Staff profile

Research Interests

Plants respond to abiotic stress by making physiological and metabolic changes that help them survive further stress. Many of these changes are brought about by transcriptional reprogramming My research focusses on the molecular mechanisms that bring about freezing tolerance in plants and the regulation of genes that protect plants against low temperature and other forms of abiotic stress. We have been elucidating the roles of a number of genes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana that determine the plant’s level of tolerance to freezing stress. One of these genes, sensitive-to-freezing6 (SFR6) encodes a component of the Mediator transcriptional coactivator complex, and is essential for the transcriptional response to low temperature that protects plants from freezing. My lab showed that specificity in plant Mediator function (the ability of the complex to “choose” which genes it switches on) is implemented through distinct individual subunit roles and we published work describing the molecular mechanism that allows this to happen (Hemsley et al, 2014). Recently we identified SFR8 as a gene that governs freezing tolerance by influencing cell wall structure (Panter et al., 2019) and ongoing research is elucidating a role for this gene in desiccation tolerance. Currently we are working with Dr Gabriele Sosso and Dr Tom Whale in Warwick University to elucidate the relationship between plant cell wall composition and ice formation in plant tissues 

• Plant freezing tolerance
• Transcriptional regulation
• Plant stress responses
• Plant Cell wall
• Mechanical properties of plant cells

• Durham Centre for Crop Improvement Technology
• Molecular Plant Sciences

• 2018: Invited lecture in Beijing: Invited to give a lecture at China Agriculture University in Beijing.
• 2018: Invited speaker UNAM, Mexico: Invited to present a seminar at Dept of Biochemistry, UNAM, Mexico City
• 2017: Appointed as external Examiner, Salford: External Examiner for Masters in Biotechnology, University of Salford
• 2012: Elected member of GARNet advisory Committee (2012-2015): Elected to serve on the GARNet Committee to represent the interests of the Araidopsis research community.

  Invited (With Dr Kerry Franklin of Bristol University) by the Society for Experimental Biology to run a session entitled “Plant temperature responses: shaping development and enhancing survival?” at the SEB’s Annual meeting in Florence, July 2018.

Chapter in book

• Panter, Paige E., Panter, Jack R. & Knight, Heather (2020). Impact of Cell‐wall Structure and Composition on Plant Freezing Tolerance. In Annual Plant Reviews online. Wiley Blackwell. 3: 607.
• Knight, H (2000). Calcium signaling during abiotic stress in plants. In International Review of Cytology. 195: 269-324.

