Staff Profile:Dr Carol Wagstaff

Name:

Dr Carol Wagstaff

Job Title:

Undergraduate Admissions Tutor

Responsibilities:

Lecturer in Food Chain and Health (Nutrition Research Group)

Areas of Interest:

• Food Security (click here for more about the Centre for Food Security)
• The regulation of pod senescence in the Brassicaceae and its contribution to grain quality
• Resource allocation in Brassica
• Quantitative genetics of crop metabolite and human health interactions
• Postharvest quality of horticultural crops
• Improving the nutritional quality and flavour of crop plants using molecular genetic approaches and environmental manipulation of preharvest growing conditions

Other Departmental Roles:

Admissions Tutor for undergraduate degree programmes (click here for more information about our courses)

My lab is working on a number of different projects in the above areas including:

Resource allocation in Brassica (Emma Bennett, working in collaboration with Tozer Seeds and University of Nottingham)

Seed yield is determined by a number of factors which are under genetic and environmental control, but ultimately it relies upon the reallocation of metabolites from photosynthetic parts of the plant into developing seeds, and partitioning of resources into carbohydrate, protein and lipids. We have been using the model plant Arabidopsis to manipulate resource allocation, either through modifying plant architecture, or through using ethylene signalling mutants, and thereby understand the underlying regulation of this important process. The diversity of resource allocation in Brassica crops has been examined in the Oregin field trials for the last two years (Brassica napus) and using the BraIRRI mapping population (Brassica rapa).

Regulation of seed wounding response in hard and fleshy fruits (Iffah Mohd Nawi, funded by Malaysian Government Scholarship)

A previous project established that the response regulator ARR22 is critical for correct seed wound responses in Arabidopsis siliques. The present project is examining if a similar mechanism for resource re-allocation out of wounded seeds and signalling responses is also present in the fleshy fruits of tomato plants.

Identifying targets for improving the nutritional content of Brassicaceae crops (Dr Laura Atkinson, funded by The Leverhulme Trust)

Metabolites derived from vegetables are closely linked with human health when consumed in the diet, and consumption of whole foods is more beneficial than dietary supplementation with individual compounds. This project will test our hypothesis that regions of the plant genome which benefit human gut health can be identified. Arabidopsis is a model for brassicaceous plants which are rich in health-linked metabolites and we will identify genomic regions and metabolite interactions that confer chemoprotection, oxidative stress resistance and other gut health traits onto human cell lines. The outcomes will direct future work to isolate regulatory genes and understanding their function.

'Rocketscience' (published….watch this space for new projects)

We have grown a number of Rocket genotypes (from Eruca sativa and Diplotaxis erucoides cultivars) in different environmental conditions e.g. light intensity, water availability and temperature regime and examined the subsequent profiles of individual bioactives at the metabolic and transcriptomic level. Our focus has been on flavonoids and glucosinolates, which are the most important phytonutrients found in Brassicaceous plants, and we are also investigating the regulation of glucosinolate hydrolysis using molecular techniques.

Development of molecular markers linked to quantitative and qualitative assessment of bitterness in lettuce (Martin Chadwick, BBSRC CASE award in collaboration with Tozer Seeds; Dr Ascension Martinez Sanchez, Spanish Government Fellow)

Lettuce (Lactuca spp) is an important leafy vegetable crop from the Asteraceae that is the principal component of most salads. Consumption of fresh salads has increased in response to the public health campaign to eat '5-a-day' but the increase is small compared to that seen for fruit crops as consumers find the taste of vegetables less attractive than fruit. One of the problems facing lettuce growers and retailers is that many consumers are reluctant to consume lettuce as they perceive the taste to be bitter and unpalatable. Major components contributing towards the bitter taste of lettuce are isoprenoids such as sesquiterpenoid lactones (SLs) which are highly concentrated within lettuce. These secondary metabolites are synthesised by the plant as a defence against pathogens and the SLs are thought to have analgesic,

antitussive and sedative properties. We are using quantitative genetics to identify QTL in the lettuce genome that are associated with SL conjugates and sugar biosynthesis, and to subsequently understand the genes that regulate those QTL.

