Research

Mark Taylor completed his PhD in biochemistry at the University of Birmingham, UK. After completing post-doctoral studies at Royal Holloway, University of London and University of California , Berkeley, Taylor joined the James Hutton Institute (then SCRI) in Dundee Scotland, to lead studies in molecular physiology in potato. The main thrust of his research has been on understanding the molecular basis of quality and developmental traits in potato tubers.

  • A wide range of contemporary approaches, including transcriptomics, and phytochemical analysis, exploiting variation of traits of interest in germplasm collections and using transgenic models as proof of function are being used to investigate quality and developmental traits in potato. Currently Taylor leads a Work Package in the EU FP7 project METAPRO that aims to optimise carotenoid accumulation in plant storage organs using transgenic approaches. An outcome of this work is the findings about carotenoid cleavage enzymes in potato (Pasare et al., 2013, Campbell et al, 2010).
  • Taylor also currently leads a major Scottish Government funded project entitled “Crops and horticultural plants with improved performance in terms of resource use and outputs” (2011-2016). Here the responses of potato to elevated temperature are being investigated – genetic screens are being developed to analyse the response to temperature and the molecular physiology of temperature associated processes are under study.
  • Regulation of the potato tuber life-cycle. Processes such as tuberisation and dormancy are fundamental in developing an improved potato crop and yet there are still major gaps in our knowledge about them. With recent advances in potato genomics it is now possible to unravel the mechanisms that control the tuber life-cycle. A particular focus will be on tuber dormancy in a project due to start in 2013.
  • Consumer traits such as flavour, texture and glycaemic index are also being studied in the Taylor laboratory. A new project, co-funded by the Potato Council and industry on glycaemic index in potato is scheduled to start in October 2013.

Past research

  • I completed my PhD and BSc studies in biochemistry at the University of Birmingham. I received a thorough grounding in chemistry and biochemistry with a particular focus on protein and nucleic acid chemistry. This provided a solid foundation for my subsequent research career, with its focus on plant molecular physiology. My PhD studies were on energetics in photosynthetic prokaryotes and had a strong biotechnological slant (Professor J.B. Jackson, supervisor). The microbiology skills developed have also been particularly useful in subsequent molecular biology studies.
  • My interests in the molecular architecture of electron transport complexes expanded in a two-year post-doctoral fellowship at Royal Holloway, University of London (Professor J.R. Bowyer, supervisor). Through collaborations with Imperial College (Professor Jim Barber’s group), significant progress was made in understanding the water splitting complex of photosystem II, the enzyme responsible for oxygen evolution.

Publications

The following Publications have not yet been migrated to the James Hutton Institute's Pure service and relate to the research outputs from the two legacy organisations: The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute and The Scottish Crop Research Institute.

Journals

Books / chapters

  • Morris, W.L.; Taylor, M.A. (2010) Tuber development., In: Pua, E.C. & Davey, M.R. (eds.). Plant Developmental Biology – Biotechnological Perspectives Volume 1. Springer, Heidelberg, Chapter 7, 137-150.
  • Taylor, M.A. (2009) Plant metabolic engineering for improved quality and nutrition., Blackwell, Oxford.
  • Kerby, N.W.; Dale, M.F.B.; Bradshaw, J.E.; Taylor, M.A. (2007) Potato breeding to improve storage and quality., In: Haverkort, A.J. & Anisimov, B.V. (eds.). Potato Production and Innovative Technologies. Wageningen Academic Publishers, 340-347.(Proceedings from the Potato Russia International Conference, Moscow, Russia, August 2007)
  • Taylor, M.A.; McDougall, G.J.; Stewart, D. (2007) Potato flavour and texture., In: Vreugdenhil, D., Bradshaw, J.E., Gebhardt, C., Govers, F., MacKerron, D.K.L. Taylor, M.A. & Ross, H.A. (eds.). Potato Biology and Biotechnology: Advances and Perspectives. Elsevier, Amsterdam, Chapter 24, pp525-540. ISBN: 978-0444510181
  • Vreugdenhil, D.; Bradshaw, J.E.; Gebhardt, C.; Govers, F.; MacKerron, D.K.L.; Taylor, M.A.; Ross, H.A. (2007) Potato Biology and Biotechnology: Advances and Perspectives., Elsevier, Amsterdam. 856pp.
  • Kerby, N.W.; Dale, M.F.B.; Lees, A.K.; Taylor, M.A.; Bradshaw, J.E. (2005) Breeding and diagnostic developments for better storage of potatoes to meet future industry needs., In: Potato in Progress: Science Meets Practice (eds. Haverkort, A.J. and Struik, P.C.), Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen, pp76-85. (Proceedings of the Potato 2005 Congress, Emmeloord, Netherlands, 5-7 September 2005.)
  • Taylor, M.A. (2003) Genetic manipulation of the potato SAMDC gene – consequences for polyamine content and plant development., Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxemburg.
  • Kumar, A.; MacLeod, M.R.; Arif, M.A.D.; Davies, H.V.; Taylor, M.A. (1998) A molecular approach to study the role of polyamines and ethylene in plant development., In: Bardocz, S.; White, A.; Tiburcio, A.F. (eds.). COST 917: Biogenically Active Amines in Food, Volume 1, pp 43-52.

