ESRIC welcomes researchers from a range of disciplines and institutes, below are some examples of a few of these projects as well as the list of publications that have come out of the facility since 2013. We love to hear how you are getting on and you can fill us in at this quick 2 questions survey here or enter any new publications at your ppms account page here.
Polarity signalling in central nervous system myelin
Professor Charles ffrench-Constant
Dr. Andrew Jarjour (PDRA)
Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh
This project used the multicolour and 3-Dimensional super-resolution technique, STED, to visualise polarity signalling in oligodendroglia at the regions flanking the nodes of ranvier. Proper polarization of the myelin sheath at these paranodal regions is essential for axo-glial adhesion and the resultant organization of the axon into the distinct molecular domains required for rapid impulse conduction. Understanding the mechanisms involved in polarizing the myelin sheath requires that the myelin sheath be imaged in fine detail, which as seen in the image, STED can provide. This work has significant influence on our understanding of how CNS myelin forms and the demyelination that is seen in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Image of a nerve cell (red) with myelin wrapped around in a spiral (green) shows the level of detail in STED (left) compared to standard imaging (right)
Ion channels in sperm cells and their association with impaired fertility
Dr Sean Brown
School of Science, Engineering and Technology, Abertay University
This project aims to investigate the expression and intracellular localisation of ion channels inside human sperm as it has been found that abnormal channel phenotypes are associated with impaired fertilisation. In particular the knocking out of certain genes that relate to impaired fertility can drastically change calcium channel arrangement along the tail. This project is using single molecule localisation microscopy techniques to quantify the molecular organisation on the nanometer scale over 3 dimensions.
Calcium channel localisation inside a human sperm cell imaged on the ESRIC Olympus TIRF system, right hand image shows zoom.
Cellular communication and diabetes
Dr Colin Rickman
Dr. Deirdre Kavanagh (PDRA)
Institute of Biological Chemistry, Bioengineering and Biophysics, Heriot-Watt University
Funded by MRC and Wellcome Trust
Using single molecule localisation microscopy such as PALM and STORM this project aims to understand the plasma membrane organisation of tSNARE proteins underlying insulin secretion in β-cells under normal physiological conditions and how this is altered in Type 2 related hyperglycemia. Previous work combined these techniques with Fluorescence Cross Correlation Spectroscopy to study SNARE protein interactions in neuronal cells.
Figure panel from: A molecular toggle after exocytosis sequesters the presynaptic syntaxin1a molecules involved in prior vesicle fusion, Nature Communications 2014.
3D Printing of Tumours
Dr Nick Leslie (PI)
Miguel Hermida (PhD)
Institute of Biological Chemistry, Bioengineering and Biophysics, Heriot-Watt University
Funded by Anonymous Trust
This project involves the development of a 3D printing strategy, which uses common biocompatible hydrogels to create multilineage tumour-like structures. These are visualised in ESRIC using live-cell 3D confocal imaging with the aim to study the tumour microenvironment and provide novel highly-reproducible models for preclinical drug testing.
3D printed construct in RGD-Alginate showing U87MG-EYFP glioblastoma cells, WI-38 Cerulean fibroblasts and activated MM-6 mCherry macrophages, 24h after printing. Imaged using the SP5 Confocal laser scanning microscope.
Distribution of pathogen associated molecular patterns on the Candida albicans cell surface
Prof. A. Brown (PI)
Dr Judith Bain (PDRA)
School of Medicine, Medical Sciences and Nutrition, University of Aberdeen
Funded by MRC
This project investigates the cell surface arrangement of pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPS), including β-glucan, on the wall of the fungal pathogen, Candida albicans. In this collaboration, Structured Illumination Microscopy (SIM) is used to visualise alterations in PAMP exposure in response to altered host factors.
