Staff profile

Research Interests

If you look around you on a winter’s morning you will see clearly that some plants are equipped to survive frost events and others are not, appearing blackened and lacking turgor after freezing. Many plants, including important crops, do not recover from the experience.  My research group is interested in the genetic basis of this variation in resilience and our research involves identifying freezing tolerance genes in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and elucidating mechanistically how they bring about freezing resistance. Some of these genes confer basal or innate tolerance of freezing conditions. Others, however, are involved in bringing about cellular and molecular changes during cold acclimation (known as cold hardening by gardeners), that build up tolerance gradually during the cooler days of autumn prior to winter. Amongst the genes we are currently studying, the gene SFR8 (SENSITIVE-TO-FREEZING8) contributes to freezing tolerance by influencing plant cell wall structure. This has led us to look in more depth at the role of cell wall pectin in defending plants against sub-zero temperature assaults and to examine how the cell wall alters in composition and structure during cold acclimation, allowing it to better defend the cell contents against freezing. Using a combination of state-of the-art ice imaging techniques and molecular dynamics modelling (in collaboration with Dr Gabriele Sosso at Warwick University) we are unravelling the complex role of the cell wall in regulating the propagation of ice through tissues. 

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

• 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, P. E., Panter, J. R., & Knight, H. (2020). Impact of Cell‐wall Structure and Composition on Plant Freezing Tolerance. In Annual Plant Reviews online. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119312994.apr0746
• Knight, H. (2000). Calcium signaling during abiotic stress in plants. In International Review of Cytology (269-324)

