Smythe, Elizabeth, Professor

Professor Elizabeth Smythe

School of Biosciences

Professor of Cell Biology

Director, Centre for Membrane Interactions and Dynamics

e.smythe@sheffield.ac.uk
+44 114 222 4635

C09 Florey Building, Firth Court

Full contact details

Professor Elizabeth Smythe
School of Biosciences
C09 Florey Building
Firth Court
Western Bank
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S10 2TN

Profile

2002-present: Professor of Molecular Cell Biology, University of ��«Ӱҵ
1992-2002: MRC Senior Fellow and Principal Investigator, Wellcome Trust BioCentre, University of Dundee
1989-1992: NATO/SERC postdoctoral fellow, The Scripps Research Institute, California
1986-1989: Postdoctoral research assistant, University of Dundee.
1986: PhD, Trinity College, Dublin
1982: B.A. (Mod), Trinity College, Dublin

Research interests

Our lab is interested in the molecular mechanisms of cargo sorting along the endocytic pathway with particular emphasis on the regulation of the clathrin coated vesicle cycle by rab5 and reversible phosphorylation. We are also interested in the interplay between endocytic trafficking and signaling pathways.

Functions of membrane microdomains on the endocytic pathway: integration of endocytosis and signalling

We are interested in the assembly and dynamics of membrane microdomains that are specialised for signalling on the endocytic pathway. Clathrin coated pits are microdomains responsible for the uptake of a wide variety of cargo. Using live-cell microscopy we are exploring how signalling cargo modulates clathrin coated pit dynamics via posttranslational modifications of the clathrin coat and how this impacts on downstream signalling.

The small GTPase, rab5, regulates many events on the early endocytic pathway including cargo selection, vesicle uncoating, endosomal fusion, and signalling. Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) convert rab5 to its active GTP-bound ‘on’ state and they are also proposed to drive the spatial and temporal assembly of rab5 functional domains. We are using a variety of biochemical and morphological approaches to explore the function of Rme-6, a GEF that acts early in the endocytic pathway to integrate trafficking and signalling.

During embryonic development a surprisingly small number of signals are used repeatedly to form a whole organism. These same signals are also used in homeostasis. This means that cells need to respond to signals in a context specific manner. We are exploring how endocytosis contributes to context specific signalling using JAK/STAT signalling in Drosophila cells as a paradigm.

In addition to the molecular cell biology approaches discussed above we wish to understand how biophysical properties of membranes, in particular membrane tension, contributes to the regulation of microdomain formation. In the longer term our aim is to translate our findings into 3-D systems and ultimately whole organisms to understand the relationship between endocytosis and signalling.

Publications

Show: Featured publications All publications

Featured publications

Journal articles

Dang P, Smythe E & Furley AJW (2012) . J Neurosci, 32(30), 10370-10382.
Ferreira F, Foley M, Cooke A, Cunningham M, Smith G, Woolley R, Henderson G, Kelly E, Mundell S & Smythe E (2012) . Curr Biol, 22(15), 1361-1370.
Semerdjieva S, Shortt B, Maxwell E, Singh S, Fonarev P, Hansen J, Schiavo G, Grant BD & Smythe E (2008) . J Cell Biol, 183(3), 499-511.

