Sparkes, Imogen - University of Exeter - Disciplines of Biosciences

个人简介

I am a plant cell biologist with interests in understanding the role and regulation of organelle movement and morphology. Movement of spheroid organelles such as peroxisomes and Golgi can appear almost erratic, whilst the ER network undergoes drastic remodeling from tubular to cisternal form, and continual growth, shrinkage and sliding of tubules. Fundamental questions in understanding the role of such movement, and the factors that regulate these phenomena, are being tackled using a combination of molecular biology and bio-imaging techniques. Qualifications 1998 - 2002: PhD, Plant biology, Centre for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds 1994 - 1997: BA (Hons) Natural Sciences, Cambridge University Career 2015 - present : Senior lecturer in cell biology, University of Exeter 2012 - 2015: Cell Biology lecturer, University of Exeter 2009 - 2012: Senior research fellow in Cell and Molecular Biology, Oxford Brookes University 2003 - 2009: Postdoctoral researcher, Oxford Brookes University

研究领域

Plant organelles are extremely dynamic in terms of motility and morphology. For example in leaf epidermal cells, where most of the cytoplasm is confined to a thin peripheral layer due to the presence of a large vacuole, Golgi bodies can reach speeds of up to 8µm/s. Several classes of organelle such as peroxisomes, mitochondria and Golgi bodies undergo different types of movement such as uni and bidirectional, and appear to randomly stop and then go. The cortical ER is composed of a polygonal network of tubules. The tubules can readily grow, shrink and slide to form branch points, and convert into a cisternal 'sheet' form. The almost chaotic and seemingly indiscriminate motion alters in response to changes in environmental stimuli, begging the question, does movement have a functional role? My group is interested in characterising the molecular factors that control plant organelle movement and morphology. Organelle movement in higher plants is predominantly controlled by the actin cytoskeleton and myosin, the molecular motors that traverse actin. ER morphology is controlled in part by actin and myosin, and also by structural proteins called reticulons. By understanding these components and more, we can then start to address whether by affecting organelle movement and morphology, we can in turn affect organelle function and ultimately cell growth and maintenance.

近期论文

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Gao H, Metz J, Teanby NA, Ward AD, Botchway SW, Coles B, Pollard MR, Sparkes I (2016). In Vivo Quantification of Peroxisome Tethering to Chloroplasts in Tobacco Epidermal Cells Using Optical Tweezers. Plant Physiol, 170(1), 263-272. Abstract. Author URL. Full text. Article has an altmetric score of 3 Griffing LR, Lin C, Perico C, White RR, Sparkes I (2016). Plant ER geometry and dynamics: biophysical and cytoskeletal control during growth and biotic response. Protoplasma Abstract. Author URL. Full text. Wang P, Richardson C, Hawkins TJ, Sparkes I, Hawes C, Hussey PJ (2016). Plant VAP27 proteins: domain characterization, intracellular localization and role in plant development. New Phytologist, 210(4), 1311-1326. Full text. Sparkes I (2016). Using Optical Tweezers to Characterize Physical Tethers at Membrane Contact Sites: Grab it, Pull it, Set it Free?. Front Cell Dev Biol, 4 Author URL. Article has an altmetric score of 4 Lin C, Lemarchand L, Euler R, Sparkes I (2015). Modeling the geometry and dynamics of theEndoplasmic Reticulum network. IEEE/ACM Transactions on Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, 1-1. Full text. Knox K, Wang P, Kriechbaumer V, Tilsner J, Frigerio L, Sparkes I, Hawes C, Oparka K (2015). Putting the Squeeze on Plasmodesmata: a Role for Reticulons in Primary Plasmodesmata Formation. Plant Physiol, 168(4), 1563-1572. Abstract. Author URL. Full text. Article has an altmetric score of 4 Rodríguez-Serrano M, Pazmiño DM, Sparkes I, Rochetti A, Hawes C, Romero-Puertas MC, Sandalio LM (2014). 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid promotes S-nitrosylation and oxidation of actin affecting cytoskeleton and peroxisomal dynamics. J Exp Bot, 65(17), 4783-4793. Abstract. Author URL. Full text. Article has an altmetric score of 1 Griffing LR, Gao HT, Sparkes I (2014). ER network dynamics are differentially controlled by myosins XI-K, XI-C, XI-E, XI-I, XI-1, and XI-2. Frontiers in Plant Science, 5(MAY). Abstract. Full text. Article has an altmetric score of 1 Lemarchand L, Euler R, Lin C, Sparkes I (2014). Modeling the geometry of the endoplasmic reticulum network. Lecture Notes in Computer Science (including subseries Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligence and Lecture Notes in Bioinformatics), 8542 LNBI, 131-145. Abstract. Full text. Lin C, Zhang Y, Sparkes I, Ashwin P (2014). Structure and dynamics of ER: minimal networks and biophysical constraints. Biophys J, 107(3), 763-772. Abstract. Author URL. Full text. Wang P, Hawkins TJ, Richardson C, Cummins I, Deeks MJ, Sparkes I, Hawes C, Hussey PJ (2014). The plant cytoskeleton, NET3C, and VAP27 mediate the link between the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum. Curr Biol, 24(12), 1397-1405. Abstract. Author URL. Full text. Article has an altmetric score of 1 Lee H, Sparkes I, Gattolin S, Dzimitrowicz N, Roberts LM, Hawes C, Frigerio L (2013). An Arabidopsis reticulon and the atlastin homologue RHD3-like2 act together in shaping the tubular endoplasmic reticulum. New Phytologist, 197(2), 481-489. Abstract. Article has an altmetric score of 4 Werner AK, Medina-Escobar N, Zulawski M, Sparkes IA, Cao FQ, Witte CP (2013). The ureide-degrading reactions of purine ring catabolism employ three amidohydrolases and one aminohydrolase in arabidopsis, soybean, and rice. Plant Physiology, 163(2), 672-681. Abstract. Sparkes I, Brandizzi F (2012). Fluorescent protein-based technologies: shedding new light on the plant endomembrane system. Plant J, 70(1), 96-107. Abstract. Author URL. Article has an altmetric score of 2 Sparkes IA, Graumann K, Martinire A, Schoberer J, Wang P, Osterrieder A (2011). Bleach it, switch it, bounce it, pull it: Using lasers to reveal plant cell dynamics. Journal of Experimental Botany, 62(1), 1-7. Article has an altmetric score of 1 Francin-Allami M, Saumonneau A, Lavenant L, Bouder A, Sparkes I, Hawes C, Popineau Y (2011). Dynamic trafficking of wheat γ-gliadin and of its structural domains in tobacco cells, studied with fluorescent protein fusions. Journal of Experimental Botany, 62(13), 4507-4520. Abstract. Sparkes I, Hawes C, Frigerio L (2011). FrontiERs: movers and shapers of the higher plant cortical endoplasmic reticulum. Curr Opin Plant Biol, 14(6), 658-665. Abstract. Author URL. Wang P, Hummel E, Osterrieder A, Meyer AJ, Frigerio L, Sparkes I, Hawes C (2011). KMS1 and KMS2, two plant endoplasmic reticulum proteins involved in the early secretory pathway. Plant J, 66(4), 613-628. Abstract. Author URL.