Academic Staff

Prof Robert Edwards, B.Sc., Ph.D.

Biography

My research group have interests in the enzymes responsible for the biotransformation of xenobiotics and secondary metabolites in plants and microorganisms to products with modified biological activities. Through the identification and functional characterization of these proteins our research goals are to

Understand the integrated biosystem involved in xenobiotic detoxification in plants (the xenome) and establish associated functions in endogenous metabolism and physiology
Enhance the metabolism of plants to improve their phytoremediation of organic pollutants
Engineer the biotransformation of valuable plant secondary metabolites in vivo and use the respective proteins for biocatalysis in vitro.
Ongoing research projects include studies on;

1) the hydrolases involved in pesticide detoxification and bioactivation

2) the biochemistry of multiple herbicide resistance in plants

3) the glucosyltransferases involved in herbicide metabolism

4) the functional genomics of the glutathione transferase superfamily

5) glutathione and its ability to regulate protein function in plants through mixed disulphide formation.

6) enzymes involved in the formation of bioactive volatiles

Current programmes are funded by the BBSRC, Oxford Chemicals and Syngenta. In the UK projects are being jointly developed with the Universities of York, Newcastle, Oxford and Glasgow and with the Diamond programme. Internationally we have links throughout Europe through the COST action 839 in phytotechnologies.

In addition, within Durham I have several collaborations with colleagues in Biology (Benham, ER oxidoreductins; Baxter, secondary metabolism and climate change) and Chemistry (Steel, biocatalysis; Hodgson, enzyme evolution, Parker & Kataky, biomimetics).

Related Links

• Edwards Research Web Page

Research Groups

• Biomolecular Interactions

Research Projects

Centre for Bioactive Chemistry

• Identification of safener binding proteins in Arabidopsis using chemical probes
• Reactivity-Based Strategies for the High Throughput Identification and Evolution of New Biocatalysts

Research Interests

• Biochemistry of plant secondary metabolism
• Herbicide selectivity and herbicide resistance
• Isolation of novel biocatalysts
• Metabolite profiling
• Pesticide metabolism in plants
• Plant/pathogen interactions

Selected Publications

Books: sections

• Edwards,R. & Dixon,D.P. (2004). Metabolism of natural and xenobiotic substrates by the plant glutathione S-transferase family. In Molecular Ecotoxicology of Plants (Ecological Studies, vol. 170). Sandermann, H. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. 170: 17-50.