Improving the quality of cut fresh herbs using optimised pre-harvest cultivation conditions (Ben Cruickshank, in collaboration with R&G Herbs)

Herbs are primarily consumed for their flavour, which in turn is determined by genetic and environmental influences. The majority of herbs are grown under a protected environment and are therefore reliant upon peat-based substrates for their nutrition. We are investigating the use of Recycled Household Compost (RHC) as a sustainable alternative to peat-based substrates and have examined its impact on plant architecture, yield and flavour.

Improving yield and quality in leafy vegetables and tomatoes through manipulation of soil mycorrhizae (Viviane Schroeder, in collaboration with Symbio and Royal Holloway, University of London)

This project is primarily based at Royal Holloway. Baby leaf vegetables and herbs are harvested within a few weeks of sowing in sterile or flame-treated fields, other salad crops are grown hydroponically. In these crops, establishing beneficial symbiotic relationships with natural soil fungi or bacteria are unlikely and this may seriously limit yield. There are reports of enhanced productivity when arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are added, but these studies rarely look for benefits relevant to crops with a short growth cycle. Fewer studies have considered the effects on crop quality, however, food quality, diet and health are important issues for the food industry. This project is addressing applied aspects of adding AMF and provides fundamental knowledge of how fungal and/or bacterial symbionts affect metabolic processes within the plant.

Investigating consumer acceptance, modifying sensory attributes, assessing bioavailability and determining physiological effects of novel bread products enriched with beetroot (Ditte Hobbs, in collaboration with Professor Julie Lovegrove and Dr Lisa Methven (University of Reading) and Dr Trevor George (Eccentricities Ltd)

Eccentricities Ltd have developed a range of novel convenience foods incorporating whole fruits and vegetables aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption in the general population to meet the government's 5-a-day recommendations. Their novel bread products have been shown to be appealing to a select group of consumers via focus groups and the company now needs to increase the acceptance of these products for national and international consumers. This project is investigating consumer acceptance of bread products containing beetroot. This will allow modification of the sensory attributes of the products and investigate bioavailability, metabolic and physiological effects of the beneficial phytochemicals found in beetroot.

Benchmarking quality in pot-grown and cut herbs (Jade Taylor, BBSRC CASE award in collaboration with VHB Herbs)

Herbs have grown in popularity over the last few years as many consumers find the idea of keeping living herbs in their kitchen, and as a replacement seasoning and flavour enhancer in place of salt, an appealing prospect. However, herb quality and shelf life can be extremely variable and product wastage at store level and by consumers is high. Cut fresh and pot grown herbs have quite different supply chains (SC): pot grown herbs are exclusively produced in the UK for UK consumers as soil makes overseas products unviable to transport. In the store the cut produce can be contained within a sealed bag, possibly with a modified atmosphere, and stored below ambient temperature, whereas pot grown herbs are minimally sleeved, and are sold at ambient temperature. The biology of drought response, senescence and pathogen attack are well characterised in other plant systems, but their role in herb quality is not yet known. The aim of this project is to understand the biological events that result in loss of product quality to the extent that it becomes unsalable, and subsequently to recommend alternative handling procedures in order to reduce product wastage.

Folate composition in spinach (collaboration with University of Nottingham)

We are looking at the effects of postharvest storage and stress treatments on the levels of total folate in spinach cultivars using a microbiological assay. Future work will focus on the contribution of individual folate species and the molecular regulation of folate biosynthesis in spinach.

Pod senescence (collaboration with University of Warwick and University of Nottingham)

We have recently completed transcriptomic profiling of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves, petals and pods at different stages of maturity in order to identify common and tissue-specific pathways. Our work is now focusing on the role that the pod wall plays in regulating the timing of seed maturation and the formation of seed storage proteins.

Research groups / Centres:

Publications:

Refereed papers:

Bennett, E., Roberts, J.A. and Wagstaff, C. 2011. The role of the pod in seed development: strategies for manipulating yield. New Phytologist Tansley Review. 190: 838-853.

