Find us on: University of East Anglia on Facebook Follow University of East Anglia news on Twitter University of East Anglia's YouTube channel

Academic

Dr Charles Brearley

Charles Brearley
Job Title Contact Location
Senior Lecturer  C dot Brearley at uea dot ac dot uk
Tel: 2197/2946  
Biology 1.48 
  • Personal
  • Research
  • Teaching
  • Publications
  • External
  • Admin

Career

  • Senior Lecturer, University of East Anglia (2009 - )
  • Lecturer, University of East Anglia (2001 - 2009)
  • BBSRC Advanced Research Fellow, University of Cambridge (1997-2000)
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of Cambridge (1989-1997)
  • Postdoctoral Research Associate, Brighton Polytechnic (1986-1989)
  • Ph.D. - University of Wales (1986)
  • B.Sc. - Biochemistry, University of Stirling (1982)


Key Research Interests

Current interests address the metabolic biochemistry and signalling function of inositol phosphates in plants with especial focus on the regulation of inositol hexakisphosphate (phytic acid) synthesis in model and crop plants.

Current Research Projects

  • The contribution of ABC transporters to phytate accumulation in storage tissues of plants, and to inositol phosphate signaling processes of plants.
  • Inositol polyphosphate kinase structure – function relationships
  • Plant hormone – inositol signaling interaction

Life in our research group 

Our research is unashamedly outward looking: we enjoy and foster collaboration with international partners. Our especial expertise lies in the description of inositol phosphate biology. Our approaches are applicable to most biological systems, plant or animal. The lab is equipped with a range of HPLC-based instrumentation, including radiochemical, fluorescence, UV and electrochemical detection. We apply suppressed ion conductivity approaches on Dionex systems to the detection and quantification of inositol phosphates. We apply derivitization approaches to the analysis of molecules ranging from amino acids, to amines, to carboxylic acids; and pulsed amperometry to the detection of carbohydrates. Some of this is for colleagues in the School.


PhD Positions

Please email me to discuss PhD opportunities and projects within the School of Biological Sciences.


Teaching Activities

  • 1A14 (Fundamentals of Cell Biology and Biochemistry)
  • 1A6Y (Maths and Statistics for Biologists)
  • 2B01 (Biochemistry)
  • 2B07 (Plant Biology)
  • 3C03 (Cell Signalling)
  • 3C20 (Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions)
Jump to: Article | Patent
Number of items: 35.

Article

Banos-Sanz, JI, Sanz-Aparicio, J, Brearley, CA and Gonzalez, B (2012) Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the apo form of Ins5 2-K from Arabidopsis thaliana. Acta Crystallographica Section F, 68. pp. 701-704.

Banoz-Sanz, JI, Sanz-Aparicio, J, Whitfield, H, Hamilton, C, Brearley, CA and Gonzalez, B (2012) Conformational changes undergone by Inositol 1,3,4,5,6-Pentakisphosphate 2-Kinase Upon Substrate Binding: The Role of N-lobe and Enantiomeric Substrate Preference. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. (In Press)

Hanke, DE, Parmar, PN, Caddick, SEK, Green, P and Brearley, CA (2012) Synthesis of inositol phosphate ligands of plant hormone receptor complexes: pathways of inositol hexakisphosphate turnover. Biochemical Journal, 444 (3). pp. 601-609. ISSN 0264-6021

Ignacio, J, S-Aparicio, J, Whitfield, H, Hamilton, C, Brearley, C and Gonzalez, B (2012) Conformational changes undergone by AtlP5 2-K upon substrate binding: The role of N-lobe and enantiomeric substrate preference. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. (In Press)

Lee, B-R, Huseby, S, Koprivova, A, Chetelat, A, Wirtz, M, Mugford, ST, Navid, E, Brearley, CA, Saha, S, Mithen, R, Hell, R, Farmer, EE and Kopriva, S (2012) Effects of fou8/fry1 mutation on sulfur metabolism. Is decreased internal sulfate the trigger of sulfate starvation response? PLoS One (PONE-D-12-01548R2).

Estavillo, GM, Crisp, PA, Pornsiriwong, W, Wirtz, M, Collinge, D, Carrie, C, Giraud, E, Whelan, J, David, P, Javot, H, Brearley, C, Hell, R, Marin, E and Pogson, BJ (2011) Evidence for a SAL1-PAP Chloroplast Retrograde Pathway That Functions in Drought and High Light Signaling in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell Online, 23 (11). pp. 3992-4012. ISSN 1040-4651

Panzeri, D, Cassani, E, Doria, E, Tagliabue, G, Forti, L, Campion, B, Bollini, R, Brearley, CA, Pilu, R, Nielsen, E and Sparvoli, F (2011) A defective ABC transporter of the MRP family, responsible for the bean lpa1 mutation, affects the regulation of the phytic acid pathway, reduces seed myo-inositol and alters ABA sensitivity. New Phytologist. no-no. ISSN 0028646X

Seipke, RF, Barke, J, Brearley, C, Hill, L, Yu, DW, Goss, RJM and Hutchings, MI (2011) A Single Streptomyces Symbiont Makes Multiple Antifungals to Support the Fungus Farming Ant Acromyrmex octospinosus. PLoS ONE, 6 (8). e22028. ISSN 1932-6203

Gonzalez, B, Banos-Sanza, JI, Villatea, M, Brearley, CA and Sanz-Aparicio, J (2010) Inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate 2-kinase is a distant IPK member with a singular inositide binding site for axial 2-OH recognition. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107 (21). pp. 9608-9613.

