Botanical Society of University of Colombo

25/02/2026

Metaproteomics is the large-scale study of all proteins produced by microbial communities in a specific environment at a certain time. Unlike genomics or metagenomics, which show the genetic potential of organisms, metaproteomics offers direct insight into the functional activity of those communities. By analyzing complex protein mixtures from environments like soil, oceans, or the human gut, researchers can identify which metabolic pathways are actively working and how microorganisms react to changes in their surroundings. This method is particularly valuable in ecological studies, medical microbiology, and environmental biotechnology, as it connects genetic information with actual biological function.

Bioinformatics plays a key role in metaproteomics. It helps process, identify, and interpret large protein datasets created through mass spectrometry. Researchers use algorithms and databases to match peptide sequences with known proteins, explain their functions, and link them to metabolic pathways. Methods like building protein databases from metagenomic data, annotating functions, analyzing pathway enrichment, and modeling networks help researchers understand community structure and functional dynamics. Therefore, combining metaproteomics with bioinformatics offers a strong approach to exploring microbial interactions, ecosystem functioning, and host-microbe relationships at a systems level.

By: Sanduni Herath (2nd Year)

References:
1. Wilmes, P., & Bond, P. L. (2006). Metaproteomics: Studying functional gene expression in microbial ecosystems. Trends in Microbiology, 14(2), 92–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tim.2005.12.006

22/02/2026

"Frames from a day where collaboration safeguarded the future of our forests. 🌿 "

The Botanical Society of the University of Colombo was thrilled to contribute with dedicated effort for the successful completion of the "Diyagama Punurudaya" program, a shared mission for the restoration of Diyagama forest. 🌳 🐾

"Together we restored more than a forest—we restored responsibility." 🤝✨ 🍃

16/02/2026

Humboldtia laurifolia , considered a myrmecophyte (ant-plant) and found in lowland rainforests of southwestern zones of India and Sri Lanka, is iconic for its special morphology and mechanisms to attract and house insect species for the protection of its foliage from herbivory. These plants bear special structures called 'domatia' – swollen, hollow stem internodes, which are designed to provide nesting to various insect species, especially ants.

Beyond providing housing for the ants, these plants also consist of extrafloral nectaries in the leaflets of their pinnately compound leaves and other locations of the flush which produce a sugary extract, especially in the young flush. While the sugary extract attracts insects, ants can easily enter and colonise inside the expanded, hollow and self-opening domatia. They feed on the nectar which is produced especially from nectary glands on the flush and inflorescence. In return for food and shelter, many of these ants protect the leaves, buds, young shoots, and flushes from herbivores such as caterpillars, snails, slugs, apes and monkeys who feed on new flushes.

However, the plants that attract ants to protect themselves are not protected by the entrance of Ceylon cerulean, an endemic moth species to Sri Lanka, as the larval stages of the moth have special glands which secrete sugary liquids, as do the leaflets of the plant, which attract ants instead of attacking.

✍🏻By: Sanduni Harshani (1st year)

Reference:
https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00810282.603

13/02/2026

🌿 දියගම පුනරුදය🌿

සොබාදහමට නැවත ජීවය ලබාදෙමින්, හරිත හෙටක් නිර්මාණය කිරීමට අප එක්වන විශේෂ පරිසර වැඩසටහන— “දියගම පුනරුදය”.

📅 දිනය: 2026 පෙබරවාරි 20
🤝 සහයෝගිතාව: University of Colombo Leo Club සමඟ එක්ව

මෙම ව්‍යාපෘතිය තුළින් දියගම වනාන්තර පරිසරය සුරක්ෂිත කරමින්, එහි ස්වභාවික සෞන්දර්යය සහ ජෛව විවිධත්වය අනාගත පරපුර සඳහා රැකගැනීම අපගේ අරමුණයි.

🔹පිරිසිදු කිරීමේ වැඩසටහන – පරිසරයට හානිකර අපද්‍රව්‍ය ඉවත් කරමින් වනාන්තරයේ ස්වභාවික සුන්දරත්වය යථා තත්ත්වයට පත් කිරීම.
🔹සත්ව හා ශාක දැනුවත් කිරීම – fauna සහ flora පිළිබඳ දැනුම වර්ධනය කරමින් පරිසර සංරක්ෂණයේ වැදගත්කම පිළිබඳ සමාජය දැනුවත් කිරීම.
🔹 රුක්රෝපණ වැඩසටහන – හරිත ආවරණය වැඩිදියුණු කරමින්, තිරසාර පරිසරයක් සඳහා නව ජීවයක් එක් කිරීම.