Journal Article

• Cano-Ramirez, Dora L., Panter, Paige E., Takemura, Tokiaki, de Fraine, Tara Saskia, de Barros Dantas, Luíza Lane, Dekeya, Richard, Barros-Galvão, Thiago, Paajanen, Pirita, Bellandi, Annalisa, Batstone, Tom, Manley, Bethan F., Tanaka, Kan, Imamura, Sousuke, Franklin, Keara A., Knight, Heather & Dodd, Antony N. (2023). Low-temperature and circadian signals are integrated by the sigma factor SIG5. Nature Plants 9: 661–672.
• Panter, Paige E, Seifert, Jacob, Dale, Maeve, Pridgeon, Ashley J, Hulme, Rachel, Ramsay, Nathan, Contera, Sonia & Knight, Heather (2023). Cell-wall fucosylation in Arabidopsis influences control of leaf water loss and alters stomatal development and mechanical properties. Journal of Experimental Botany 74(8): 2680-2691.
• Lee, Morgan, Dominguez-Ferreras, Anna, Kaliyadasa, Ewon, Huang, Wei-Jie, Antony, Edna, Stevenson, Tracey, Lehmann, Silke, Schäfer, Patrick, Knight, Marc R., Ntoukakis, Vardis & Knight, Heather (2021). Mediator Subunits MED16, MED14, and MED2 Are Required for Activation of ABRE-Dependent Transcription in Arabidopsis. Frontiers in Plant Science 12: 649720.
• Liu, Qiangbo, Ding, Yanglin, Shi, Yiting, Ma, Liang, Wang, Yi, Song, Chunpeng, Wilkins, Katie A, Davies, Julia M, Knight, Heather, Knight, Marc R, Gong, Zhizhong, Guo, Yan & Yang, Shuhua (2021). The calcium transporter ANNEXIN1 mediates cold‐induced calcium signaling and freezing tolerance in plants. The EMBO Journal 40(2): e104559.
• Panter, Paige E., Kent, Olivia, Dale, Maeve, Smith, Sarah J., Skipsey, Mark, Thorlby, Glenn, Cummins, Ian, Ramsay, Nathan, Begum, Rifat A., Sanhueza, Dayan, Fry, Stephen C., Knight, Marc R. & Knight, Heather (2019). MUR1-mediated cell-wall fucosylation is required for freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. New Phytologist 224(2): 1518-1531.
• Pinneh, E.C., Stoppel, R., Knight, H., Knight, M.R., Steel, P.G. & Denny, P.W. (2019). Expression levels of inositol phosphorylceramide synthase modulate plant responses to biotic and abiotic stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS ONE 14(5): e0217087.
• Calixto, Cristiane P.G., Guo, Wenbin, James, Allan B., Tzioutziou, Nikoleta A., Entizne, Juan Carlos, Panter, Paige E., Knight, Heather, Nimmo, Hugh G., Zhang, Runxuan & Brown, John W.S. (2018). Rapid and Dynamic Alternative Splicing Impacts the Arabidopsis Cold Response Transcriptome. The Plant Cell 30(7): 1424-1444.
• Sorek, N., Szemenyei, H., Sorek, H., Landers, A., Knight, H., Bauer, S., Wemmer, D.E. & Somerville, D.R. (2015). Identification of MEDIATOR16 as the Arabidopsis COBRA suppressor, MONGOOSE1. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 112(52): 16048-16053.
• Hemsley, P.A., Hurst, C.H., Kaliyadasa, E., Lamb, R., Knight, M.R., De Cothi, E.A., Steele, J.F. & Knight, H. (2014). The Arabidopsis Mediator complex subunits MED16, MED14 and MED2 regulate Mediator and RNA polymerase II recruitment to CBF-responsive cold-regulated genes. The Plant Cell 26(1): 465-484.
• Knight, Marc. R. & Knight, Heather (2012). Low-temperature perception leading to gene expression and cold tolerance in higher plants. New Phytologist 195(4): 737-751.
• Wathugala, D.L., Hemsley, P.A., Moffat, C.S., Cremelie, P., Knight, M.R. & Knight, H. (2012). The Mediator subunit SFR6/MED16 controls defence gene expression mediated by salicylic acid and jasmonate responsive pathways. New Phytologist 195(1): 217-230.
• Liu, J.L., Knight, H., Hurst, C.H. & Knight, M.R. (2012). Modelling and experimental analysis of the role of interacting cytosolic and vacuolar pools in shaping low temperature calcium signatures in plant cells. Molecular BioSystems 2012(8): 2205-2220.
• Caroline S Moffat, Robert A Ingle, Deepthi L Wathugala, Nigel J Saunders, Heather Knight & Marc R Knight (2012). ERF5 and ERF6 Play Redundant Roles as Positive Regulators of JA/Et-Mediated Defense against Botrytis cinerea in Arabidopsis. PLoS ONE 7(4): e35995.
• Whalley, H. J., Sargeant, A. W., Steele, J. F. C., Lacoere, T., Lamb, R., Saunders, N. J., Knight, H. & Knight, M. R. (2011). Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Calcium Regulation of Specific Promoter Motifs in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell 23(11): 4079-4095.
