Heather McFarlane
Assistant Professor
Campus
St. George (downtown)
CSB Appointment
Full
Research Areas
Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Genetics / Genomics, Molecular Biology, Plant Biology, Systems Biology
Education
Ph.D. (Botany), Univeristy of British Columbia, 2013
M.Sc. (Biology), McGill University, 2008
BSc (Cell Biology), University of British Columbia, 2006
Titles and Honors
Canada Research Chair in Plant Cell Biology
Primary Undergraduate Department
Cell & Systems Biology
Graduate Programs
Cell & Systems Biology
Research Description
We all rely on plant cell walls every day. Cell walls make up most of the fruits, vegetables, and grains that we eat; wood, cotton, paper, and other fibres are almost entirely cell wall material; and plant cell walls represent promising material for renewable biofuels. To the plant, the cell wall provides structural support and protection, acting as an important barrier against the environment and as a critical determinant of cell shape.
However, modifying plant cell walls by traditional breeding or biotechnology often decreases plant yield. This is because plants sense changes to the cell wall by largely unknown mechanisms, so modifying cell walls for improved materials or increased biofuel production may inadvertently activate these pathways. By understanding the mechanisms of cell wall signaling, it may be possible to improve plant cell walls without decreasing yield.
The long-term goal of the McFarlane lab is to discover how plants sense and respond to cell wall changes. This research involves a broad range of activities, including uncovering the molecular mechanisms of cell wall signaling, tracking cell wall changes in response to these signals, revealing subcellular structure-function relationships during cell wall synthesis, integrating cell wall signaling networks with other plant signaling mechanisms, and understanding the evolution of cell wall signaling pathways within plants. We use a combination of techniques, such as live cell imaging, electron microscopy, biochemistry, and genetic screens to address these goals.
Research results from the McFarlane lab will inform plant cell wall modification strategies, which can advance applications in sustainable agriculture, food security, and next-generation biofuel development.
Contact Information
Office Phone: 416-946-3919
Office: ESC3071
Lab: ESC3058
Lab Phone: 416-978-6104
Email
Mailing Address
Department of Cell & Systems Biology
University of Toronto
25 Willcocks St.
Toronto, ON M5S 3B2
Canada
Recent News
Publications
2021
Insights from the Structure of a Plant Cellulose Synthase Trimer
Ramírez-Rodríguez EA, McFarlane HE
2021, Trends in Plant Science, 10.1016/j.tplants.2020.09.010
Small but Mighty: An Update on Small Molecule Plant Cellulose Biosynthesis Inhibitors
Larson RT, McFarlane HE
2021, Plant and Cell Physiology, 10.1093/pcp/pcab108
A G protein-coupled receptor-like module regulates cellulose synthase secretion from the endomembrane system in Arabidopsis
McFarlane HE, Mutwil-Anderwald D, Verbančič J, Picard KL, Gookin TE, Froehlich A, Chakravorty D, Trindade LM, Alonso JM, Assmann SM, Persson S
2021, Developmental Cell, 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.03.031
Subcellular coordination of plant cell wall synthesis
Hoffmann N, King S, Samuels AL, McFarlane HE
2021, Developmental Cell, 10.1016/j.devcel.2021.03.004
Analysis of cellulose synthase activity in Arabidopsis using spinning disk microscopy
Verbančič J, Huang JJ, McFarlane HE
2021, STAR Protocols, 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100863
2020
EPSIN1 and MTV1 define functionally overlapping but molecularly distinct trans-Golgi network subdomains in Arabidopsis
Heinze L, Freimuth N, Rößling A, Hahnke R, Riebschläger S, Fröhlich A, Sampathkumar A, McFarlane HE, Sauer M
2020, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 10.1073/pnas.2004822117
The Cytoskeleton and Its Role in Determining Cellulose Microfibril Angle in Secondary Cell Walls of Woody Tree Species
Tobias , Spokevicius , McFarlane , Bossinger
2020, Plants, 10.3390/plants9010090
2019
Separating Golgi proteins from cis to trans reveals underlying properties of cisternal localization.
Parsons HT, Stevens TJ, McFarlane HE, Vidal-Melgosa S, Griss J, Lawrence N, Butler R, Sousa MML, Salemi M, Willats WGT, Petzold CJ, Heazlewood JL, Lilley KS
2019, The Plant cell, 31266899
Separating Golgi proteins from cis to trans reveals underlying properties of cisternal localization.