අපගේ අද ක්‍රියාවලිය හෙට දින හරිත ලෝකයක් සඳහා පදනම වේ 🌱
සොබාදහම සුරකිමු — හෙටට හරිත උරුමයක් තිළිණ කරමු!

#දියගමපුනරුදය

08/02/2026

මතක හැන්දෑව 5.0💫

Recalling the memories of a blissful evening, wrapped in soft candlelight, with the warmth of a cup of tea and sweet memories of an untold past..☕💖🍃

01/02/2026

The hidden biodiversity of Diyagama Forest was exposed to the world through scientific studies carried out by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Colombo.
This forest stands as a powerful reminder of the rich natural heritage that still survives within our urban environments, and the urgent need to protect it.🌱

කොළඹ විශ්වවිද්‍යාලයේ ශාක විද්‍යා අධ්‍යනාංශයේ විද්‍යාත්මක අධ්‍යන හමුවේ ජෛවවිවිධත්වය ලොවට නිරාවරණය වුන දියගම වනාන්තරය.....

https://youtu.be/XzH54bkZWeM?si=zhkKCKxBP9zyr5-P

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මෙච්චර ලස්සන වනාන්තරයක් කොළඹ? උණහපුළුවන්ගේ නිජබිමක්...

28/01/2026

මතක හැන්දෑව💫

A Talk Beyond the Textbooks

Some insights live beyond pages and slides, waiting to be unraveled in conversation. Join us for a distinguished conversation with Professor Chandrika Nanayakkara from the Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Colombo. 😇🍃

📆 Date: 5th of February 2026
🕓 Time: 4.30 p.m. onwards
📍 Venue: NBLT Hall, Department of Plant Sciences

Join us for this heart-to-heart conversation that opens space for curiosity, thoughtful questions, and reflections that illuminate both science and life; gain fresh perspectives, and carry away insights that linger beyond the moment. 💖

20/01/2026

For decades, genome maps have guided scientists by marking genes and regulatory elements along chromosomes. However, DNA does not simply exist as a simple linear blueprint. Inside the nucleus, it folds into loops, domains, and compartments, forming a dynamic three-dimensional structure that strongly influences gene regulation. 3D genome maps reveal how distant genomic regions physically interact, adding a new layer to our understanding of gene control.

Advancing this field, the 4D Nucleome Project has produced the most detailed 3D genome maps so far. Using human embryonic stem cells and fibroblasts, researchers identified over 140,000 chromatin loops per cell type and mapped chromosomal domains at single-cell resolution. These findings show how small changes in non-coding DNA can alter genome folding and contribute to disease, improving our ability to predict genetic risk and understand human health.

✍🏻 Amasha Ranatunga (3rd Year)

References:
1. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09890-3

2. https://sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260107225541.htm

12/01/2026

CRISPR wheat that makes its own nitrogen fertilizer:

Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development. However, plants cannot absorb atmospheric nitrogen directly from the air; instead, they rely on fixed nitrogen in the form of ammonium and nitrate. Hence, commercial-scale cultivations, including major cereal crops like wheat, depend heavily on nitrogen fertilization.

As a solution, researchers from the University of California have combined modern gene-editing technology, CRISPR, with nitrogen-fixing strategies observed in legumes to develop CRISPR-edited wheat that enhances interaction with beneficial soil bacteria naturally. This CRISPR-edited wheat increases the production of a natural signaling compound called apigenin, which acts as a signaling molecule for beneficial soil bacteria and stimulates them to form biofilms around the wheat roots. These biofilms create a low-oxygen microenvironment suitable for the nitrogenase enzyme to fix nitrogen in a usable form that wheat can absorb.

This innovation offers a more sustainable and eco-friendly solution by reducing the dependence on chemical nitrogen fertilizers and minimizing the environmental impacts caused by nitrogen leaching.

By: Amandi Samaranayaka (3rd Year)

References:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251123115435.htm

01/01/2026

As 2026 dawns with new thoughts and fresh beginnings, we, the Botanical Society of the University of Colombo, extend our heartfelt wishes for good health, prosperity, and daily blessings ✨🎆

May the year ahead nurture growth, knowledge, and harmony, just as nature does, in every step of your journey !!!🌿

14/12/2025