• Wathugala, D.L., Richards, S.A., Knight, H. & Knight, M.R. (2011). OsSFR6 is a functional rice orthologue of SENSITIVE TO FREEZING-6 and can act as a regulator of COR gene expression, osmotic stress and freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis. New Phytologist 191(4): 984-995.
• Knight, H., Mugford Nee Garton, S. G., Ulker, B., Gao, D., Thorlby, G. & Knight, M. R. (2009). Identification of SFR6, a key component in cold acclimation acting post-translationally on CBF function. The Plant Journal 58(1): 97-108.
• Ulker, B, Peiter, E, Dixon, DP, Moffat, C, Capper, R, Bouche, N, Edwards, R, Sanders, D, Knight, H & Knight, MR (2008). Getting the most out of publicly available T-DNA insertion lines. Plant Journal 56(4): 665-677.
• Knight, H., Thomson, A. J. & McWatters, H. G. (2008). SENSITIVE TO FREEZING6 Integrates Cellular and Environmental Inputs to the Plant Circadian Clock. Plant Physiology 148(1): 293-303.
• Garton, S., Knight, H., Warren, G., Knight, M. & Thorlby, G. (2007). crinkled leaves 8 - A mutation in the large subunit of ribonucleotide reductase leads to defects in leaf development and chloroplast division in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Journal 50: 118-127.
• Kaplan, B., Davydov, O., Knight, H., Galon, Y., Knight, M.R., Fluhr, R. & Fromm, H. (2006). Rapid transcriptome changes induced by cytosolic Ca2+ transients reveal ABRE-related sequences as Ca2+-responsive cis-elements in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 18: 2733-2748.
• Peiter, E, Maathuis, FJM, Mills, LN, Knight, H, Pelloux, M, Hetherington, AM & Sanders, D (2005). The vacuolar Ca2+-activated channel TPC1 regulates germination and stomatal movement. Nature 434(7031): 404-408.
• Knight, H, Zarka, DG, Okamoto, H, Thomashow, ME & Knight, MR (2004). Abscisic acid induces CBF gene transcription and subsequent induction of cold-regulated genes via the CRT promoter element. Plant Physiology 135(3): 1710-1717.
• Rentel, MC, Lecourieux, D, Ouaked, F, Usher, SL, Petersen, L, Okamoto, H, Knight, H, Peck, SC, Grierson, CS, Hirt, H & Knight, MR (2004). OXI1 kinase is necessary for oxidative burst-mediated signalling inArabidopsis. Nature 427(6977): 858-861.
• Brault, M, Amiar, Z, Pennarun, AM, Monestiez, M, Zhang, ZS, Cornel, D, Dellis, O, Knight, H, Bouteau, FO & Rona, JP (2004). Plasma membrane depolarization induced by abscisic acid in Arabidopsis suspension cells involves reduction of proton pumping in addition to anion channel activation, which are both Ca2+ dependent. Plant Physiology 135(1): 231-243.
• Boyce, JM, Knight, H, Deyholos, M, Openshaw, MR, Galbraith, DW, Warren, G & Knight, MR (2003). The sfr6 mutant of Arabidopsis is defective in transcriptional activation via CBF/DREB1 and DREB2 and shows sensitivity to osmoticstress. Plant Journal 34(4): 395-406.
• Wright, AJ, Knight, H & Knight, MR (2002). Mechanically stimulated TCH3 gene expression in Arabidopsis involvesprotein phosphorylation and EIN6 downstream of calcium. Plant Physiology 128(4): 1402-1409.
• Knight, H & Knight, MR (2001). Abiotic stress signalling pathways: specificity and cross-talk. Trends In Plant Science 6(6): 262-267.
• Knight, H & Knight, MR (2000). Imaging spatial and cellular characteristics of low temperature calcium signature after cold acclimation in Arabidopsis. Journal Of Experimental Botany 51(351): 1679-1686.
• Knight, H, Veale, EL, Warren, GJ & Knight, MR (1999). The sfr6 mutation in Arabidopsis suppresses low-temperature inductionof genes dependent on the CRT DRE sequence motif. Plant Cell 11(5): 875-886.
• Clayton, H, Knight, MR, Knight, H, McAinsh, MR & Hetherington, AM (1999). Dissection of the ozone-induced calcium signature. Plant Journal 17(5): 575-579.
• Plieth, C, Hansen, UP, Knight, H & Knight, MR (1999). Temperature sensing by plants: the primary characteristics of signal perception and calcium response. Plant Journal 18(5): 491-497.
• Knight, H, Brandt, S & Knight, MR (1998). A history of stress alters drought calcium signalling pathways in Arabidopsis. Plant Journal 16(6): 681-687.
• Knight, H, Trewavas, AJ & Knight, MR (1997). Calcium signalling in Arabidopsis thaliana responding to drought and salinity. Plant Journal 12(5): 1067-1078.
• Knight, H, Trewavas, AJ & Knight, MR (1996). Cold calcium signaling in Arabidopsis involves two cellular pools and achange in calcium signature after acclimation. Plant Cell 8(3): 489-503.