Parsons HT, Stevens TJ, McFarlane HE, Vidal-Melgosa S, Griss J, Lawrence N, Butler R, Sousa MML, Salemi M, Willats WGT, Petzold CJ, Heazlewood JL, Lilley KS
2019, The Plant cell, 31266899
The companion of cellulose synthase 1 confers salt tolerance through a Tau-like mechanism in plants.
Kesten C, Wallmann A, Schneider R, McFarlane HE, Diehl A, Khan GA, van Rossum BJ, Lampugnani ER, Szymanski WG, Cremer N, Schmieder P, Ford KL, Seiter F, Heazlewood JL, Sanchez-Rodriguez C, Oschkinat H, Persson S
2019, Nature communications, 10, 857, 30787279
A GDSL Esterase/Lipase Catalyzes the Esterification of Lutein in Bread Wheat
Watkins JL, Li M, McQuinn RP, Chan KX, McFarlane HE, Ermakova M, Furbank RT, Mares D, Dong C, Chalmers KJ, Sharp P, Mather DE, Pogson BJ
2019, The Plant Cell, 10.1105/tpc.19.00272
Separating Golgi Proteins from Cis to Trans Reveals Underlying Properties of Cisternal Localization
Parsons HT, Stevens TJ, McFarlane HE, Vidal-Melgosa S, Griss J, Lawrence N, Butler R, Sousa MM, Salemi M, Willats WG, Petzold CJ, Heazlewood JL, Lilley KS
2019, The Plant Cell, 10.1105/tpc.19.00081
2018
A Golgi UDP-GlcNAc transporter delivers substrates for N-linked glycans and sphingolipids.
Ebert B, Rautengarten C, McFarlane HE, Rupasinghe T, Zeng W, Ford K, Scheller HV, Bacic A, Roessner U, Persson S, Heazlewood JL
2018, Nature plants, 4, 792-801, 30224661
Inhibition of TOR Represses Nutrient Consumption, Which Improves Greening after Extended Periods of Etiolation.
Zhang Y, Zhang Y, McFarlane HE, Obata T, Richter AS, Lohse M, Grimm B, Persson S, Fernie AR, Giavalisco P
2018, Plant physiology, 178, 101-117, 30049747
Cellulose synthesis during cell plate assembly.
Chen HW, Persson S, Grebe M, McFarlane HE
2018, Physiologia plantarum, 164, 17-26, 29418000
2017
Two Complementary Mechanisms Underpin Cell Wall Patterning during Xylem Vessel Development.
Schneider R, Tang L, Lampugnani ER, Barkwill S, Lathe R, Zhang Y, McFarlane HE, Pesquet E, Niittyla T, Mansfield SD, Zhou Y, Persson S
2017, The Plant cell, 29, 2433-2449, 28947492
The elaborate route for UDP-arabinose delivery into the Golgi of plants.
Rautengarten C, Birdseye D, Pattathil S, McFarlane HE, Saez-Aguayo S, Orellana A, Persson S, Hahn MG, Scheller HV, Heazlewood JL, Ebert B
2017, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 114, 4261-4266, 28373556
Multiscale Structural Analysis of Plant ER-PM Contact Sites.
McFarlane HE, Lee EK, van Bezouwen LS, Ross B, Rosado A, Samuels AL
2017, Plant & cell physiology, 58, 478-484, 28100648
2016
Cell cycle-regulated PLEIADE/AtMAP65-3 links membrane and microtubule dynamics during plant cytokinesis.
Steiner A, Rybak K, Altmann M, McFarlane HE, Klaeger S, Nguyen N, Facher E, Ivakov A, Wanner G, Kuster B, Persson S, Braun P, Hauser MT, Assaad FF
2016, The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, 88, 531-541, 27420177
Golgi-localized STELLO proteins regulate the assembly and trafficking of cellulose synthase complexes in Arabidopsis.
Zhang Y, Nikolovski N, Sorieul M, Vellosillo T, McFarlane HE, Dupree R, Kesten C, Schneider R, Driemeier C, Lathe R, Lampugnani E, Yu X, Ivakov A, Doblin MS, Mortimer JC, Brown SP, Persson S, Dupree P
2016, Nature communications, 7, 11656, 27277162
Free-Flow Electrophoresis of Plasma Membrane Vesicles Enriched by Two-Phase Partitioning Enhances the Quality of the Proteome from Arabidopsis Seedlings.
de Michele R, McFarlane HE, Parsons HT, Meents MJ, Lao J, González Fernández-Niño SM, Petzold CJ, Frommer WB, Samuels AL, Heazlewood JL
2016, Journal of proteome research, 15, 900-13, 26781341
2015
The impact of abiotic factors on cellulose synthesis.