Journal Article

• Obomighie, I., Prentice, I. J., Lewin-Jones, P., Bachtiger, F., Ramsay, N., Kishi-Itakura, C., Goldberg, M. W., Hawkins, T. J., Sprittles, J. E., Knight, H., & Sosso, G. C. (2025). Understanding pectin cross-linking in plant cell walls. Communications Biology, 8(1), Article 72. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-07495-0
• Panter, P. E., Seifert, J., Dale, M., Pridgeon, A. J., Hulme, R., Ramsay, N., Contera, S., & Knight, H. (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. https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erad039
• Cano-Ramirez, D. L., Panter, P. E., Takemura, T., de Fraine, T. S., de Barros Dantas, L. L., Dekeya, R., Barros-Galvão, T., Paajanen, P., Bellandi, A., Batstone, T., Manley, B. F., Tanaka, K., Imamura, S., Franklin, K. A., Knight, H., & Dodd, A. N. (2023). Low-temperature and circadian signals are integrated by the sigma factor SIG5. Nature Plants, 9(4), 661-672. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41477-023-01377-1
• Liu, Q., Ding, Y., Shi, Y., Ma, L., Wang, Y., Song, C., Wilkins, K. A., Davies, J. M., Knight, H., Knight, M. R., Gong, Z., Guo, Y., & Yang, S. (2021). The calcium transporter ANNEXIN1 mediates cold‐induced calcium signaling and freezing tolerance in plants. The EMBO Journal, 40(2), Article e104559. https://doi.org/10.15252/embj.2020104559
• Lee, M., Dominguez-Ferreras, A., Kaliyadasa, E., Huang, W.-J., Antony, E., Stevenson, T., Lehmann, S., Schäfer, P., Knight, M. R., Ntoukakis, V., & Knight, H. (2021). Mediator Subunits MED16, MED14, and MED2 Are Required for Activation of ABRE-Dependent Transcription in Arabidopsis. Frontiers in Plant Science, 12, Article 649720. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.649720
• Panter, P. E., Kent, O., Dale, M., Smith, S. J., Skipsey, M., Thorlby, G., Cummins, I., Ramsay, N., Begum, R. A., Sanhueza, D., Fry, S. C., Knight, M. R., & Knight, H. (2019). MUR1-mediated cell-wall fucosylation is required for freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. New Phytologist, 224(4), 1518-1531. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.16209
• Pinneh, E., Stoppel, R., Knight, H., Knight, M., Steel, P., & Denny, P. (2019). Expression levels of inositol phosphorylceramide synthase modulate plant responses to biotic and abiotic stress in Arabidopsis thaliana. PLoS ONE, 14(5), Article e0217087. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0217087
• Calixto, C. P., Guo, W., James, A. B., Tzioutziou, N. A., Entizne, J. C., Panter, P. E., Knight, H., Nimmo, H. G., Zhang, R., & Brown, J. W. (2018). Rapid and Dynamic Alternative Splicing Impacts the Arabidopsis Cold Response Transcriptome. The Plant Cell, 30, 1424-1444. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00177
• Sorek, N., Szemenyei, H., Sorek, H., Landers, A., Knight, H., Bauer, S., Wemmer, D., & Somerville, D. (2015). Identification of MEDIATOR16 as the Arabidopsis COBRA suppressor, MONGOOSE1. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(52), 16048-16053. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1521675112
• Hemsley, P., Hurst, C., Kaliyadasa, E., Lamb, R., Knight, M., De Cothi, E., Steele, J., & 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. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.113.117796
• Knight, M. R., & Knight, H. (2012). Low-temperature perception leading to gene expression and cold tolerance in higher plants. New Phytologist, 195(4), 737-751. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04239.x
• Moffat, C. S., Ingle, R. A., Wathugala, D. L., Saunders, N. J., Knight, H., & Knight, M. R. (2012). ERF5 and ERF6 Play Redundant Roles as Positive Regulators of JA/Et-Mediated Defense against Botrytis cinerea in Arabidopsis. PLoS ONE, 7(4), Article e35995. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0035995
• Wathugala, D., Hemsley, P., Moffat, C., Cremelie, P., Knight, M., & 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. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2012.04138.x
• Liu, J., Knight, H., Hurst, C., & Knight, M. (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. https://doi.org/10.1039/c2mb25072a
• Wathugala, D., Richards, S., Knight, H., & Knight, M. (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. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03759.x
• Whalley, H., Sargeant, A., Steele, J., Lacoere, T., Lamb, R., Saunders, N., Knight, H., & Knight, M. (2011). Transcriptomic Analysis Reveals Calcium Regulation of Specific Promoter Motifs in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell, 23(11), 4079-4095. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.111.090480
• Knight, H., Mugford Nee Garton, S., Ulker, B., Gao, D., Thorlby, G., & Knight, M. (2009). Identification of SFR6, a key component in cold acclimation acting post-translationally on CBF function. The Plant Journal, 58(1), 97-108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-313x.2008.03763.x
• Ulker, B., Peiter, E., Dixon, D., Moffat, C., Capper, R., Bouche, N., Edwards, R., Sanders, D., Knight, H., & Knight, M. (2008). Getting the most out of publicly available T-DNA insertion lines. The Plant Journal, 56(4), 665-677. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-313x.2008.03608.x
• Knight, H., Thomson, A., & McWatters, H. (2008). SENSITIVE TO FREEZING6 Integrates Cellular and Environmental Inputs to the Plant Circadian Clock. Plant Physiology, 148(1), 293-303. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.108.123901
• 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. The Plant Journal, 50, 118-127. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-313x.2007.03035.x
• Kaplan, B., Davydov, O., Knight, H., Galon, Y., Knight, M., Fluhr, R., & Fromm, H. (2006). Rapid transcriptome changes induced by cytosolic Ca2+ transients reveal ABRE-related sequences as Ca2+-responsive cis-elements in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell, 18, 2733-2748
• Peiter, E., Maathuis, F., Mills, L., Knight, H., Pelloux, M., Hetherington, A., & Sanders, D. (2005). The vacuolar Ca2+-activated channel TPC1 regulates germination and stomatal movement. Nature Cell Biology, 434(7031), 404-408. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature03381
• Knight, H., Zarka, D., Okamoto, H., Thomashow, M., & Knight, M. (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. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.104.043562
• Brault, M., Amiar, Z., Pennarun, A., Monestiez, M., Zhang, Z., Cornel, D., Dellis, O., Knight, H., Bouteau, F., & Rona, J. (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
• Rentel, M., Lecourieux, D., Ouaked, F., Usher, S., Petersen, L., Okamoto, H., Knight, H., Peck, S., Grierson, C., Hirt, H., & Knight, M. (2004). OXI1 kinase is necessary for oxidative burst-mediated signalling inArabidopsis. Nature, 427(6977), 858-861
• Boyce, J., Knight, H., Deyholos, M., Openshaw, M., Galbraith, D., Warren, G., & Knight, M. (2003). The sfr6 mutant of Arabidopsis is defective in transcriptional activation via CBF/DREB1 and DREB2 and shows sensitivity to osmoticstress. The Plant Journal, 34(4), 395-406. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-313x.2003.01734.x
• Wright, A., Knight, H., & Knight, M. (2002). Mechanically stimulated TCH3 gene expression in Arabidopsis involvesprotein phosphorylation and EIN6 downstream of calcium. Plant Physiology, 128(4), 1402-1409
• Knight, H., & Knight, M. (2001). Abiotic stress signalling pathways: specificity and cross-talk. Trends in Plant Science, 6(6), 262-267. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1360-1385%2801%2901946-x
• Knight, H., & Knight, M. (2000). Imaging spatial and cellular characteristics of low temperature calcium signature after cold acclimation in Arabidopsis. Journal of Experimental Botany, 51(351), 1679-1686. https://doi.org/10.1093/jexbot/51.351.1679
• Plieth, C., Hansen, U., Knight, H., & Knight, M. (1999). Temperature sensing by plants: the primary characteristics of signal perception and calcium response. The Plant Journal, 18(5), 491-497. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-313x.1999.00471.x
• Knight, H., Veale, E., Warren, G., & Knight, M. (1999). The sfr6 mutation in Arabidopsis suppresses low-temperature inductionof genes dependent on the CRT DRE sequence motif. The Plant Cell, 11(5), 875-886. https://doi.org/10.2307/3870821
• Clayton, H., Knight, M., Knight, H., McAinsh, M., & Hetherington, A. (1999). Dissection of the ozone-induced calcium signature. The Plant Journal, 17(5), 575-579. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-313x.1999.00411.x
• Knight, H., Brandt, S., & Knight, M. (1998). A history of stress alters drought calcium signalling pathways in Arabidopsis. The Plant Journal, 16(6), 681-687. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-313x.1998.00332.x
• Knight, H., Trewavas, A., & Knight, M. (1997). Calcium signalling in Arabidopsis thaliana responding to drought and salinity. The Plant Journal, 12(5), 1067-1078. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-313x.1997.12051067.x
• Knight, H., Trewavas, A., & Knight, M. (1996). Cold calcium signaling in Arabidopsis involves two cellular pools and achange in calcium signature after acclimation. The Plant Cell, 8(3), 489-503. https://doi.org/10.2307/3870327