Nordquist SK, Zuazo CE, Nassif C, Varshney A, Fung B, Tran A, Chang E, Briseno F, Odisho E, Tokalenko K, Fang-Yen C, VanHoven MK, Kaur S, Jimenez V, Chandra R, Paisner R, Li J, Farah F, Garcia AJ, Dunn RL, Bokka A, L'Etoile ND, Duong A, Miller JM, Baradwaj A, Churgin MA, Bykov AE, Guillen H, Lin C, Garcia V, Tsujimoto B, Byrd D, Asundi A, Harris M, Bi V, Bremer M

[Cell, 2023]

Animals with complex nervous systems demand sleep for memory consolidation and synaptic remodeling. Here, we show that, although the Caenorhabditis elegans nervous system has a limited number of neurons, sleep is necessary for both processes. In addition, it is unclear if, in any system, sleep collaborates with experience to alter synapses between specific neurons and whether this ultimately affects behavior. C. elegans neurons have defined connections and well-described contributions to behavior. We show that spaced odor-training and post-training sleep induce long-term memory. Memory consolidation, but not acquisition, requires a pair of interneurons, the AIYs, which play a role in odor-seeking behavior. In worms that consolidate memory, both sleep and odor conditioning are required to diminish inhibitory synaptic connections between the AWC chemosensory neurons and the AIYs. Thus, we demonstrate in a living organism that sleep is required for events immediately after training that drive memory consolidation and alter synaptic structures.

Chandra, R et al. (2019) International Worm Meeting "Axonal transport of an insulin-like peptide mRNA promotes stress recovery."

Husain, Z, Alcedo, J, Chandra, R, Mishra, S, Li, L

[International Worm Meeting, 2019]

Stress-induced aberrations in insulin or insulin-like peptide (ILP) signaling in the brain causes many neurological diseases. Here we report that mRNAs of specific ILPs are surprisingly mobilized to the axons of C. elegans. Axonal transport of the ILP ins-6 mRNA facilitates recovery from stress, whereas loss of axonal mRNA delays recovery. In addition, the axonal traffic of ins-6 mRNA is regulated by at least two opposing signals: one that depends on the insulin receptor DAF-2 and a kinesin-2 motor; and a second signal that is independent of DAF-2, but involves a kinesin-3 motor. While Golgi bodies that package nascent peptides have not been previously observed in C. elegans axons, we show that axons of stressed C. elegans have increased Golgi ready to package the peptides for secretion. Thus, our findings present a mechanism that facilitates an animal's rapid recovery from stress through ILP mRNA mobilization in neurons.

Chandra R et al. (1978) Indian J Med Res "Brugia malayi infective larval whole worm antigen in the diagnosis of filariasis by skin test."

Murthy PK, George PA, Chandra R, Katiyar JC, Sen AB

[Indian J Med Res, 1978]

(R,R)-butanediol dehydrogenase activity

Catalysis of the reversible reaction: (R,R)-butane-2,3-diol + NAD+ = (R)-acetoin + NADH + H+.

Galindo-Malagn XA et al. (2022) Zootaxa "New species, synonymies and records in the genus Rhagovelia Mayr, 1865 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Veliidae) from Colombia."

Moreira FFF, Morales I, Mondragn-F SP, Galindo-Malagn XA

[Zootaxa, 2022]

Rhagovelia medinae sp. nov., of the hambletoni group (angustipes complex), and R. utria sp. nov., of the hirtipes group (robusta complex), are described, illustrated, and compared with similar congeners. Based on the examination of type specimens, six new synonymies are proposed: R. elegans Uhler, 1894 = R. pediformis Padilla-Gil, 2010, syn. nov.; R. cauca Polhemus, 1997 = R. azulita Padilla-Gil, 2009, syn. nov., R. huila Padilla-Gil, 2009, syn. nov., R. oporapa Padilla-Gil, 2009, syn. nov, R. quilichaensis Padilla-Gil, 2011, syn. nov.; and R. gaigei, Drake Hussey, 1947 = R. victoria Padilla-Gil, 2012 syn. nov. The first record from Colombia is presented for R. trailii (White, 1879), and the distributions of the following species are extended in the country: R. cali Polhemus, 1997, R. castanea Gould, 1931, R. cauca Polhemus, 1997, R. gaigei Drake Hussey, 1957, R. elegans Uhler, 1894, R. femoralis Champion, 1898, R. malkini Polhemus, 1997, R. perija Polhemus, 1997, R. sinuata Gould, 1931, R. venezuelana Polhemus, 1997, R. williamsi Gould, 1931, and R. zeteki Drake, 1953.

hydroxybutyrate-dimer hydrolase activity

Catalysis of the reaction: (R)-3-[(R)-3-hydroxybutanoyloxy]butanoate + H2O = 2 (R)-3-hydroxybutanoate + H+.

thiol oxidase activity

Catalysis of the reaction: 2 R'C(R)SH + O2 = R'C(R)S-S(R)CR' + 2 H2O2.

aliphatic nitrilase activity

Catalysis of the reaction: R-CN + H2O = R-COOH + NH3.

carnitinamidase activity

Catalysis of the reaction: (R)-carnitinamide + H2O = (R)-carnitine + NH4.