Graham, L.E., Schippers, J.H.M., Dijkwel P.P. and Wagstaff, C. 2011. Ethylene and senescence processes. Chapter In: The Plant Hormone Ethylene, Annual Plant Reviews. Edited by M. McManus, Wiley-Blackwell Publishers. In press.

Wagstaff, C., Bramke, I., Breeze, E., Thornber, S., Harrison, E., Thomas, B., Buchanan-Wollaston, V., Stead, A.D. and Rogers, H.J. 2010. A specific group of genes respond to cold dehydration stress in cut Alstroemeria flowers whereas ambient dehydration stress accelerates developmental senescence expression patterns. Journal of Experimental Botany. 61: 2905-2921.

Wagstaff, C., Clarkson, G.J.J., Zhang, F.Z., Rothwell, S.D., Fry, S.C., Taylor, G. and Dixon, M.S. 2010. Modification of cell wall properties in lettuce improves shelf life. Journal of Experimental Botany. 61: 1239-1248.

Jin, J., Koroleva, O., Gibson, T., Swanston, J., Magan, J., Zhang, Y., Rowland, I.R. and Wagstaff, C. 2009. Light quality and postharvest storage has an impact on the nutritional quality of wild and salad rocket. Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry. 57: 5227-5234.

Wagstaff, C., Yang, T.J.W., Stead, A.D., Buchanan-Wollaston, V. and Roberts, J.A. 2009. A molecular and structural characterisation of senescing Arabidopsis siliques and comparison of transcriptional profiles with senescing petals and leaves. The Plant Journal. 57: 690-705.

Wagstaff, C., Clarkson, G.J.J., Rothwell, S.D., Page, A., Taylor, G. and Dixon, M.S. 2007. Characterisation of cell death in bagged baby salad leaves. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 46: 150-159.

Gonzalez-Carranza, Z.H., Rompa, U., Peters, J.L., Bhatt, A., Wagstaff, C., Stead, A.D., Roberts, J.A. 2007. HAWAIIAN SKIRT - an F-box gene that regulates organ fusion and growth in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology. 144: 1370-1382.

Zhang, F. Z., Wagstaff, C., Rae, A.M., Sihota, A. K., Keevil, C. W., Rothwell, S. D., Clarkson, G. J. J., Michelmore, R. W., Truco, M. J., Dixon, M. S. and Taylor, G. 2007. QTL for shelf life in lettuce co-locate with those for leaf biophysical properties but not for leaf developmental traits. Journal of Experimental Botany. 58: 1433-1449.

Stead, A.D., van Doorn, W.G., Jones, M.L. and Wagstaff, C. 2006. Flower Senescence -fundamental and applied aspects. In: Flowering. Annual Plant Reviews. 20. Ed. C. Ainsworth. Blackwells Ltd.

Wagstaff, C., Chanasut, U., Harren, F.J.M., Laarhoven, L-J., Thomas, B., Rogers, H.J. and Stead, A.D. 2005. Ethylene and flower longevity in Alstroemeria: relationship between tepal senescence, abscission and ethylene biosynthesis. Journal of Experimental Botany. 56: 1007-1016.

Breeze, E., Wagstaff, C., Harrison, E., Bramke, I., Rogers, H.J., Stead, A.D., Thomas, B. and Buchanan-Wollaston, V. 2004. Gene expression patterns to define stages of post harvest senescence inAlstroemeria petals. Plant Biotechnology Journal. 2: 155-168.

Chanasut, U., Rogers, H.J., Leverentz, M.K., Griffiths, G., Thomas, B., Wagstaff, C. and Stead, A.D. 2003. Increasing flower longevity in Alstroemeria. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 29: 324-332.

Wagstaff, C., Malcolm, P., Rafiq, A., Leverentz, M., Griffiths, G., Thomas, B., Stead, A.D. and Rogers, H.J. 2003. Programmed cell death (PCD) processes begin extremely early in Alstroemeria petal senescence. New Phytologist. 160: 49-59.

Thomas, H., Ougham, H.J., Wagstaff, C. and Stead, A.D. 2003. Defining senescence and death. Journal of Experimental Botany. 54: 1127-1132.