Technical / contract reports

  • Ross, H.A.; Morris, W.L.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Hancock, R.D.; Verrall, S.R.; Morris, J.A.; Stewart, D.; Hedley, P.E.; McDougall, G.J.; Taylor, M.A. (2011) The role of pectin methyl esterase in determining potato tuber textural quality., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2010, pp32-33.
  • Campbell, R.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Morris, W.L.; Hedley, P.E.; Bryan, G.J.; Ramsay, G.; Taylor, M.A. (2010) The role of carotenoid cleavage products in heat responses of potato., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2009, pp11-13.
  • Mazzitelli, L.; Hancock, R.D.; Haupt, S.; McNicol, J.W.; Viola, R.; Brennan, R.M.; Hedley, P.E.; Taylor, M.A. (2006) Understanding dormancy release in raspberry buds., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2006, pp32-33.
  • Taylor, M.A.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Morris, W.L.; Hedley, P.E.; Millam, S. (2004) Isoprenoid metabolic networks in potato tubers., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2003/2004, pp140-141.
  • Hrubikova, K.; Gilroy, E.M.; Faivre-Rampant, O.; Loake, G.; Birch, P.R.J.; Taylor, M.A.; Lacomme, C. (2003) Viral induced gene silencing in crop species., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2002/2003, pp98-99.
  • Morris, W.L.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Millam, S.; Stewart, D.; Griffiths, D.W.; Davies, H.V.; Taylor, M.A. (2003) Carotenogenesis in potato tubers., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2002/2003, pp109.
  • Davies, H.V.; Taylor, M.A.; Tiller, S.A.; Witte, C. (2002) Molecular manipulation of urea metabolism in potato., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2001/2002, pp140-142.
  • Viola, R.; Taylor, M.A.; Oparka, K.J. (2001) Meristem activation in potato: impact on tuber formation, development and dormancy., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2000/2001, pp99-102.