Robson, F, Okamoto, H, Patrick, E, Harris, S-R, Wasternack, C, Brearley, CA and Turner, JG (2010) Jasmonate and Phytochrome - A signaling in Arabidopsis wound and shade responses are integrated through JAZ1 stability. Plant Cell, 22 (4). pp. 1143-1160.

Guymer, D, Maillard, J, Agacan, MF, Brearley, C and Sargent, F (2010) Intrinsic GTPase activity of a bacterial twin-arginine translocation proofreading chaperone induced by domain swapping. FEBS Journal, 277 (2). pp. 511-525. ISSN 1742464X

Baños-Sanz, JI, Villate, M, Sanz-Aparicio, J, Brearley, C and González, B (2010) Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate kinase from Arabidopsis thaliana. Acta Crystallographica Section F Structural Biology and Crystallization Communications, 66 (1). pp. 102-106. ISSN 1744-3091

Todd, J, Curson, A, Nikolaidou-Katsaraidou, N, Brearley, C, Watmough, N, Chan, Y, Bulman Page, P, Sun, L and Johnston, AWB (2010) Molecular dissection of bacterial acrylate catabolism - unexpected links with dimethylsulfoniopropionate catabolism and dimethyl sulfide production. Environmental Microbiology, 12 (2). pp. 327-343.

Nagy, R, Grob, H, Weder, B, Green, P, Klein, M, Frelet, A, Schjoerring, JK, Brearley, CA and Martinoia, E (2009) The Arabidopsis ATP-binding cassette protein ATMRP5/ATABCC5 is a high-affinity inositol hexakisphosphate transporter involved in guard cell signaling and phytate storage. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 284. pp. 33614-33622.

Tedman-Jones, JD, Lei, R, Jay, F, Fabro, G, Li, X, Reiter, WD, Brearley, C and Jones, JD (2008) Characterization of Arabidopsis mur3 mutations that result in constitutive activation of defence in petioles, but not leaves. Plant Journal, 56 (5). pp. 691-703.

Murphy, A, Otto, B, Brearley, C, Carr, J and Hanke, D (2008) A role for inositol hexakisphosphate in the maintenance of basal resistance to plant pathogens. Plant Journal, 56 (4). pp. 638-652.

Brearley, CA (2008) Sorting out Ptdlns(4,5)P2 and clathrin coated vesicles in plants. Biochemical Journal, 415 (3). pp. 1-3. ISSN 0264-6021

Caddick, SE, Harrison, CJ, Stavridou, I, Mitchell, JL, Hemmings, AM and Brearley, CA (2008) Solanum tuberosum inositol phosphate kinase (StlTPK1) displaying inositol phosphate-inositol phosphate and inositol phosphate-ADP phosphotransferase activities. FEBS Letters, 582 (12). pp. 1731-1737.

Curson, ARJ, Rogers, R, Todd, JD, Brearley, CA and Johnston, AWB (2008) Molecular genetic analysis of a dimethylsulfoniopropionate lyase that liberates the climate-changing gas dimethylsulfide in several marine a-proteobacteria and Rhodobacter sphaeroides. Environmental Microbiology, 10 (3). pp. 757-767.

Sweetman, D, Stavridou, I, Johnson, S, Green, P, Caddick, SE and Brearley, CA (2007) Arabidopsis thaliana inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate 5/6-kinase 4 (AtITPK4) is an outlier to a family of ATP-grasp fold proteins from Arabidopsis. FEBS Letters, 581 (22). pp. 4165-4171.

Caddick, SE, Harrison, CJ, Stavridou, I, Johnson, S and Brearley, CA (2007) A lysine accumulation phenotype of Sclpk2Delta mutant yeast is rescued by Solanum tuberosum inositol phosphate multikinase. Biochemical Journal, 403. pp. 381-389. ISSN 0264-6021

Harrison, CJ, Caddick, SEK, Stavridou, I, Johnson, S and Brearley, C (2007) A lysine accumulation phenotype of ScIpk2Δ mutant yeast is rescued by Solanum tuberosum inositol phosphate multikinase. Biochemical Journal, 403 (3). pp. 381-389. ISSN 02646021

Casaravilla, C, Brearley, C, Soule, S, Fontana, C, Veiga, N, Beisso, M, Ferreira, F, Kremer, C and Diaz, A (2006) Characterisation of myo-inositol hexakisphosphate deposits from larval Echinococcus granulosus. FEBS Journal, 273 (14). pp. 3192-3203.

