Dr Lisa Smith
School of Biosciences
Senior Lecturer
+44 114 222 4702
Full contact details
School of Biosciences
C34a
Alfred Denny Building
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN
- Profile
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- Lecturer, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, UK (2013-present)
- Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Germany (2007-2013)
- PhD Student, The Sainsbury Laboratory, Norwich, UK (2002-2006)
- BSc (Hons), The University of Queensland, Australia (1998-2001)
- Research interests
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The Smith lab is primarily focused plant reproduction. We study a group of receptor kinases that detect signals coming either from other plant cells or from the surrounding environment. Their functions help the cell and plant develop and respond appropriately according to the wider environment. Our research is currently focussed on the function of malectin-like domain receptor kinases in fertilisation, where the male and female gametes exchange signals. This research on reproduction is in collaboration with Andrew Fleming and Sam Amsbury at the University of Sheffield as well as external collaborators.
A second line of research in the lab examines the developmental roles of malectin domain kinesins. Kinesins are motor proteins that can move around the cell using the cytoskeleton. Kinesins are particularly important in plant cell division where they can restructure the cytoskeleton and shift organelles. In work funded by The Leverhulme Trust, we aim to understand the function of malectin domain kinesins in reproduction and cell division.
I remain interested in diverse areas of plant molecular biology such as natural variation, epigenetics and transposable elements. Together with Jurriaan Ton and Stephen Rolfe’s labs and external collaborators, I study the long-term effects of biotic stress on heritable variations, and the potential to use transgenerational inherited resistance to make better crops.
- Publications
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Show: Featured publications All publications
Featured publications
Journal articles
- An evolutionary epigenetic clock in plants. Science, 381(6665), 1440-1445.
- Signalling between the sexes during pollen tube reception. Trends in Plant Science. View this article in WRRO
- The genetic and epigenetic landscape of the Arabidopsis centromeres. Science, 374(6569). View this article in WRRO
- CrRLK1L receptor-like kinases HERK 1 and ANJEA are female determinants of pollen tube reception. EMBO Reports, 21(2). View this article in WRRO
- A malectin domain kinesin functions in pollen and seed development in Arabidopsis.. J Exp Bot, 71(6), 1828-1841. View this article in WRRO
- Surviving in a Hostile World: Plant Strategies to Resist Pests and Diseases. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 57(1), 505-529. View this article in WRRO
- The relationship between transgenerational acquired resistance and global DNA methylation in Arabidopsis. Scientific Reports, 8(1). View this article in WRRO
- The role of DNA (de)methylation in immune responsiveness of Arabidopsis. Plant Journal, 88(3), 361-374. View this article in WRRO
- Conserved roles of CrRLK1L receptor-like kinases in cell expansion and reproduction from algae to angiosperms. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7(AUG2016). View this article in WRRO
- Rapid divergence and high diversity of miRNAs and miRNA targets in the Camelineae. The Plant Journal, 81(4), 597-610.
- Transposon variants and their effects on gene expression in Arabidopsis.. PLoS Genet, 9(2), e1003255. View this article in WRRO
- Multiple insert size paired-end sequencing for deconvolution of complex transcriptomes.. RNA Biol, 9(5), 596-609.
- Complex evolutionary events at a tandem cluster of Arabidopsis thaliana genes resulting in a single-locus genetic incompatibility.. PLoS Genet, 7(7), e1002164. View this article in WRRO
- Transposable elements and small RNAs contribute to gene expression divergence between Arabidopsis thaliana and Arabidopsis lyrata. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108(6), 2322-2327. View this article in WRRO
All publications
Journal articles
- An evolutionary epigenetic clock in plants. Science, 381(6665), 1440-1445.
- Signalling between the sexes during pollen tube reception. Trends in Plant Science. View this article in WRRO
- A. thaliana Hybrids Develop Growth Abnormalities Through Integration of Stress, Hormone and Growth Signalling.. Plant Cell Physiol. View this article in WRRO
- The genetic and epigenetic landscape of the Arabidopsis centromeres. Science, 374(6569). View this article in WRRO
- Novel allele elh of the UBP14 gene affects plant organ size via cell expansion in Arabidopsis thaliana.. MicroPubl Biol, 2021. View this article in WRRO
- CrRLK1L receptor-like kinases HERK 1 and ANJEA are female determinants of pollen tube reception. EMBO Reports, 21(2). View this article in WRRO
- A malectin domain kinesin functions in pollen and seed development in Arabidopsis.. J Exp Bot, 71(6), 1828-1841. View this article in WRRO
- A Novel Upstream Regulator of Trichome Development Inhibitors. Plant Physiology, 181(4), 1398-1400. View this article in WRRO
- The Heat Is On: Maize Pollen Development after a Heat Wave. Plant Physiology, 181(2), 387-388. View this article in WRRO
- Surviving in a Hostile World: Plant Strategies to Resist Pests and Diseases. Annual Review of Phytopathology, 57(1), 505-529. View this article in WRRO
- A rice transcription factor controls grain length through cell number. Plant Physiology, 180(4), 1781-1783. View this article in WRRO
- Salicylic Acid, Senescence, and Heterosis. Plant Physiology, 180(1), 3-4. View this article in WRRO
- Epigenetic Regulation of mRNA Polyadenylation Site Selection. Plant Physiology, 180(1), 7-9. View this article in WRRO
- The relationship between transgenerational acquired resistance and global DNA methylation in Arabidopsis. Scientific Reports, 8(1). View this article in WRRO
- Identification of Woodland Strawberry Gene Coexpression Networks.. Plant Physiology, 178(1), 7-8. View this article in WRRO
- Powering Epigenetics through the 1C Pathway. Plant Physiology, 177(2), 443-444. View this article in WRRO
- N2-fixing tropical legume evolution: a contributor to enhanced weathering through the Cenozoic?. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 284(1860). View this article in WRRO
- The role of DNA (de)methylation in immune responsiveness of Arabidopsis. Plant Journal, 88(3), 361-374. View this article in WRRO
- Conserved roles of CrRLK1L receptor-like kinases in cell expansion and reproduction from algae to angiosperms. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7(AUG2016). View this article in WRRO
- Rapid divergence and high diversity of miRNAs and miRNA targets in the Camelineae. The Plant Journal, 81(4), 597-610.