Conference papers

  • Morris, W.L.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Campbell, R.; McDougall, G.J.; Ramsay, G.; Bryan, G.J.; Hedley, P.E.; Taylor, M.A. (2009) Potato tuber quality traits and secondary metabolism., SOL 2009, New Delhi, 8-13 November 2009.
  • Campbell, R.; Morris, W.L.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Morris, J.A.; Scandura, M.C.; Ramsay, G.; Bryan, G.J.; Hedley, P.E.; Taylor, M.A. (2009) The role of carotenoid cleavage products in tuber apical meristem activation and deactivation processes., SOL 2009, New Delhi, 8-13 November 2009.
  • Scossa, F.; Diretto, G.; Taylor, M.A.; Hedley, P.E.; Stewart, D.; Guiliano, G. (2008) Comparative transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of transgenic ‘Golden’ potato tubers over-accumulating b-carotene., 5th Solanaceae Genome Workshop 2008, Cologne, Germany, 12-16 October 2008.
  • Bryan, G.J.; Lloyd, D.; Sharma, S.K.; Hackett, C.A.; Nevison, L.; Taylor, M.A.; Bradshaw, J.E. (2008) Genetic analysis of flavour and texture in potato., 5th Solanaceae Genome Workshop 2008, Cologne, Germany, 12-16 October 2008.
  • Taylor, M.A. (2008) Potato flavour and texture., Potatoes in Practice 2008. SCRI, Dundee, 7 August 2008.
  • Taylor, M.A.; Morris, W.L.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Ross, H.A.; McDougall, G.J.; Bryan, G.J.; Hedley, P.E. (2008) Quality trait dissection in potato tubers using comparative metabolite and transcript analysis., 5th Solanaceae Genome Workshop 2008, Cologne, Germany, 12-16 October 2008.
  • Cooke, D.E.L.; Lees, A.K.; Williams, N.; Sullivan, L.; Taylor, M.A.; Shaw, D.S.; Bradshaw, N.J.; Bain, R.A. (2007) Survey of GB blight populations., EuroBlight Workshop, Bologna, Italy, 2-5 May 2007.
  • Ducreux, L.J.M.; Morris, W.L.; Taylor, M.A. (2007) Molecular dissection of sensory traits in tuber., 91st Annual Meeting of Potato Association of America, Idaho Falls, USA, 12-16 August 2007.
  • Morris, W.L.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Griffiths, D.W.; Stewart, D.; Davies, H.V.; Bryan, G.J.; Hedley, P.E.; Millam, S.; Taylor, M.A. (2004) Characterisation and transgenic modification of carotenogenesis during tuber development and storage in potato., Scottish Plant Molecular Biology Meeting, Dundee, 9 January 2004.
  • Morris, W.L.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Griffiths, D.W.; Stewart, D.; Davies, H.V.; Taylor, M.A. (2004) Carotenoid accumulation during potato tuber development and storage., SEB Annual Meeting, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, 29 March – 2 April 2004.
  • Ducreux, L.J.M.; Morris, W.L.; Millam, S.; Taylor, M.A. (2004) Transgenic manipulation of tuber carotenoid content in Solanum phureja and Solanum tuberosum., SEB Annual Meeting, Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, 29 March – 2 April 2004.
  • Taylor, M.A.; Morris, W.L.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Davies, H.V.; Millam, S. (2004) Metabolic engineering of carotenoid biosynthesis in potato tubers., Aspects of Applied Biology, 72, 155-162.
  • Morris, W.L.; Ducreux, L.J.M.; Griffiths, D.W.; Stewart, D.; Lacomme, C.; Davies, H.V.; Taylor, M.A. (2003) Characterisation and transgenic modification of carotenogenesis during tuber development and storage in potato., Gordon Conference – Carotenoids 2004, California, USA, 4-9 January 2004.
  • Iannetta, P.P.M.; Medina-Escobar, N.; Ross, H.A.; Souleyre, E.; Taylor, M.A.; Davies, H.V. (2000) Enzymes of the TCA cycle expressed in strawberry fruit during ripening., The Scottish Cell and Molecular Biology Group, St Andrews University, 28 January 2000.
  • Jones, C.S.; McNicol, R.J.; Davies, H.V.; Taylor, M.A. (1999) Analysis of genes differentially expressed during fruit ripening in raspberry (Rubus idaeus cv. Glen clova)., Acta Horticulturae, 505, 401-402.
  • Taylor, M.A. (1998) Cloning and characterisation of two potato alpha-glucosidase genes., 5th International Symposium on the Molecular Biology of the Potato, Bogensee, Germany, 2-6 August 1998.
  • Shepherd, L.V.T.; Taylor, M.A.; Schuch, W.; Knight, M.E.; Davies, H.V. (1998) Molecular manipulation of starch structure in potato tubers., 5th International Symposium on the Molecular Biology of the Potato, Bogensee, Germany, 2-6 August 1998.
  • Davies, H.V.; Harris, N.; Taylor, M.A.; Jarvis, S.B.; Ross, H.A.; Millam, S.; Blundy, M.; Burrell, M.; Viola, R. (1998) Inhibition of starch biosynthesis in transgenic plants with down-regulated fructokinase activity., 5th International Symposium on the Molecular Biology of the Potato, Bogensee, Germany, 2-6 August 1998, 51.

Conference posters / abstracts

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