β-glucan on the C. albicans cell surface, visualised by Fc-Dectin-1 using the SIM system
Analysis of human lung tissue and bacterial labelling compounds
Dr Kev Dhaliwal (PI)
Dr Tushar Choudhary (PDRA)
Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh
Funded by EPSRC
This collaborative project between Heriot-Watt University and Edinburgh University investigates the properties of markers for lung diseases, which forms part of the Proteus project; developing a tool for next-generation diagnostic testing of lung disease. Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) is used to study the fluorescent properties of these markers.
Confocal images of fluorescently-labelled bacteria and the corresponding image showing the Fluorescence Lifetimes of each bacteria in a false colour scale
Investigating granular dynamics in renin-producing primary cells
Dr John Mullins (PI)
Dr Charlotte Buckley (PDRA)
BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh
Funded by British Heart Foundation
The transport and dynamics of renin-producing granules inside primary juxtaglomerular cells has been investigated in a collaborative project between Universities. This research has been possible using TIRF microscopy and photoactivation techniques at ESRIC allowing live-cell tracking and quantification of calcium dynamics.
Granules (left panel) inside a renin-producing (right panel, green) juxtaglomerular cell imaged in live-cell conditions using the Ollympus IX81 TIRF system.
Super-Resolution imaging of postsynaptic proteins in the brain
Professor Seth Grant (PI - previous) and Dr Gareth Miles
Dr Matthew Broadhead (PDRA),
Centre for Neurodegeneration, University of Edinburgh and School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews
Funded by Principals Career Development Scholarship
Gated stimulated emission depletion (g-STED) microscopy was used in this project to quantify PSD95eGFP organisation at the nanoscale in brain tissue to understand the underlying molecular framework of cognitive functions at the level of the synapse. This work was published in Nature Scientific Reports in May 2016 as part of a Wellcome Trust funded project at the University of Edinburgh. Matthew now works as a PDRA in St Andrews and continnues to collaborate with ESRIC.
Figure legend from above publication showing dye-filled neurons with single and multiple neuronal clusters in spine heads. Left panel, PSD95-eGFP (green) imaged with a confocal (Con) microscope and the Alexa Fluor 594-filled spine is shown in magenta. Right panel, g-STED image of PSD95-eGFP in same spine. Scale bars 500 nm.
ESRIC Publications:
2013/01 | Nature Communications | Kindlin-1 regulates mitotic spindle formation by interacting with integrins and Plk-1 |
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Hitesh Patel, Judith Zich, Bryan Serrels, Colin Rickman, Kevin G. Hardwick, Margaret C. Frame & Valerie G. Brunton |
2013/02 | The Journal of Biological Chemistry | Munc18-1 protein molecules move between membrane molecular depots distinct from vesicle docking sites. | 23223447 | Annya M. Smyth, Lei Yang, Kirsty J. Martin, Charlotte Hamilton, Weiping Lu, Michael A. Cousin, Colin Rickman & Rory R. Duncan |
2013/08 | Science (New York N.Y.) | Transcription. Flashing a light on the spatial organization of transcription. | 23929972 | Colin Rickman & Wendy A. Bickmore |
