Dr. Chandni Sidhu

My primary focus involves untangling the complex dynamics of algal polysaccharide utilization, particularly within the context of North Sea algal blooms. Despite their visually captivating nature, these blooms harbor intricate complexities that capture our interest. With a curious mindset, we explore the interactions among marine organisms and the abundant polysaccharides produced by algae.

Within these blooms, a diverse array of microorganisms, spanning from bacteria to plankton, engages in a delicate choreography of resource utilization. Algal polysaccharides, acting as intricate carbohydrates, serve as a significant energy and nutrient source. My role revolves around dissecting the processes of how these polysaccharides undergo breakdown, metabolism, and ultimate utilization by the various participants in the marine ecosystem.

Utilizing state-of-the-art techniques, we embark on a scientific journey employing genomics, transcriptomics, and other molecular tools. This approach allows us to uncover the genetic mechanisms that empower microorganisms to exploit the potential of algal polysaccharides. This pursuit not only provides insights into the underlying processes of nutrient cycling but also enhances our comprehension of the broader consequences of algal blooms on marine ecosystems.

Publications

• Chandni Sidhu, Inga V. Kirstei , Cédric L. Meunier, Johannes Rick, Vera Fofonova, Karen H. Wiltshire, Nicola Steinke, Silvia Vidal‐Melgosa, Jan‐Hendrik Hehemann, Bruno Huettel, Thomas Schweder, Bernhard M. Fuchs, Rudolf I. Amann and Hanno Teeling. "Dissolved storage glycans shaped the community composition of abundant bacterioplankton clades during a North Sea spring phytoplankton bloom". Microbiome (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-023-01517-x

• Feng-Qing Wang, Daniel Bartosik*, Chandni Sidhu*, Robin Siebers, De-Chen Lu, Anke Trautwein-Schult, Dörte Becher, Bruno Huettel, Johannes Rick, Inga V. Kirstein, Karen H. Wiltshire, Thomas Schweder, Bernhard M. Fuchs, Mia M. Bengtsson, Hanno Teeling & Rudolf I. Amann. “Particle-attached bacteria act as gatekeepers in the decomposition of complex phytoplankton polysaccharides”. Microbiome (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-024-01757-5

• Luis H Orellana, Karen Krüger, Chandni Sidhu, Rudolf Amann. "Comparing genomes recovered from time-series metagenomes using long-and short-read sequencing technologies". Microbiome (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-023-01557-3

• Jan D Brüwer, Luis H Orellana, Chandni Sidhu, Helena CL Klip, Cédric L Meunier, Maarten Boersma, Karen H Wiltshire, Rudolf Amann, Bernhard M Fuchs. "In situ cell division and mortality rates of SAR11, SAR86, Bacteroidetes, and Aurantivirga during phytoplankton blooms reveal differences in population controls". mSystems (2023). 10.1128/msystems.01287-22#

• Nevena Maslać, Chandni Sidhu, Hanno Teeling, Tristan Wagner. "Comparative Transcriptomics Sheds Light on Remodeling of Gene Expression during Diazotrophy in the Thermophilic Methanogen Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus". Mbio (2022). 13(6), e02443-22