Journal papers: academic

• Brazier-Hicks, M., Evans, K.M., Gershater, M.C., Puschmann, H., Steel, P.G. & Edwards, R. (2009). The C-glycosylation of flavonoids in cereals. Journal of Biological Chemistry 284: 17926-17934.
• Liu, J., Brazier-Hicks, M. & Edwards, R (2009). A kinetic model for the metabolism of the herbicide safener fenclorim in Arabidopsis thaliana. Biophysical Chemistry 143: 85-94.
• Brazier-Hicks, M. , Evans, K.M. , Cunningham, O.D. Hodgson, D.R.W.,, Steel, P.G. & Edwards, R (2008). Catabolism of glutathione conjugates in Arabidopsis thaliana; role in metabolic reactivation of the herbicide safener fenclorim. Journal of Biological Chemistry 283(30): 21102-21112.
• Cummins, I., Steel, P.G. & Edwards, R. (2007). Identification of a carboxylesterase expressed in protoplasts using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Plant Biotechnology Journal 5: 354-359.
• Brazier-Hicks, M. , Offen, W., Gershater, M.C., Revett, T., Lim, E-K., Bowles, D., Davies, G.J. & Edwards, R. (2007). Characterization and engineering of the bifunctional N- and O-glucosyltransferase involved in xenobiotic metabolism in plants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (USA) 104: 20238-20243.
• Gershater, M.C., Cummins, I. & Edwards, R. (2007). Role of a Carboxylesterase in Herbicide Bioactivation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Journal of Biological Chemistry 282: 21460-21466.
• Brazier-Hicks, M., Edwards, L.A. & Edwards, R. (2007). Selection of plants for roles in phytoremediation; the importance of glucosylation. Plant Biotechnology Journal 5: 627-635.
• Davey, M.P., Harmens, H., Ashenden, T.W., Edwards, R. & Baxter, R. (2007). Species-specific effects of elevated CO2 on resource allocation in Plantago maritime and Armeria maritime. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology 35: 121-129.
• Cummins, I., Landrum, M., Steel, P.G. & Edwards, R (2007). Structure activity studies with xenobiotic substrates using carboxylesterases isolated from Arabidopsis thaliana. Phytochemistry 68: 811-818.
• Bryant, D., Cummins, I., Dixon, D.P. & Edwards, R (2006). Cloning and characterization of a theta class glutathione transferase from the potato pathogen Phytophthora infestans. Phytochemistry 67: 1427-1434.
• Dixon, D.P. & Edwards, R. (2006). Enzymes of tyrosine catabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Science (171): 360-366.
• Cummins, I. , Brazier-Hicks, M., Stobiecki, M., Franski, R. & Edwards, R (2006). Selective disruption of wheat secondary metabolism by herbicide safeners. Phytochemistry 67: 1722- 1730.
• Cummins, I., McAuley, K.M., Fordham-Skelton, A., Schwoerer, R., Steel, P.G., Davis, B.G. & Edwards, R. (2006). Unique regulation of the active site of the serine esterase S-formylglutathione hydrolase. Journal of Molecular Biology 359: 422-432.
• Edwards, R., Brazier, M., Dixon, D.P. & Cummins, I. (2005). Chemical manipulation of antioxidant defences in plants. Advances in Botanical Research 42: 1-32.
• Edwards,R., Del Buono,D., Fordham,M., Skipsey,M., Brazier,M., Dixon,D.P. & Cummins,I. (2005). Differential induction of glutathione transferases and glucosyltransferases in wheat, maize and Arabidopsis thaliana by herbicide safeners. Zeitschrift für Natursforschung c 60: 307-316.
• Skipsey, M. , Davis, B.D. & Edwards, R (2005). Diversification in substrate usage by glutathione synthetases from soybean (Glycine max), wheat (Triticum aestivum) and maize (Zea mays). Biochemical Journal 391: 567-574.
• Brazier-Hicks, M & Edwards, R (2005). Functional importance of the family 1 glucosyltransferase UGT72B1 in the metabolism of xenobiotics in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Journal 42(4): 556-566.
• Yang, M., Brazier, M., Edwards, R. & Davis, B.G. (2005). High-throughput mass-spectrometry monitoring for multisubstrate enzymes: determining the kinetic parameters and catalytic activities of glycosyltransferases. ChemBioChem 6: 347-357.
• Skipsey, M., Cummins, I. , Andrews, C.J., Jepson, I. & Edwards, R (2005). Manipulation of plant tolerance to herbicides through coordinated metabolic engineering of a detoxifying glutathione transferase and thiol cosubstrate. Plant Biotechnology Journal 3: 409-420.
• Edwards, R. & Dixon, D.P. (2005). Plant glutathione transferases. 401: 169-186.
• Andrews, C.J, Cummins, I., Skipsey, M., Grundy, N.M., Jepson, I., Townson, J. & Edwards, R. (2005). Purification and characterisation of a family of glutathione transferases with roles in herbicide detoxification in soybean (Glycine max l.); selective enhancement by herbicides and herbicide safeners. Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology 82: 205-219.
• Dixon,D.P., Fordham-Skelton,A.P. & Edwards,R. (2005). Redox regulation of a soybean tyrosine-specific protein phosphatase. Biochemistry 44(21): 7696-7703.
• Dixon,D.P., Skipsey,M., Grundy,N.M. & Edwards,R. (2005). Stress-induced protein S-glutathionylation in Arabidopsis. Plant Physiology 138(4): 2233-2244.
• Dixon,D.P., Lapthorn,A. & Edwards,R. (2005). Synthesis and analysis of chimeric maize glutathione transferases. Plant Science 168(4): 873-881.
• Davey, M,P., Bryant, D.N., Cummins, I., Ashenden, T.W., Gates, P.J., Baxter, R. & Edwards, R. (2004). Effects of elevated CO2 on the vasculature and phenolic secondary metabolism of Plantago maritima. Phytochemistry 65: 2197-2204.