2013/09 | Frontiers in endocrinology | Imaging large cohorts of single ion channels and their activity. | 24027557 | Katia Hiersemenzel, Euan R. Brown & Rory R. Duncan |
2014/10 | J Cell Sci | Eps8 controls Src- and FAK-dependent phenotypes in squamous carcinoma cells. | 25359883 | Christina Schoenherr, Bryan Serrels, Charlotte Proby, Debbie L. Cunningham, Jane E. Findlay, George S. Baillie, John K. Heath & Margaret C. Frame |
2014/12 | Nature communications | A molecular toggle after exocytosis sequesters the presynaptic syntaxin1a molecules involved in prior vesicle fusion. | 25517944 | Deirdre M. Kavanagh, Annya M. Smyth, Kirsty J. Martin, Alison Dun, Euan R. Brown, Sarah Gordon, Karen J. Smillie, Luke H. Chamberlain, Rhodri S. Wilson, Lei Yang, Weiping Lu, Michael A. Cousin, Colin Rickman & Rory R. Duncan |
2015/03 | Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) | Rapid formation of a supramolecular polypeptide-DNA hydrogel for in situ three-dimensional multilayer bioprinting. | 25656851 | Chuang Li, Alan Faulkner-Jones, Alison R. Dun, Juan Jin, Ping Chen, Yongzheng Xing, Zhongqiang Yang, Zhibo Li, Wenmiao Shu, Dongsheng Liu & Rory R. Duncan |
2015/06 | Methods | The evolution of structured illumination microscopy in studies of HIV. doi 10.1016/j.ymath.2015.06.007 | 26071977 | Kelly Marnoc, Lara Al’Zoubic, Matthew Pearsona, b, Markus Poschd, Áine McKnightc & Ann P. Wheeler |
2015/08 | Histochemistry and Cell Biology | Chromatin at the nuclear periphery and the regulation of genome functions | 26170147 | Charlene Lemaître & Wendy A. Bickmore |
2015/09 | eLife | TALPID3 controls centrosome and cell polarity and the human ortholog KIAA0586 is mutated in Joubert syndrome (JBTS23). | 26386247 | Stephen LA, Tawamie H, Davis GM, Tebbe L, Nürnberg P, Nürnberg G, Thiele H, Thoenes M, Boltshauser E, Uebe S, Rompel O, Reis A, Ekici AB, McTeir L, Fraser A, Hall E, Mill P, Daudet N, Cross C, Wolfrum U, Jamra AR, Davey MG & Bolz HJ |
2015/09 | Genes & development | A negative loop within the nuclear pore complex controls global chromatin organization. | 26341556 | Manuel Breuer & Hiroyuki Ohkura |
2015/11 | IEEE transactions on bio-medical engineering | Estimation of Fluorescence Lifetimes via Rotational Invariance Techniques. | 26571506 | Yu H, Saleeb R, Dalgarno P & Day-Uei Li D. |
2015/11 | Scientific reports | SIMcheck: a Toolbox for Successful Super-resolution Structured Illumination Microscopy. | 26525406 | Graeme Ball, Justin Demmerle, Rainer Kaufmann, Ilan Davis, Ian M. Dobbie & Lothar Schermelleh |
2015/12 | Biofabrication | Three-dimensional bioprinting of complex cell laden alginate hydrogel structures. | 26689257 | Atabak Ghanizadeh Tabriz, Miguel A Hermida, Nicholas Leslie & Wenmiao Shu |
2015/12 | Cell reports | ADF and Cofilin1 Control Actin Stress Fibers Nuclear Integrity and Cell Survival. | 26655907 | Georgios Kanellos, Jing Zhou, Hitesh Patel, Rachel A. Ridgway, David Huels, Christine B. Gurniak, Emma Sandilands, Neil O. Carragher, Owen J. Sansom, Walter Witke, Valerie G. Brunton & Margaret C. Frame |
2016/01 | Scientific reports | Translation Microscopy (TRAM) for super-resolution imaging | 26822455 | Zhen Qiu, Rhodri S Wilson, Yuewei Liu, Alison R Dun, Rebecca S Saleeb, Dongsheng Liu, Colin Rickman, Margaret Frame, Rory R Duncan & Weiping Lu |
