Staff profile

Research Interests

I have a long-standing interest in plant developmental biology. My current research focuses on understanding the development of plant vascular tissue. The developing vasculature is characterised by coordinated cell division and differentiation, and high levels of tissue organization, making it an ideal model for studying developmental biology. The rates of cell division and differentiation are influenced by a range of developmental cues, which we aim to identify and characterise in my lab.

Journal Article

• Diversity and development of domatia: Symbiotic plant structures to host mutualistic ants or mites
  
  Chomicki, G., Walker–Hale, N., Etchells, J. P., Ritter, E. J., & Weber, M. G. (2024). Diversity and development of domatia: Symbiotic plant structures to host mutualistic ants or mites. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 82, Article 102647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2024.102647
• Identification of cambium stem cell factors and their positioning mechanism
  
  Eswaran, G., Zhang, X., Rutten, J. P., Han, J., Iida, H., Lopez Ortiz, J., Mäkilä, R., Wybouw, B., Planterose Jiménez, B., Vainio, L., Porcher, A., Gavarron, M. L., Zhang, J., Blomster, T., Dolan, D., Smetana, O., Brady, S. M., Topcu, M. K., Ten Tusscher, K., … Mähönen, A. P. (2024). Identification of cambium stem cell factors and their positioning mechanism. Science, 386(6722), 646-653. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adj8752
• A mathematical model integrates diverging PXY and MP interactions in cambium development
  
  Bagdassarian, K., Etchells, J., & Savage, N. (2023). A mathematical model integrates diverging PXY and MP interactions in cambium development. in Silico Plants, 5(1), Article diad003. https://doi.org/10.1093/insilicoplants/diad003
• Light regulates xylem cell differentiation via PIF in Arabidopsis
  
  Ghosh, S., Nelson, J., Cobb, G., Etchells, J., & de Lucas, M. (2022). Light regulates xylem cell differentiation via PIF in Arabidopsis. Cell Reports, 40(3), Article 111075. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111075
• Laying it on thick: A study in secondary growth
  
  Turley, E., & Etchells, J. (2022). Laying it on thick: A study in secondary growth. Journal of Experimental Botany, 73(3), 665-679. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erab455
• Connections in the cambium, receptors in the ring
  
  Bagdassarian, K. S., Brown, C. M., Jones, E. T., & Etchells, P. (2020). Connections in the cambium, receptors in the ring. Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 57, 96-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2020.07.001
• A PXY-Mediated Transcriptional Network Integrates Signaling Mechanisms to Control Vascular Development in Arabidopsis
  
  Smit, M., McGregor, S., Sun, H., Gough, C., Bågman, A.-M., Soyars, C., Kroon, J., Gaudinier, A., Williams, C., Yang, X., Nimchuk, Z., Weijers, D., Turner, S., Brady, S., & Etchells, J. (2020). A PXY-Mediated Transcriptional Network Integrates Signaling Mechanisms to Control Vascular Development in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell, 32, 319-335. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00562
• Versatile method for quantifying and analyzing morphological differences in experimentally obtained images
  
  Bagdassarian, K., Connor, K., Jermyn, I., & Etchells, J. (2020). Versatile method for quantifying and analyzing morphological differences in experimentally obtained images. Plant Signaling & Behavior, 15(1), Article 1693092. https://doi.org/10.1080/15592324.2019.1693092
• Organ-specific genetic interactions between paralogues of the PXY and ER receptor kinases enforce radial patterning in Arabidopsis vascular tissue
  
  Wang, N., Bagdassarian, K., Doherty, R., Kroon, J., Connor, K., Wang, X., Wang, W., Jermyn, I., Turner, S., & Etchells, J. (2019). Organ-specific genetic interactions between paralogues of the PXY and ER receptor kinases enforce radial patterning in Arabidopsis vascular tissue. Development., 146(10), Article 177105. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.177105
• An essential role for Abscisic acid in the regulation of xylem fibre differentiation
  
  Campbell, L., Etchells, J., Cooper, M., Kumar, M., & Turner, S. (2018). An essential role for Abscisic acid in the regulation of xylem fibre differentiation. Development., 145, Article dev.161992. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.161992
• DNA methylation and gene expression regulation associated with vascularization in Sorghum bicolor
  