Sweetman, D, Johnson, S, Caddick, SEK, Hanke, DE and Brearley, CA (2006) Characterization of an Arabidopsis inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate 2-kinase (Atlpk1). Biochemical Journal, 394 (1). pp. 95-103. ISSN 0264-6021

Lin, W-H, Wang, Y, Mueller-Roeber, B, Brearley, CA, Xu, ZH and Xue, H-W (2005) At5PTase 13 Modulates Cotyledon Vein Development through Regulating Auxin Homeostasis. Plant Physiology, 139 (4). pp. 1677-1691.

Gomez-Merino, FC, Trejo-Telez, LI, Skiryczl, A, Brearley, CA, Dormann, P and Mueller-Roeber, B (2005) Arabidopsis ATDGK7, the smallest member of plant diacylglycerol kinases, unique biochemical features and saturates at low substrate. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 280. pp. 34888-34899.

Fung, CYE, Brearley, CA, Farndale, RW and Mahaut-Smith, MR (2005) A major role for P2X(I) receptors in the early collagen-evoked intracellular Ca2+ responses of human platelets. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 94 (1). pp. 37-40.

Xu, J, Brearley, CA, Lin, W-H, Wang, Y, Ye, R, Mueller-Roeber, B, Xu, Z-H and Xue, H-W (2005) A role of Arabidopsis inositol polyphosphate kinase, AtlPK2{alpha}, in pollen germination and root growth. Plant Physiology, 137 (1). pp. 94-103.

Gomez-Merino, FC, Brearley, CA, Ornatowska, M, Abdel-Haliem, ME, Zanor, MI and Mueller-Roeber, B (2004) AtDGK2, a novel diacylglycerol kinase from Arabidopsis thaliana, phosphorylates 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycerol, and exhibits cold-inducible gene expression. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 279. pp. 8230-8241.

Lemtiri-Chlieh, F, MacRobbie, EA, Webb, AA, Manison, NF, Brownlee, C, Skepper, JN, Chen, J, Prestwich, GD and Brearley, CA (2003) Inositol hexakisphosphate mobilizes an endomembrane store of calcium in guard cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 100 (17). pp. 10091-10095. ISSN 10091-10095

Xia, HJ, Brearley, C, Elge, S, Kaplan, B, Fromm, H and Mueller-Roeber, B (2003) Arabidopsis inositol polyphosphate 6-/3-kinase is a nuclear protein that complements a yeast mutant lacking a functional ArgR-Mcm1 transcription complex. Plant Cell, 15 (2). pp. 449-463.

Xiao, S, Brown, S, Patrick, E, Brearley, C and Turner, JG (2003) Enhanced transcription of the Arabidopsis disease resistance genes RPW8.1 and RPW8.2 via a salicylic acid-dependent amplification circuit is required for hypersensitive cell death. Plant Cell, 15 (1). pp. 33-45. ISSN 1040-4651

Elge, S, Brearley, C, Xia, HJ, Kehr, J, Xue, HW and Moeller Roeber, B (2001) An Arabidopsis inositol phospholipid kinase strongly expressed in procambial cells: Synthesis of Ptdlns(4,5)P-2 and Ptdlns(3,4,5)P-3 in insect cells by 5-phosphorylation of precursors. The Plant Journal, 26 (6). pp. 561-571. ISSN 0960-7412

Rolf, MG, Brearley, CA and Mahaut-Smith, MP (2001) Platelet shape change evoked by selective activation of P2X(1) purinoceptors with alpha, beta-methylene ATP. Thrombosis and Haemostasis, 85. pp. 303-308.

Patent

WO2001GB03008 20010704 (2002) Measurements of Inositol Phospholipid Mass. .

This list was generated on Sat Apr 6 10:24:05 2013 BST.

External Activities and Indicators of Esteem

  • Recent invitations to meetings: Inositide Signaling Meeting (4-7 Nov 2007) at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Farm Research Campus, Maryland USA. Plant Lipid Signalling Meeting Oct 2005 Raleigh, NC, USA
  • Recent invitations to departments: The Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Aug 2007
  • Recent invitations to departments: MRC Laboratory for Molecular Cell Biology, University College London Feb 11, 2008
  • Recent International Ph.D examinations: Universität Potsdam, 2005
  • Recent International Ph.D examinations: University of Copenhagen, 2007
  • Member of Signal Transduction Theme Panel of Biochemical Society
  • Member of Signal Transduction Theme Panel of Biochemical Society

Administrative Posts/Responsibilities

  • Director of C250 Plant Biology Degree Programme
  • Module Organizer of 1A61 Introductory Chemistry for the Life Sciences and Plant Biology (2B07) and Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology (3C04)
QR code for Charles Brearley

Send this page to your mobile phone by scanning this code using a 2D barcode (QR Code) reader. These can be installed on most modern Smart Phones.