2016/04 | Scientific reports | PSD95 nanoclusters are postsynaptic building blocks in hippocampus circuits. | 27109929 |
Matthew J. Broadhead, Mathew H. Horrocks, Fei Zhu, Leila Muresan, Ruth Benavides-Piccione, Javier DeFelipe, David Fricker, Maksym V. Kopanitsa, Rory R. Duncan, David Klenerman, Noboru H. Komiyama, Steven F. Lee & Seth G. N. Grant |
2016/05 | American journal of human genetics | A Restricted Repertoire of De Novo Mutations in ITPR1 Cause Gillespie Syndrome with Evidence for Dominant-Negative Effect. | 27108798 | Meriel McEntagart1, Kathleen A. Williamson, Jacqueline K. Rainger, Ann Wheeler, Anne Seawright, Elfride De Baere, Hannah Verdin, L. Therese Bergendahl, Alan Quigley, Joe Rainger, Abhijit Dixit, Ajoy Sarkar, Eduardo López Laso, Rocio Sanchez-Carpintero, Jesus Barrio, Pierre Bitoun, Trine Prescott, Ruth Riise, Shane McKee, Jackie Cook, Lisa McKie, Berten Ceulemans, Françoise Meire, I. Karen Temple, Fabienne Prieur, Jonathan Williams, Penny Clouston, Andrea H. Németh, Siddharth Banka, Hemant Bengani, Mark Handley, Elisabeth Freyer, Allyson Ross, DDD Study, Veronica van Heyningen, Joseph A. Marsh, Frances Elmslie & David R. FitzPatrick |
2016/08 | Development | Shh and ZRS enhancer co-localisation is specific to the zone of polarizing activity | 23804033 | Hitesh Patel, Judith Zich, Bryan Serrels, Colin Rickman, Kevin G. Hardwick, Margaret C. Frame & Valerie G. Brunton |
2016/10 | Genes and Development | Condensin II mutation causes T-cell lymphoma through tissue-specific genome instability |
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J Woodward, GC Taylor, DC Soares, S Boyle, D Sie, D Read, K Chathoth, M Vukovic, N Tarrats, D Jamieson, KJ Campbell, K Blyth, JC Acosta, B Yistra, MJ Arends, KR Kranc, AP Jackson, WA Bickmore, AJ Wood |
2016/11 | Open Biology | SBE6: a novel long-range enhancer involved in driving sonic hedgehog expression in neuralprogenitor cells | 27852806 | NS Benabdallah, P Gautier, B Hekiimoglu-Balkan, LA Lettice, S Bhatia & WA Bickmore |
2016/11 | Scientific Reports | Smart-aggregation imaging for single molecule localisation with SPAD cameras | 27876857 | I Gyongy, A Davies, NA Dutton, RR Duncan, C Rickman, RK Henderson & PA Dalgarno |
2017/01 | Renal Physiology - American Journal of Physiology | Bimodal dynamics of granular organelles in primary renin-expressing cells revealed using TIRFmicroscopy | 28069661 | C Buckley, AR Dun, A Peter, C Bellamy, KW Gross, RR Duncan & JJ Mullins |
2017/01 | Current Biology | Navigation through the Plasma Membrane Molecular Landscape Shapes Random Organelle Movement | 28089515 | AR Dun, GJ Lord, RS Wilson, DM Kavanagh, KI Cialowivz, S Sugita, S Park, L Yang, AM Smyth, A Papadopulos, C Rickman & RR Duncan |
2017/01 | Scientific Reports | Tryptophan and Non-Tryptophan Fluorescence of the Eye Lens Proteins Provides Diagnostics of Cataract at the Molecular Level | 28071717 | Anna Gakamsky, Rory R Duncan, Nicola M Howarth, Baljean Dhillon, Kim K Buttenschön, Daniel J Daly, and Dmitry Gakamsky |
