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  33   <center>
  34     <h1>Taylor Lab</h1>
  35   </center>
  36
  37   <p class="footnote"><img src="/static_content/community/feature/200504-1.jpg" border="0" width=
  38   "800" height="600" alt="Taylor Lab Lab" /><br />
  39   <strong>From left to right:</strong> Mark Taylor, Laurence
  40   Ducreux, Wayne Morris</p>
  41
  42   <p class="footnote" style=
  43   "float:right; width:375; text-align:center;"><img src=
  44   "/static_content/community/feature/200504-2.jpg" border="0" width="350" height="271" alt=
  45   "Ev-4, Crt B-9" /><br />
  46   <strong>Figure 1:</strong> Over-expression of a bacterial
  47   phytoene synthase gene (<em>CrtB</em>) increases the tuber
  48   carotenoid content and radically changes the types of carotenoid
  49   that accumulate in tubers (right) compared with controls
  50   (left).</p>
  51
  52   <p>The Taylor lab is part of the Scottish Crop Research
  53   Institute.</p>
  54
  55   <p>Over the past 16 years we have studied many aspects of potato
  56   tuber development and tuber quality traits. We have a particular
  57   interest in the control of the potato tuber life-cycle,
  58   addressing issues such as tuber initiation, tuber size
  59   distribution and control of tuber dormancy.</p>
  60
  61   <p>In recent years we have focused on isoprenoid metabolism in
  62   potato. Isoprenoids are a large group of metabolites that impact
  63   directly on nutritional quality (for example carotenoid content)
  64   and also on plant growth and development (for example
  65   gibberellins, cytokinins). Understanding the regulation of this
  66   metabolic network remains a major challenge. Using a transgenic
  67   approach we have perturbed isoprenoid metabolism in potato tubers
  68   and obtained several phenotypes of interest &acirc;&euro;&ldquo;
  69   such as enhanced tuber beta-carotene content (Figure
  70   1).</p><br clear="all" />
  71
  72   <p class="footnote" style=
  73   "float:right; width:375; text-align:center;"><img src=
  74   "/static_content/community/feature/200504-3.jpg" border="0" width="350" height="274" alt=
  75   "Over expression of a bacterial DXS gene" /><br />
  76   <strong>Figure 2:</strong> Over-expression of a bacterial DXS
  77   gene results in an early sprouting phenotype (right) compared
  78   with empty vector controls (left).</p>
  79
  80   <p>Using profiling methodologies in combination with the
  81   transgenics we hope to learn how the isoprenoid metabolic
  82   pathways are regulated. In other transgenics we over-expressed a
  83   bacterial gene encoding 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5
  84   &acirc;&euro;&ldquo;phosphate synthase. Although there was only a
  85   small impact on tuber carotenoid profile, major changes occurred
  86   in the tuber life-cycle, providing us with clues as to how
  87   dormancy and sprouting is controlled (Figure 2).</p>
  88
  89   <p>Although we are a small group, we interact with many
  90   colleagues at SCRI. We are interested in using VIGS in potato
  91   tubers to rapidly assess gene function and work with Dr
  92   Christophe Lacomme&acirc;&euro;&trade;s group in this area. Dr
  93   Steve Millam provides expertise in potato transformation and
  94   tissue culture and Dr Pete Hedley collaborates with microarray
  95   experiments. We are increasingly adopting a genetic approach to
  96   dissecting potato quality traits and work closely with Drs Gavin
  97   Ramsay and Glenn Bryan in these areas, benefiting also from the
  98   Commonwealth Potato Collection at SCRI.</p>
  99
 100   <p>In the future we shall direct our attention to looking at
 101   traits of interest to the potato industry such as flavour and
 102   texture. We shall work closely with colleagues in the Quality,
 103   Health and Nutrition programme who are developing metabolomic
 104   approaches, an effort lead by Professor Howard Davies and Dr
 105   Derek Stewart. The development of genetic, genomic and
 106   metabolomic resources for potato makes this a very exciting time
 107   for potato research, with real prospects for finding solutions to
 108   age-old problems.</p>
 109
 110   <h2>Contact Information</h2>
 111
 112   <p>Dr. Mark Taylor<br />
 113   Quality, Health, Nutrition,<br />
 114   Scottish Crop Research Institute,<br />
 115   Invergowrie,<br />
 116   Dundee,<br />
 117   DD2 5DA,<br />
 118   UK.<br />
 119   Email: <a href=
 120   "mailto:M.Taylor\@scri.sari.ac.uk">M.Taylor\@scri.sari.ac.uk</a><br />
 121
 122   Tel: +44 1382 562731<br />
 123   Website: <a href=
 124   "http://www.scri.sari.ac.uk/">http://www.scri.sari.ac.uk/</a></p><br clear="all" />
 125
 126
 127   <h2>Selected Publications</h2>
 128
 129   <p class="bibliography">Taylor MA, Ramsay G (2005) Carotenoid
 130   biosynthesis in plant storage organs: recent advances and
 131   prospects for improving plant food quality. Physiol Plant in
 132   press</p>
 133
 134   <p class="bibliography">Ducreux LJ, Morris WL, Hedley PE,
 135   Shepherd T, Davies HV, Millam S, Taylor MA (2005). Metabolic
