Dr E Belfield

Research Area

Using genome-era technologies in plant sciences

Research Description

Since my move with Nick Harberd from the John Innes Centre, Norwich (Aug 2007) my research has focused principally in the following areas:

Mutation analysis

Mutations are the source of genetic variation and fundamental to evolution. I use the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and related species to study spontaneous and environmentally induced mutations using next generation sequencing technologies.

Salt tolerance

I’m using next-generation sequencing technologies to determine the genetic variations in wheat varieties that have an increased tolerance to salinity and other stresses.

My other roles in the department:

- Biological Safety Officer
- Growth Facilities Manager

My committee membership:

- Genetic Modification Safety (Chair)
- Growth Facilities
- Safety Advisory

Publications (while at this department)

Belfield, Eric, Gan, Xiangchao, Mithani, Aziz, Brown, Carly, Jiang, Caifu, Franklin, Keara, Alvey, Elizabeth, Wibowo, Anjar, Jung, Marko, Bailey, Kit, Kalwani, Sharan, Raggoussis, Jiannis, Mott, Richard, Harberd, Nicholas. (2012) Genome-wide analysis of mutations in mutant lineages selected following fast-neutron irradiation mutagenesis of Arabidopsis thaliana Genome Research..
doi:10.1101/gr.131474.111.

Jiang, C, Belfield, E.J, Mithani, A, Visscher, A, Ragoussis, J, Mott, R, Smith, J.A.C, Harberd, N.P. (2012) ROS-mediated vascular homeostatic control of root-to-shoot soil Na delivery in Arabidopsis EMBO Journal..
doi:10.1038/emboj.2012.273.

Gan, X, Stegle, O, Behr, J, Steffen, J.G, Drewe, P, Hildebrand, K.L, Lyngsoe, R, Schultheiss, S.J, Osborne, E.J, Sreedharan, V.T, Kahles, A, Bohnert, R, Jean, G, Derwent, P, Kersey, P, Belfield, E.J, Harberd, N.P, Kemen, E, Toomajian, C, Kover, P.X, Clark, R.M, Ratsch, G, Mott, R. (2011) Multiple reference genomes and transcriptomes for Arabidopsis thaliana Nature. 477 (7365): pp 419-423.
doi:10.1038/nature10414.

Jiang, C, Mithani, A, Gan, X, Belfield, E.J, Klingler, JohnP, Zhu, J.-K, Ragoussis, J, Mott, R, Harberd, Nicholas. (2011) Regenerant Arabidopsis Lineages Display a Distinct Genome-Wide Spectrum of Mutations Conferring Variant Phenotypes Current Biology. 21 (16): pp 1385-1390.
doi:10.1016/j.cub.2011.07.002.

Harberd, N.P, Belfield, E, Yasumura, Y. (2009) The angiosperm gibberellin-GID1-DELLA growth regulatory mechanism: How an "inhibitor of an inhibitor" enables flexible response to fluctuating environments Plant Cell. 21 (5): pp 1328-1339.
doi:10.1105/tpc.109.066969.

Skills

Next generation sequencing, genomics, transcriptomics, gene expression, epigenetics, genetic association studies, Arabidopsis genetics, wheat genetics.

Other publications (while at this department)

Belfield E J, (2013) A NUCLEAR REACTION: THE GENETIC CONSEQUENCES FOR PLANTS EXPOSED TO RADIATION. Laboratory News, Jan.

Other publications

Belfield E J, Hughes R K, Tsesmetzis N, Naldrett M J, Casey R. (2007) The Gateway pDEST17 expression vector encodes a -1 ribosomal frameshifting sequence. Nucleic Acids Research, 35, (4), 1322-1332.

Hughes, R K, Belfield, E J, Muthusamay, M, Khan, A, Rowe, A J, Harding, S E, Fairhust, S A, Bornemann, S, Thorneley, R N F, and Casey, R (2006) Characterization of Medicago truncatula (barrel medic) hydroperoxide lyase (CYP74C3), a water-soluble detergent-free cytochrome P450 monomer whose biological activity is defined by monomer–micelle association. Biochemical Journal, 395, 641-652.

Khan, A, Hughes, R K, Belfield, E J., Casey, R, Rowe, A J and Harding, S E (2006) Oligomerization of hydroperoxide lyase, a novel P450 enzyme in plants. Progress in Colloid and Polymer Science, 131, 116-120.

Hughes, R. K., Belfield, E. J., Ashton, R., Fairhurst, S. A., Göbel, C., Feussner, I. and Casey, R. (2006) Allene oxide synthase from Arabidopsis thaliana (CYP74A1) exhibits dual specificity that is regulated by monomer-micelle association. FEBS Letters, 580, 4189-4195

R K Hughes, E J Belfield and R Casey (2006) CYP74C3 and CYP74A1, plant cytochrome P450 enzymes whose activity is regulated by detergent micelle-association and proposed new rules for the classification of CYP74 enzymes. Biochemical Society Transactions, 34, 1223-1227.

Belfield E J, Ruperti B, Roberts J A, McQueen-Mason S (2005) Changes in expansin activity and gene expression during ethylene-promoted leaflet abscission in Sambucus nigra. Journal of Experimental Botany, 56, 817-823.

Mita, G, Quarta, A, Fasano, P, De Paolis, A, Di Sansebastiano, G P, Perrotta, C, Iannacone, R, Belfield, E, Hughes, R, Tsesmetzis, N, Casey, R, Santino, A (2005) Molecular cloning and characterization of an almond 9-hydroperoxide lyase, a new CYP74 targeted to lipid bodies. Journal of Experimental Botany, 56, 2321-2333. (Featured as journal front cover)

Belfield, E, Hughes, R K, Olias, R, Tsesmetzis, N and Casey, R (2004) Expression and characterisation of legume lipoxygenases and hydroperoxide lyases. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology, 137, S219.