- Regulation of pri-miRNA processing by the hnRNP-like protein AtGRP7 in Arabidopsis. Nucleic Acids Research, 42(15), 9925-9936. View this article in WRRO
- Activation of the Arabidopsis thaliana Immune System by Combinations of Common ACD6 Alleles. PLoS Genetics, 10(7). View this article in WRRO
- The Capsella rubella genome and the genomic consequences of rapid mating system evolution. Nature Genetics, 45(7), 831-835.
- Transposon variants and their effects on gene expression in Arabidopsis.. PLoS Genet, 9(2), e1003255. View this article in WRRO
- Multiple insert size paired-end sequencing for deconvolution of complex transcriptomes.. RNA Biol, 9(5), 596-609.
- On epigenetics and epistasis: hybrids and their non-additive interactions.. EMBO J, 31(2), 249-250.
- Complex evolutionary events at a tandem cluster of Arabidopsis thaliana genes resulting in a single-locus genetic incompatibility.. PLoS Genet, 7(7), e1002164. View this article in WRRO
- Reference-guided assembly of four diverse Arabidopsis thaliana genomes.. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 108(25), 10249-10254. View this article in WRRO
- Transposable elements and small RNAs contribute to gene expression divergence between Arabidopsis thaliana and Arabidopsis lyrata. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 108(6), 2322-2327. View this article in WRRO
- Putative Arabidopsis THO/TREX mRNA export complex is involved in transgene and endogenous siRNA biosynthesis. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 107(31), 13948-13953. View this article in WRRO
- JMJ14, a JmjC domain protein, is required for RNA silencing and cell-to-cell movement of an RNA silencing signal in Arabidopsis. Genes and Development, 24(10), 986-991. View this article in WRRO
- Microrna gene evolution in Arabidopsis lyrata and Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell, 22(4), 1074-1089.
- Dissection of silencing signal movement in Arabidopsis. Plant Signaling and Behavior, 2(6), 501-502.
- Widespread role for the flowering-time regulators FCA and FPA in RNA-mediated chromatin silencing. Science, 318(5847), 109-112.
- An SNF2 protein associated with nuclear RNA silencing and the spread of a silencing signal between cells in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell, 19(5), 1507-1521.
- Mutational analysis of a heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2 response element for RNA trafficking. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 274(48), 34389-34395. View this article in WRRO
- Rice leaves undergo a rapid metabolic reconfiguration during a specific stage of primordium development.
Chapters
- Mechanisms of Transposable Element Evolution in Plants and Their Effects on Gene Expression In Pontes O & Jin H (Ed.), Nuclear Functions in Plant Transcription, Signaling and Development (pp. 133-164). New York: Springer.
- Use of Natural Variation in Arabidopsis thaliana to Study Adaptation In Laitinen RAE (Ed.), Molecular Mechanisms in Plant Adaptation (pp. 31-59). Hoboken, NJ, USA: John Wiley & Sons.
Conference proceedings papers
- The emerging case for epigenetic regulation of plant immunity. Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions, Vol. 32(10) (pp S1.17-S1.17). Glasgow, Scotland, 14 July 2019 - 18 July 2019. View this article in WRRO
Preprints
- Multi-generational biotic stress increases the rate of spontaneous epimutations in a ROS1-dependent manner, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- An evolutionary epigenetic clock in plants, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.
- Research group
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Postdoctoral research associates
- Dr Ellen Allwood: A plant-specific motor during cell division and seed development (funded by a Leverhulme Trust Research Project Grant)
- Dr Jen Sloan: Peptide signalling during plant reproduction (BBSRC funded)
- Dr Alice Baillie: Cell wall changes during plant reproduction (BBSRC funded)
- Dr Louis Tirot (based in Jurriaan Ton’s group): Epigenetic regulation of plant development and defence (BBSRC IPA funded)
Research technician
- Peijun Zhang (based in Jurriaan Ton’s group): Epigenetic regulation of plant development and defence.
PhD students
- Adam Parker: Role of cytidine deaminase in (epi)genetic adaptation of the plant immune system. (BBSRC White Rose Mechanistic Biology DTP: primary supervisor Prof. Jurriaan Ton)
- Teaching activities
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I currently (2023-24) teach on the following modules:
- APS11004 Plant Sciences: How to make a green planet
- APS11009 Skills in Biology
- BIS214 Plant, Cell and Environment
- APS31005 Biological Laboratory Research - Applied Molecular Biology
- APS355 Future Plants
- L1 and L2 tutorials
- BIS302 Literature Review
- BIS303 Research Project
- APS609 Research Project
- APS610 Science Communication for Researchers
- APS6610 Literature Review
- APS6617 Scientific Skills and Project Management
I coordinate and am admissions tutor for our Masters of Research programme together with Prof. Steve Rolfe. I am also the PGT Year Tutor for the School of Biosciences.