• Cummins, I. & Edwards, R. (2004). Purification and cloning of an esterase from the weed black-grass (Alopecurus myosuroides), which bioactivates aryloxyphenoxypropionate herbicides. Plant Journal 39(6): 894-904.
• Lao, S-h., Loutre, C., Brazier, M., Coleman, J.O.D., Cole, D.J., Edwards, R. & Theodoulou, F.L. (2003). 3,4-Dichloroaniline is detoxified and exported via different pathways in Arabidopsis and soybean. Phytochemistry 63.: 653-661.
• Dixon,D.P., van Lith,M., Edwards,R. & Benham,A. (2003). Cloning and initial characterization of the Arabidopsis thaliana endoplasmic reticulum oxidoreductins. Antioxidants and Redox Signaling 5(4): 389-396.
• Cummins, I., O'Hagan, D., Jablonkai, I., Cole, D.J., Hehn, A., Werck-Reichhart,D. & Edwards, R. (2003). Cloning, characterization and regulation of a family of phi class glutathione transferases from wheat. Plant Molecular Biology 52: 591-603.
• Dixon,D.P., McEwen,A.G., Lapthorn,A.J. & Edwards,R. (2003). Forced evolution of a herbicide detoxifying glutathione transferase. Journal of Biological Chemistry 278(26): 23930-23935.
• Loutre,C., Dixon,D.P., Brazier,M., Slater,M., Cole,D.J. & Edwards,R. (2003). Isolation of a glucosyltransferase from Arabidopsis thaliana active in the metabolism of the persistent pollutant 3,4-dichloroaniline. The Plant Journal 34(4): 485-493.
• Brazier, M. , Cole, D.J. & Edwards, R. (2003). Purification andCharacterisation of a 2,4,5-Trichlorophenol Detoxifying O-Glucosyltransferase from Wheat. Phytochemistry 64.: 419-424.
• McAuley, K.E., Cummins, I., Papiz, M., Lawless, A.M., Edwards R. & Fordham-Skelton A.P. (2003). Purification, crystallisation and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of S-formylglutathione hydrolase from Arabidopsis thaliana: effects of pressure and selenomethionine substitution on space group changes. Acta Crystallographica D59: 2272-2274.
• Kordic, S., Cummins, I. & Edwards, R. (2002). Cloning and characterization of a S-formylglutathione hydrolase from Arabidopsis thaliana. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 399: 232-238.
• Dixon, D.P., Davis, B.G. & Edwards, R. (2002). Functional divergence in the glutathione transferase super-family in plants: Identification of two classes with putative functions in redox homeostasis in Arabidopsis thaliana. Journal of Biological Chemistry 277(34): 30859-30869.
• DeRidder,B.P., Dixon,D.P., Beussman,D.J., Edwards,R. & Goldsbrough,P.B. (2002). Induction of glutathione S-transferases in Arabidopsis by herbicide safeners. Plant Physiology 130(3): 1497-1505.
• Brazier, M., Cole, D.J. & Edwards, R. (2002). O-Glucosyltransferases active in herbicide metabolism in wheat and the competing weed black-grass. Phytochemistry 59: 149-156.
• Dixon, D.P., Lapthorn, A. & Edwards, R. (2002). Plant glutathione transferases. Genome Biology 3: reviews3004.1-3004.10.
• Wagner, U., Edwards, R., Dixon, D.P. & Mauch, F. (2002). Probing the diversity of the Arabidopsis glutathione S-transferase gene family. Plant Molecular biology 49: 515-532.
• Thom, R., Cummins, I., Dixon, D.P., Edwards, R., Cole, D.J. & Lapthorn, A.J. (2002). Structure of a tau class glutathione S-transferase from wheat active in herbicide detoxification. Biochemistry 41(22): 7008-7020.
• Cummins, I., Burnet, M. & Edwards, R. (2001). Biochemical characterization of esterases active in hydrolysing xenobiotics in wheat and competing weeds. Physiologia Plantarum 113: 477-485.
• Dixon, D.P., Cole, D.J. & Edwards, R. (2001). Cloning and characterisation of plant theta and zeta class GSTs: Implications for plant GST classification. Chemico-Biological Interactions 133: 33-36.
• Dixon, D.P., Cole, D.J. & Edwards, R. (2001). Probing plant GST activity using heterodimers and domain swapping. Chemico-Biological Interactions 133: 37-39.
• McGready, R., Hamilton, K. A., Simpson, J. A., Cho, T., Luxemburger, C., Edwards, R., Looareesuwan, S., White, N. J., Nosten, F. & Lindsay, S.W. (2001). Safety of the insect repellent N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide (DET) in pregnancy. American Journal of Tropical Medicine & Hygeine 65: 285-289.
• Thom, R., Dixon, D.P., Edwards, R., Cole, D. & Lapthorn, A. (2001). The structure of a zeta class glutathione S-transferase from Arabidopsis thaliana: Characterisation of a GST with novel active-site architecture and a putative role in tyrosine catabolism. Journal of Molecular Biology 308(5): 949-962.
• Dixon, DP, Cole, DJ & Edwards, R (2000). Characterisation of a zeta class glutathione transferase from Arabidopsis thaliana with a putative role in tyrosine catabolism. Archives Of Biochemistry And Biophysics 384(2): 407-412.
• Skipsey, M., Andrews, C. J., Townson,J., Jepson, I. & Edwards, R. (2000). Cloning and characterisation of glyoxalase I from soybean. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics J., Jepson, I. and Edwards*, R. (2000) 374: 261-268.
• Edwards, R, Dixon, DP & Walbot, V (2000). Plant glutathione S-transferases: enzymes with multiple functions in sickness and in health. Trends In Plant Science 5(5): 193-198.

Journal papers: professional

• Gershater, M., Sharples, K. & Edwards, R. (2006). Carboxylesterase activities toward pesticide esters in crops and weeds. Phytochemistry 67: 2561-2567.

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