2017/01 | Nature Communications | Repo-Man/PP1 regulates heterochromatin formation in interphase | Inês J. de Castro, James Budzak, Maria L. Di Giacinto, Lorena Ligammari, Ezgi Gokhan, Christos Spanos, Daniela Moralli, Christine Richardson, Jose I. de las Heras, Silvia Salatino, Eric C. Schirmer, Katharine S. , Juri Rappsilber, Catherine GreenUllman, Wendy A. Bickmore, Sarah Lamble, Martin W. Goldberg, Veronica Vinciotti & Paola Vagnarelli | |
2017/03 | eLife | Ambra1 spatially regulates Src activity and Src/FAK-mediated cancer cell invasion via trafficking networks | 28362576 | Christina Schoenherr, Adam Byron, Emma Sandilands, Ketevan Paliashvili, George S Baillie, Amaya Garcia-Munoz, Cristina Valacca, Francesco Cecconi, Bryan Serrels, and Margaret C Frame |
2017/06 | Cell | SAF-A Regulates Interphase Chromosome Structure through Oligomerization with Chromatin-Associated RNAs | 28622508 | Ryu-Suke Nozawa, LoraBoteva, Dinesh C Soares, Catherine Naughton, Alison R Dun, Adam Buckle, Bernard Ramsahoye, Peter C Bruton, Rebecca S Saleeb, Maria Arnedo, Bill Hill, Rory R Duncan, Sutherland K Maciver and Nick Gilbert |
2017/10 | Scientific Reports | High-throughput assessment of mechanical properties of stem cell derived red blood cells toward cellular downstream processing | 29089557 | Ewa Guzniczak, Maryam Mohammad Zadeh, Fiona Dempsey, Melanie Jimenez, Henry Bock, Graeme Whyte, Nicholas Willoughby and Helen Bridle |
2017/12 | IEEE Trans. Electron Devices | A 256 x 256 100-kfps 61% Fill-Factor SPAD Image Sensor for Time-Resolved Microscopy Applications | doi:10.1109/TED.2017.2779790 | Istvan Gyongy, Neil Calder, Amy Davies, Neale Dutton, Rory R. Duncan, Colin Rickman, Paul Dalgarno, Robert K. Henderson |
2017/12 | Scientific Reports | A Bi-fluorescence complementation system to detect associations between the Endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria | 29234100 | Mark Harmon, Philip Larkman, Giles Hardingham, Mandy Jackson and Paul Skehel |
2018/01 | The EMBO Journal | Glyoxal as an alternative fixative to formaldehyde in immunostaining and super-resolution microscopy | 29146773 | Katharina N Richter, Natalia H Revelo, Katharina J Seitz, Martin S Helm, Deblina Sarkar, Rebecca S Saleeb, Elisa D'Este, Jessica Eberle, Eva Wagner, Christian Vogl, Diana F Lazaro, Frank Richter, Javier Coy‐Vergara, Giovanna Coceano, Edward S Boyden, Rory R Duncan, Stefan W Hell, Marcel A Lauterbach, Stephan E Lehnart, Tobias Moser, Tiago F Outeiro, Peter Rehling, Blanche Schwappach, Ilaria Testa, Bolek Zapiec, and Silvio O Rizzoli |
2018/09 | Nature Communications | Super-silent FRET Sensor Enables Live Cell Imaging and Flow Cytometric Stratification of Intracellular Serine Protease Activity in Neutrophils | Thomas H. Craven, Nicolaos Avlonitis, Neil McDonald, Tashfeen Walton, Emma Scholefield, Ahsan R. Akram, Timothy S. Walsh, Chris Haslett, Mark Bradley & Kevin Dhaliwal | |
2018/09 | The EMBO Journa | Mitochondrial inner membrane permeabilisation enables mtDNA release during apoptosis | 30049712 | Joel S Riley, Giovanni Quarato, Catherine Cloix, Jonathan Lopez, Jim O'Prey, Matthew Pearson, James Chapman, Hiromi Sesaki, Leo M Carlin, João F Passos, Ann P Wheeler, Andrew Oberst, Kevin M Ryan, Stephen WG Tait |
2019/01 | Journal of Biological Chemistry | A VPS33A-binding motif on syntaxin17 controls autophagy completion in mammalian cells | 30655294 | R.S Saleeb, D.M. Kavanagh, A.R.Dun, P.A.Dalgarno, R.R. Duncan |