All publications

Journal articles

Smythe E (2022) . Journal of Cell Biology, 221(4).
Naik S, Wood AR, Ongenaert M, Saidiyan P, Elstak ED, Lanz HL, Stallen J, Janssen R, Smythe E & Erdmann KS (2021) . International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(10).
Moore R, Vogt K, Acosta-Martin A, Shire P, Zeidler M & Smythe E (2020) . Journal of Cell Science, 133.
King JS & Smythe E (2020) . Science, 367(6475), 246-247.
Maib H, Ferreira F, Vassilopoulos S & Smythe E (2018) . The Journal of Cell Biology, 217(12), 4253-4266.
Moore R, Pujol MG, Zhu Z & Smythe E (2018) , 181-202.
Maib H, Smythe E & Ayscough KR (2017) . Molecular Biology of the Cell, 28(7), 843-847.
Smythe E (2015) , 283-293.
Fürthauer M & Smythe E (2014) . Traffic, 15(3), 338-346.
Dang P, Smythe E & Furley AJW (2012) . J Neurosci, 32(30), 10370-10382.
Ferreira F, Foley M, Cooke A, Cunningham M, Smith G, Woolley R, Henderson G, Kelly E, Mundell S & Smythe E (2012) . Curr Biol, 22(15), 1361-1370.
Ferreira FJ, Foley M, Cooke A, Cunningham M, Henderson G, Kelly E, Mundell S & Smythe E (2012) Phosphorylation of clathrin light chain b regulates GPCR trafficking.. MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF THE CELL, 23.
Wright VM, Vogt KL, Smythe E & Zeidler MP (2011) . Cell Signal, 23(5), 920-927.
Wright VM, Vogt KL, Smythe E & Zeidler MP (2011) . Cellular Signalling, 23(5), 920-927.
Montagnac G, de Forges H, Smythe E, Gueudry C, Romao M, Salamero J & Chavrier P (2011) Decoupling of Activation and Effector Binding Underlies ARF6 Priming of Fast Endocytic Recycling. Current Biology.
Montagnac G, De Forges H, Smythe E, Gueudry C, Romao M, Salamero J & Chavrier P (2011) . Current Biology, 21(7), 574-579.
Vidal OM, Stec W, Bausek N, Smythe E & Zeidler MP (2010) . Development, 137(21), e2107-e2107.
Vidal OM, Stec W, Bausek N, Smythe E & Zeidler MP (2010) . J Cell Sci, 123(Pt 20), 3457-3466.
Robertson AS, Smythe E & Ayscough KR (2009) . Cell Mol Life Sci, 66(13), 2049-2065.
Semerdjieva S, Shortt B, Maxwell E, Singh S, Fonarev P, Hansen J, Schiavo G, Grant BD & Smythe E (2008) . J Cell Biol, 183(3), 499-511.
Parker LC, Prestwich EC, Ward JR, Smythe E, Berry A, Triantafilou M, Triantafilou K & Sabroe I (2008) . J Immunol, 181(8), 5606-5617.
Smythe E & Ayscough KR (2006) . J Cell Sci, 119(Pt 22), 4589-4598.
Zhang CX, Engqvist-Goldstein AEY, Carreno S, Owen DJ, Smythe E & Drubin DG (2005) . TRAFFIC, 6(12), 1103-1113.
Osborne A, Flett A & Smythe E (2005) . Current Protocols in Cell Biology, 27(1), 11.18.1-11.18.24.
Flett A, Semerdjieva S, Jackson AP & Smythe E (2005) . Biochem Soc Symp(72), 65-70.
Smythe E (2004) . NATURE, 431(7009), 641-642.
Jackson AP, Flett A, Smythe C, Hufton L, Wettey FR & Smythe E (2003) . J Cell Biol, 163(2), 231-236.
Smythe E (2003) . Biochem Soc Trans, 31(Pt 3), 736-739.
Smythe E & Ayscough KR (2003) . EMBO Rep, 4(3), 246-251.
Smythe E (2002) . Trends Cell Biol, 12(8), 352-354.
Smythe E (2002) . Mol Cell, 9(2), 205-206.
Hill E, Olusanya O, van der Kaay J, Downes CP, Andrews PD, Swedlow JR & Smythe E (2001) . Biochem Soc Trans, 29(Pt 4), 375-377.
Olusanya O, Andrews PD, Swedlow JR & Smythe E (2001) . Curr Biol, 11(11), 896-900.
Smythe E, Olusanya O, Hill EV & Osborne A (2001) . Biochemical Society Transactions, 29(3), A45-A45.
Hill E, van Der Kaay J, Downes CP & Smythe E (2001) . J Cell Biol, 152(2), 309-323.
Gagescu R, Gruenberg J & Smythe E (2000) . Traffic, 1(1), 84-89.
McLauchlan H, Newell J, Morrice N, Osborne A, West M & Smythe E (1998) . Curr Biol, 8(1), 34-45.
Smythe E (1996) . Subcell Biochem, 27, 51-92.
Smythe E, Smith PD, Jacob SM, Theobald J & Moss SE (1994) . Journal of Cell Biology, 124(3), 301-306.
Smythe E, Carter LL & Schmid SL (1992) . Journal of Cell Biology, 119(5), 1163-1171.
Smythe E, Pypaert M, Lucocq J & Warren G (1989) . J Cell Biol, 108(3), 843-853.
Warren G, Woodman P, Pypaert M & Smythe E (1988) . Trends in Biochemical Sciences, 13(12), 462-465.

Conference proceedings papers

Giralt-Pujol M & Smythe E (2017) . Heart, Vol. 103(Suppl 5) (pp A110-A110)
Brown S, Smythe E, Strutt D, Whitworth A & Zeidler M (2009) . MECHANISMS OF DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 126 (pp S290-S290)

Grants

Teaching activities

Undergraduate and postgraduate taught modules

Undergraduate:

BMS109 Cell & Molecular
BMS6082 Practical Cell Biology (Coordinator)
Level 3 Practical and Dissertation Modules

Masters (MSc):

BMS6082 Practical Cell Biology (Coordinator)

Professional activities and memberships

Member of:

the Faculty of 1000 (2001-)
the Editorial Board of the Biochemical Journal (2004-2007) Renewed (2007-2011)
the MRC College of Experts (2006-2010)
Executive Secretary of the British Society for Cell Biology (2006-2011)