Leverentz, M., Wagstaff, C., Rogers, H., Stead, A., Chanasut, U., Silkowski, H., Thomas, B., Weichert, H., Feussner, I. and Griffiths, G. 2002. Characterisation of a novel lipoxygenase-independent senescence mechanism in Alstroemeria peruviana floral tissue. Plant Physiology. 130: 273-283.

Wagstaff, C., Leverentz, M., Griffiths, G., Thomas, B., Chanasut, U., Stead, A. and Rogers, H. 2002. Cysteine protease gene expression and proteolytic activity during senescence of Alstroemeria petals.Journal of Experimental Botany. 53: 233-240.

Firn, R.D., Wagstaff, C. and Digby, J.D. 2000. The use of mutants to probe models of gravitropism.Journal of Experimental Botany. 51: 1323-1340.

Firn, R.D., Wagstaff, C. and Digby, J.D. 1999. The ups and downs of gravitropism. Trends in Plant Science. 4: 252.

Conference Proceedings:

Wagstaff, C. Analysis of growth physiology and phytochemical content of Eruca and Diplotaxis cultivars under different light and temperature regimes. Acta Horticulturae. In press.

Yin-Chih, L., Imsabai, W., Reid, M.S., Wagstaff, C., Cai-Zhong, J. 2010. A universal primer for isolation of fragments of a gene encoding phytoene desaturase for use in virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) studies. Acta Horticulturae. Proc. 6th International Postharvest Symposium Eds.: M. Erkan and U. Aksoy. ISHS. 877: 1697-1704.

Wagstaff, C., Bramke, I., Breeze, E., Buchanan-Wollaston, V., Thomas, B., Rogers, H.J. and Stead, A.D. 2003. Global changes in gene expression during Alstroemeria petal senescence. Acta Horticulturae. 669: 127-134.

Stead, A.D., Malcolm, P., Breeze, E., Buchanan-Wollaston, V., Thomas, B., Rogers, H.J. and Wagstaff, C. Ethylene and Alstroemeria - a grey area. 2003. M. Vendrell et al. (Eds) IOS Press. pp 340-344.

Wagstaff, C., Rogers, H., Leverentz, M., Thomas, B., Chanasut, U. and Stead, A. 2001. Characterisation of Alstroemeria vase life. Acta Horticulturae. 543: 161-175.

Articles for trade press:

Stead, A.D. and Wagstaff, C. 2005. Harvesting, transporting and keeping quality of cut Alstroemeria.Australian Flower Industry. 2: 14-15.

Wagstaff, C., Rogers, H.J. and Stead, A.D. 2002. How will the molecular revolution impact ornamental production? FloraCulture International. October issue: 18-21.

Articles for teaching resources:

Luck, MR and Wagstaff C. 2004. The Scientific Method. Written for Open University tutors' and students' resource pack.

Wagstaff, C. 2000. Sending Plants Round the Bend. Biological Sciences Review. 12: 14-17.

Brief career history

1992 - 1995. BSc. Biology (Royal Holloway, University of London) 1995 - 1998. DPhil (University of York). 'Gravitropic perception, signal transduction and response in Arabidopsis thaliana and Tradescantia fluminensis.' 1999 - 2001. MAFF funded postdoctoral fellow (Cardiff University). Physiology and molecular basis of senescence in cut Alstroemeria flowers. 2001 - 2004. DEFRA funded Postdoctoral Research Associate (Cardiff University and Royal Holloway, University of London). Using microarrays to identify genes with diagnostic potential for floral quality and longevity in cut flowers. 2004 - 2006. BBSRC LINK funded Postdoctoral Fellow (University of Southampton and Vitacress Salads Ltd). Improving the quality and processability of baby leaf salad. 2007 - present. Lecturer in Food Chain and Health (University of Reading).

Involvement in Scientific Societies

Theme Leader for Nutrition Society Food Chain: Animals and Plants theme. Click here for further information. Member of Society for Experimental Biology (www.sebiology.org)

Collaborators

R&G Fresh Herbs Ltd VHB Herbs (Vitacress Salads Ltd) Tozer Seeds CEBAS, CSIC, Spain Aberystwyth University University of Warwick University of Nottingham