  Turco, G., Kajala, K., Kunde-Ramamoorthy, G., Ngan, C.-Y., Olson, A., Deshphande, S., Tolkunov, D., Waring, B., Stelpflug, S., Klein, P., Schmutz, J., Kaeppler, S., Ware, D., Wei, C.-L., Etchells, J., & Brady, S. (2017). DNA methylation and gene expression regulation associated with vascularization in Sorghum bicolor. New Phytologist, 214(3), 1213-1229. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.14448
• Identification of cyst nematode B-type CLE peptides and modulation of the vascular stem cell pathway for feeding cell formation
  
  Guo, X., Wang, J., Gardner, M., Fukuda, H., Kondo, Y., Etchells, J., Wang, X., & Goellner Mitchum, M. (2017). Identification of cyst nematode B-type CLE peptides and modulation of the vascular stem cell pathway for feeding cell formation. PLoS Pathogens, 13(2), Article e1006142. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1006142
• Class III HD-ZIPs govern vascular cell fate: an HD view on patterning and differentiation
  
  Ramachandran, P., Carlsbecker, A., & Etchells, J. (2017). Class III HD-ZIPs govern vascular cell fate: an HD view on patterning and differentiation. Journal of Experimental Botany, 68(1), 55-69. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erw370
• Realizing pipe dreams – a detailed picture of vascular development
  
  Etchells, J., & Turner, S. (2016). Realizing pipe dreams – a detailed picture of vascular development. Journal of Experimental Botany, 68(1), 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erw482
• A brief history of the TDIF-PXY signalling module: balancing meristem identity and differentiation during vascular development
  
  Etchells, J. P., Smit, M. E., Gaudinier, A., Williams, C. J., & Brady, S. M. (2016). A brief history of the TDIF-PXY signalling module: balancing meristem identity and differentiation during vascular development. New Phytologist, 209(2), 474-484. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.13642
• Wood Formation in Trees Is Increased by Manipulating PXY-Regulated Cell Division
  
  Etchells, J. P., Mishra, L. S., Kumar, M., Campbell, L., & Turner, S. R. (2015). Wood Formation in Trees Is Increased by Manipulating PXY-Regulated Cell Division. Current Biology, 25(8), 1050-1055. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2015.02.023
• WOX4 and WOX14 act downstream of the PXY receptor kinase to regulate plant vascular proliferation independently of any role in vascular organisation
  
  Etchells, J., Provost, C., Mishra, L., & Turner, S. (2013). WOX4 and WOX14 act downstream of the PXY receptor kinase to regulate plant vascular proliferation independently of any role in vascular organisation. Development., 140(10), 2224-2234. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.091314
• Plant vascular cell division is maintained by an interaction between PXY and ethylene signalling
  
  Etchells, J., Provost, C., & Turner, S. (2012). Plant vascular cell division is maintained by an interaction between PXY and ethylene signalling. PLoS Genetics, 8(11), Article e1002997. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1002997
• A role for BELLRINGER in cell wall development is supported by loss-of-function phenotypes
  
  Etchells, J., Moore, L., Jiang, W., Prescott, H., Capper, R., Saunders, N., Bhatt, A., & Dickinson, H. (2012). A role for BELLRINGER in cell wall development is supported by loss-of-function phenotypes. BMC Plant Biology, 12, Article 212. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2229-12-212
• The PXY-CLE41 receptor ligand pair defines a multifunctional pathway that controls the rate and orientation of vascular cell division.
  
  Etchells, J., & Turner, S. (2010). The PXY-CLE41 receptor ligand pair defines a multifunctional pathway that controls the rate and orientation of vascular cell division. Development., 137(5), 767-774. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.044941
• Orientation of vascular cell divisions in Arabidopsis
  
  Etchells, J., & Turner, S. (2010). Orientation of vascular cell divisions in Arabidopsis. Plant Signaling & Behavior, 5(6). https://doi.org/10.4161/psb.5.6.11665
• Three PIGGYBACK genes that specifically influence leaf patterning encode ribosomal proteins.
  
  Pinon, V., Etchells, J., Rossignol, P., Collier, S., Arroyo, J., Martienssen, R., & Byrne, M. (2008). Three PIGGYBACK genes that specifically influence leaf patterning encode ribosomal proteins. Development., 135(7), 1315-1324. https://doi.org/10.1242/dev.016469

Patent

• Generation of biomass
  
  Turner, S., Mishra, L., Kumar, M., & Etchells, J. (2016). Generation of biomass (Patent).
• Method for the alteration of plants using CLE polypeptides/peptides
  
  Turner, S., & Etchells, J. (2014). Method for the alteration of plants using CLE polypeptides/peptides (Patent).