Ph.D.
Arijit Dutta
Ph.D.
Mentor: Dr. Patrick Sung
Email: duttaa1@uthscsa.edu
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5675-0092
I am a Cancer Biologist in the field of genome instability and DNA damge repair pathways. My postdoctoral research at Sung lab involves dissection of the genome-protective mechanisms of Breast Cancer susceptibility factor 1 (BRCA1)-Senataxin (SETX) axis and other RNA helicases, via resolution of R-loops (co-transcriptional RNA-DNA hybrids), DNA double strand break repair, and maintenance of replication forks. My studies are highly relevant towards understanding the etiology of cancers, as well as, neurological disorders such as ALS4, Alzheimer's and Fragile X syndrome, that are associated with R-loop induced genome instabilities.
In my doctoral research, I elucidated the molecular mechanisms of error-prone DNA repair by microhomology-mediated end joining (MMEJ) pathway via XRCC1-DNA Ligase 3 and MRN complex. Using novel molecular biology assays to measure MMEJ activity in cancer cells, I demonstrated that MMEJ provides resistance to cancer cells, and could be targeted via small molecule inhibitors against MMEJ repair factors.
My skillset encompasses purification of high molecular weight proteins and protein-complexes, biochemical reconstitution assays, cell-based assays, and confocal microscopy.
Education
2016 | Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology | University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston |
2009 | M.Sc. in Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology | University of Calcutta/ Bose Institute, Kolkata, India |
2007 | B.Sc. in Microbiology | University of Burdwan, Burdwan, India |
Research
Investigation of RNA-DNA helicases relevant to cancer and neurological diseases, R-loop biology.
Honors
2019 | OPA/SALSI Postdoctoral Fellowship, UT Health San Antonio |
2018 | Jean B. Kempner Postdoctoral Fellowship, UTMB, Galveston |
2017 | Brown-Coxe Postdoctoral Fellowship, Yale University |
2014, 2015 | Shirley Patricia Parker Scholarships, UTMB |
2014 | Barbara Bowman Memorial Award for Research Excellence, UTMB |
2015 | Mason Guest Scholar Award, UTMB |
Professional Memberships
2019 | AACR |
2019 | Mays Cancer Center, UT Health San Antonio |
Publications
Research Articles:
- Dutta A, Eckelmann B, Adhikari S, Ahmed KM, Sengupta S, Pandey A, Hegde PM, Tsai MS, Tainer JA, Weinfeld M, Hegde ML, Mitra S, Microhomology-mediated end joining is activated in irradiated human cells due to phosphorylation-dependent formation of the XRCC1 repair complex. Nucleic Acids Res. 2016 Dec 19
- Hegde ML*, Dutta A*, Yang C*, Mantha AK, Hegde PM, Pandey A, Sengupta S, Yu Y, Calsou P, Chen D, Lees-Miller SP, and Mitra S, Nuclear Scaffold Attachment Factor (SAF-A/hnRNP-U) and Ku Temporally Regulate Repair of Radiation-induced Clustered Damage in the Human Genome. Oncotarget. 2016 Jun 9. (*equal contribution)
- Kont YS*, Dutta A*, Mallisetty A*, Mathew J, Minas T, Kraus C, Dhopeshwarkar P, Deb T, Li X, Kallakury B, Mitra S, Üren A, Adhikari S. Depletion of Tyrosyl DNA phosphodiesterase 2 Activity Enhances Etoposide-Mediated Double-strand Break Formation and Cell Killing. DNA Repair (Amst). 2016 May 7;43:38-47. (*equal contribution)
- Hegde PM*, Dutta A*, Sengupta S*, Mitra J, Adhikari S, Tomkinson AE, Li GM, Mitra S and Hegde ML, The C-terminal Domain (CTD) of Human DNA Glycosylase NEIL1 Is Required for Forming BERosome Repair Complex with DNA Replication Proteins at the Replicating Genome: Dominant Negative Function of CTD. J Biol Chem. 2015 Aug 21; 290(34):20919-33. (*equal contribution)
- Sengupta S, Yang C, Hegde ML, Hegde PM, Mitra J, Pandey A, Dutta A, Datarwala AT, Bhakat KK, Mitra S. Acetylation of oxidized base repair-initiating NEIL1 DNA glycosylase required for chromatin-bound repair complex formation in the human genome increases cellular resistance to oxidative stress. DNA Repair (Amst). 2018 Jun
- Hegde ML, Hegde PM, Dutta A, Boldogh I, and Mitra S, Human DNA glycosylase NEIL1's interaction with downstream repair proteins is critical for efficient repair of oxidized DNA base damage and enhanced cell survival. Biomolecules, 2012, 2, 564-578.
- Review article: Dutta A, Yang C, Sengupta S, Mitra S, and Hegde ML, New Paradigms in the Repair of Oxidative Damage in Human Genome: Mechanisms ensuring repair of mutagenic base lesions during replication and involvement of accessory proteins. Review Article, Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 2015 72:1679–1698.
Book Chapters:
- Dutta A, Hromas R, Sung P, Senataxin, a putative RNA-DNA helicase mutated in ALS4: emerging mechanisms of genome stability in motor neurons, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - Recent Advances and Therapeutic Challenges, Intechopen, Feb 2020.
- Dutta A, Basic Principles of DNA Repair in Toxicology, Comprehensive Toxicology, 3rd edition, Dec 2017.