Learn more about The James Hutton Institute here.

The James Hutton hosts a catalogue of transgenic plant lines expressing various fluorescent fusion proteins labelling specific sub-cellular domains. We also have a new STED microscope to obtain super-resolution images, allowing the acquisition of spatial information about sub-cellular processes beyond the diffraction limit. The fluorescent proteins in the plant lines cover emission wavelengths from green, through yellow and orange to red, each with different properties regarding the degree of resolution increase when applied to STED. Moreover, we have many variants of fluorophores such as GFP which have different emission spectra, and therefore different responses to a STED laser.

This project will focus on a candidate list of the plant lines, selected by fluorophore and cellular localisation, to screen for applicability to STED microscopy in living plant material. Once the STED-positive fusion proteins have been identified, the increase in resolution can be determined for the fluorophore and location/depth in the tissue. This information will greatly benefit our knowledge of how these plant lines can be used for super-resolution microscopy and will guide us in future experimental design. The successful applicant will also shadow facility staff in training new users to the facility, in discussions with researchers about their projects, and in active research projects themed around plant-pathogen interactions and plant pathology that are concurrent.

Learning Outcomes

The successful applicant will be methodically collecting plant samples from a controlled glasshouse facility for assessment on the STED microscope. They will research information about the emission spectra of each fluorophore being investigated and correlate this with any increase in resolution observed with applying STED. Variations in resolution can be assessed based on localisation of the fusion proteins in different organelles/depth within the tissue.

The successful applicant will be trained in: confocal and super-resolution microscopy; sample collection from a controlled growth facility; leaf anatomy; experimental process and record keeping; image data organisation and analysis; data reporting, figure creation and communication of results; handling of a wide range of biological materials through the other projects on-going in the facility; and have exposure to a variety of different research areas from our collaborators in the institute.

These constitute a broad range of technical and soft skills relevant to many career development avenues, as well as offering the possibility of beginning a professional network and experiencing different branches of microscopical, plant, crop and pathogen research.