 136   engineering of high carotenoid potato tubers containing enhanced
 137   levels of {beta}-carotene and lutein. J Exp Bot
 138   56(409):81-89.</p>
 139
 140   <p class="bibliography">Ducreux LJ, Morris WL, Taylor MA, Millam
 141   S (2005). <em>Agrobacterium</em>-mediated transformation of
 142   <em>Solanum phureja</em>. Plant Cell Reports
 143   DOI:&Acirc;&nbsp;10.1007/s00299-004-0902-z</p>
 144
 145   <p class="bibliography">Witte CP, Tiller S, Isidore E, Davies HV,
 146   Taylor MA (2005) Analysis of two alleles of the urease gene from
 147   potato: polymorphisms, expression and extensive alternative
 148   splicing of the corresponding mRNA. J Exp Bot 56:91-99</p>
 149
 150   <p class="bibliography">Faivre-Rampant O, Gilroy E, Hrubikova K,
 151   Hein I, Millam S, Loake G, Birch PRJ, Taylor MA, Lacomme C (2004)
 152   Potato virus X-induced gene silencing in leaves and tubers of
 153   potato. Plant Physiology 134, 1308-1316</p>
 154
 155   <p class="bibliography">Morris WL, Ducreux L, Griffiths DW,
 156   Stewart D, Davies HV, Taylor MA (2004) Carotenogenesis during
 157   tuber development and storage in potato. J Exp Bot 55,
 158   975-982</p>
 159
 160   <p class="bibliography">Faivre-Rampant O, Cardle L, Marshall D,
 161   Viola R, Taylor MA (2004) Changes in gene expression during
 162   meristem activation processes in <em>Solanum tuberosum</em> with
 163   a focus on the regulation of an auxin response factor gene. J Exp
 164   Bot 55, 613-622</p>
 165
 166   <p class="bibliography">Faivre-Rampant O, Bryan GJ, Roberts AG,
 167   Milbourne D, Viola R, Taylor MA (2004) Regulated expression of a
 168   novel TCP domain transcription factor indicates an involvement in
 169   the control of meristem activation processes in <em>Solanum
 170   tuberosum</em> J. Exp Bot 55, 951-953</p>
 171
 172   <p class="bibliography">Witte C-P, Tiller SA, Taylor MA and
 173   Davies HV (2002) Leaf urea metabolism in potato: Urease activity
 174   profile and patterns of recovery and distribution of
 175   <sup>15</sup>N after foliar urea application in wild-type and
 176   urease-antisense transgenics. Plant Physiol 128, 1129-1136</p>
 177
 178   <p class="bibliography">Taylor MA, Ross HA, McRae D, Wright F,
 179   Viola R and Davies HV (2001) cDNA cloning and characterisation of
 180   a potato &alpha; glucosidase:expression in <em>E.coli</em> and
 181   effects of down-regulation in transgenic potato. Planta 213,
 182   258-264</p>
 183
 184   <p class="bibliography">Witte CP, Isidore E, Tiller SA, Davies
 185   HV, Taylor MA (2001) Functional characterisation of urease
 186   accessory protein G (ureG) from potato. Plant Molecular Biology
 187   45, 169-179</p>
 188
 189   <p class="bibliography">Taylor MA, Ross HA, McRae D, Stewart
 190   D,Roberts I, Duncan G, Wright F, Millam S and Davies HV (2000) A
 191   potato &alpha; glucosidase gene encodes a glycoprotein processing
 192   &alpha;-glucosidase II-like activity. Demonstration of enzyme
 193   activity and effects of down-regulation in transgenic plants.
 194   Plant Journal 24, 305-316</p>
 195
 196   <p class="bibliography">Davies PJ, Simko I, Mueller SM, Yencho
 197   GC, Lewis C, McMurry S, Taylor MA and Ewing EE (1999)
 198   Quantitative trait loci for polyamine content in an RFLP-mapped
 199   potato population and their relationship to tuberisation. Physiol
 200   Plant 106, 210-218</p>
 201
 202   <p class="bibliography">Rafart Pedros A, MacLeod MR, Ross HA,
 203   McRae D, Tiburcio AF, Davies HV and Taylor MA (1999) Manipulation
 204   of the S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase transcript level in
 205   potato tubers. Planta 209, 153-160</p>
 206
 207   <p class="bibliography">Taylor MA, George LA, Ross HA and Davies
 208   HV (1998) cDNA cloning of a potato alpha-glucosidase gene and
 209   functional characterisation by complementation of a yeast mutant.
 210   Plant Journal 13, 419-425</p>
 211
 212   <p class="bibliography">Kumar A, Taylor MA, Mad Arif SA and
 213   Davies HV (1996) Potato plants expressing antisense and sense
 214   S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) transgenes show
 215   altered levels of polyamines and ethylene. Plant Journal 9,
 216   147-158</p>
 217
 218   <p class="bibliography">Taylor MA, Ross HA Gardner A and Davies
 219   HV (1995) Characterisation of the fructokinase gene from potato
 220   J.Plant Physiol.145, 253-257</p>
 221
 222   <p class="bibliography">Mad Arif SA, Taylor MA, George LA, Butler
 223   AR, Burch LR, Davies HV, Stark MJR and Kumar A (1994)
 224   Characterisation of the S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase gene
 225   of potato. Plant Mol. Biol. 26, 327-338</p>
 226
 227   <p class="bibliography">Taylor MA, Mad Arif SA, Kumar A, Davies
 228   HV, Scobie LA, Pearce SR and Flavell AJ (1992) Expression and
 229   sequence analysis of cDNAs induced during the early stages of
 230   tuberisation in different organs of the potato plant (<em>Solanum
 231   tuberosum</em> L.). Plant Mol. Biol. 20, 641-651</p>
 232 END_HEREDOC
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