• Gunjan Vasudeva, Chandni Sidhu, Nidhi Kalidas, Anil Kumar Pinnaka. "Shape-function of a novel metapyrocatechase, RW4-MPC: Metagenomics to SAXS data based insight into deciphering regulators of function". International Journal of Biological Macromolecules (2021), 1012-1024
• Chandni Sidhu, Vipul Solanki, Anil Kumar Pinnaka, Krishan Gopal Thakur. "Structure Elucidation and Biochemical Characterization of Environmentally Relevant Novel Extradiol Dioxygenases Discovered by a Functional Metagenomics Approach". Msystems (2019).
• Chandni Sidhu, Mohit Kumar Saini, Naga Radha Srinivas Tanuku, and Anil Kumar Pinnaka. "Arenibacter amylolyticus sp. nov., an amylase-producing bacterium of the family Flavobacteriaceae isolated from marine water in India". International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology (2021), 71, no. 3: 004664.
• Chandni Sidhu, Surendra Vikram, and Anil Kumar Pinnaka. “Unraveling the microbial interactions and metabolic potentials in pre-and post-treated sludge from a wastewater treatment plant using metagenomic studies”. Frontiers in Microbiology 8 (2017): 1382.
• Chandni Sidhu, Suresh Thakur, Gunjan Sharma, Naga Radha Srinivas Tanuku, Anil Kumar Pinnaka. “Oceanospirillum sanctuarii sp. nov., isolated from a sediment sample”. IJSEM (2017), doi: 10.1099/ijsem.0.002132.
• Ananya Mehta, Chandni Sidhu, Anil Kumar Pinnaka, Anirban Roy Choudhury."Extracellular polysaccharide production by a novel osmotolerant marine strain of Alteromonas macleodii and its application towards biomineralization of silver”. PlosOne (2014).
• Ramkrushna Ashok Salunke, Chandni Sidhu, Ashok Kumar, Anil Kumar Pinnaka, Baldev Raj Bansal, Manmohan Chhibber. "Enhanced Antibacterial Activity of Endo-nortropine Substituted (C-7) Fluoroquinolones Against V. cholerae, S. aureus and B. subtilis" Letters in Drug Design & Discovery (2018).
• Vasundhera Gupta, Shalley Singh, Chandni Sidhu, Vishakha Grover, Anil Kumar Pinnaka, Suresh Korpole.“Virgicin, a novel lanthipeptide from Virgibacillus sp. strain AK90 exhibits inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria”.  World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology (2019).
• Dipesh Kumar Verma, Gunjan Vasudeva, Chandni Sidhu, Anil K Pinnaka, Senthil E Prasad, Krishan Gopal Thakur. "Biochemical and taxonomic characterization of novel Haloarchaeal strains and purification of the recombinant halotolerant α-amylase discovered in the isolate". Frontiers in Microbiology (2020).
• Dipesh Kumar Verma, Chetna Chaudhary, Latika Singh, Chandni Sidhu, Busi Siddhardha, Senthil Prasad, Krishan Gopal Thakur. "Isolation and taxonomic characterization of novel phototropic Haloarchaeal isolates from Indian solar saltern: A brief review on distribution of bacteriorhodopsins and V-type ATPases in Haloarchaea". Frontiers in Microbiology (2020).

 Presentations/Conferences/Awards

• Best Poster Presentation award at 12th International congress on “Microbial Interactions and Application of Beneficial Microbes” held at 17th -18th July, 2017 at Munich, Germany, on the topic entitled “Functional Metagenomics: A modern tool for enzyme-based bioremediation”.
• Poster Presentation at ASM13 (Asian consortium for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of microbial resources) on the topic entitled “Functional Metagenomics based exploration and analysis of novel oxygenases for biodegradation and biosensing applications” held at MTCC, IMTECH on 8th Nov-10th Nov, 2016.
• Poster Presentation at ISME18 on the topic "Marine bacterioplankton - metatranscriptomics during North Sea spring algae blooms uncovers resource partitioning in abundant clades" held at Lausanne, Switzerland. 
• Nevena Maslać, Chandni Sidhu, Hanno Teeling, Tristan Wagner. "N2-fixation at the thermodynamic limit of life: characterization of N2-assimilation system and comparative transcriptomic profiling of thermophilic methanogen Methanothermococcus thermolithotrophicus". FEBS OPEN BIO, 2022
• Serve as a trainer in a National Workshop on “Bioinformatics Approaches on Genome Resources, Assembly and Annotation” held at CSIR-IMTECH on 9-12th February, 2016.
• Participated in Lecture Series of Bio-Club (Chandigarh Region Innovation and Knowledge Cluster) held on November 8, 2014 at Chandigarh.
• Participated in ASM Virtual Workshop on “Art of Science Communication” held on 4th December, 2013 at Chandigarh.
• Qualified and received CSIR-UGC-JRF/SRF Ph.D. fellowship (December 2011) for a duration of 5 years.
• Qualified GATE (Life Sciences) 2012.
• Travel Grant from Department of Biotechnology (Govt. of India), 2017.
• Participated and secured a third place in the District Level YUVA QUIZ-2006 on Youth Health and Adolescent Health held on October 12, 2006 at Jalandhar, Punjab.
• Presented a report on “Harness Water Resources for Better Future” in National Children’s Science Congress held at Jalandhar, Punjab in 2005.

Press 

• Warum Wissenschaftler gefräßige Bakterien mögen (https://www.weser-kurier.de/bremen/kultur/meeresforschung-warum-wissenschaftler-gefraessige-bakterien-moegen-doc7q41n9fi7k81chlsb3hr)
• An Ocean of tiny won­ders (https://www.mpi-bremen.de/en/An-Ocean-of-tiny-wonders.page)

Review Editor 

• mBio Early-Career Editorial Board
• Frontiers in Microbiomes (Omics Approaches and Environmental Microbiomes)
• Systematic and Applied Microbiology
• Marine Environmental Research