Wang T, McFarlane HE, Persson S
2016, Journal of experimental botany, 67, 543-52, 26552883
A cascade of sequentially expressed sucrose transporters in the seed coat and endosperm provides nutrition for the Arabidopsis embryo.
Chen LQ, Lin IW, Qu XQ, Sosso D, McFarlane HE, Londoño A, Samuels AL, Frommer WB
2015, The Plant cell, 27, 607-19, 25794936
A cascade of sequentially expressed sucrose transporters in the seed coat and endosperm provides nutrition for the Arabidopsis embryo.
Chen LQ, Lin IW, Qu XQ, Sosso D, McFarlane HE, Londoño A, Samuels AL, Frommer WB
2015, The Plant cell, 27, 607-19, 25794936
The Arabidopsis synaptotagmin1 is enriched in endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane contact sites and confers cellular resistance to mechanical stresses.
Pérez-Sancho J, Vanneste S, Lee E, McFarlane HE, Esteban Del Valle A, Valpuesta V, Friml J, Botella MA, Rosado A
2015, Plant physiology, 168, 132-43, 25792253
2014
The cell biology of cellulose synthesis.
McFarlane HE, Döring A, Persson S
2014, Annual review of plant biology, 65, 69-94, 24579997
The cell biology of cellulose synthesis.
McFarlane HE, Döring A, Persson S
2014, Annual review of plant biology, 65, 69-94, 24579997
Golgi- and trans-Golgi network-mediated vesicle trafficking is required for wax secretion from epidermal cells.
McFarlane HE, Watanabe Y, Yang W, Huang Y, Ohlrogge J, Samuels AL
2014, Plant physiology, 164, 1250-60, 24468625
2013
Cell wall polysaccharides are mislocalized to the Vacuole in echidna mutants.
McFarlane HE, Watanabe Y, Gendre D, Carruthers K, Levesque-Tremblay G, Haughn GW, Bhalerao RP, Samuels L
2013, Plant & cell physiology, 54, 1867-80, 24058145
Cell wall polysaccharides are mislocalized to the Vacuole in echidna mutants.
McFarlane HE, Watanabe Y, Gendre D, Carruthers K, Levesque-Tremblay G, Haughn GW, Bhalerao RP, Samuels L
2013, Plant & cell physiology, 54, 1867-80, 24058145
Cell wall polysaccharides are mislocalized to the Vacuole in echidna mutants.
McFarlane HE, Watanabe Y, Gendre D, Carruthers K, Levesque-Tremblay G, Haughn GW, Bhalerao RP, Samuels L
2013, Plant & cell physiology, 54, 1867-80, 24058145
ECHIDNA-mediated post-Golgi trafficking of auxin carriers for differential cell elongation.
Boutté Y, Jonsson K, McFarlane HE, Johnson E, Gendre D, Swarup R, Friml J, Samuels L, Robert S, Bhalerao RP
2013, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110, 16259-64, 24043780
Trans-Golgi network localized ECHIDNA/Ypt interacting protein complex is required for the secretion of cell wall polysaccharides in Arabidopsis.
Gendre D, McFarlane HE, Johnson E, Mouille G, Sjödin A, Oh J, Levesque-Tremblay G, Watanabe Y, Samuels L, Bhalerao RP
2013, The Plant cell, 25, 2633-46, 23832588
Patterning and lifetime of plasma membrane-localized cellulose synthase is dependent on actin organization in Arabidopsis interphase cells.
Sampathkumar A, Gutierrez R, McFarlane HE, Bringmann M, Lindeboom J, Emons AM, Samuels L, Ketelaar T, Ehrhardt DW, Persson S
2013, Plant physiology, 162, 675-88, 23606596
Patterning and lifetime of plasma membrane-localized cellulose synthase is dependent on actin organization in Arabidopsis interphase cells.
Sampathkumar A, Gutierrez R, McFarlane HE, Bringmann M, Lindeboom J, Emons AM, Samuels L, Ketelaar T, Ehrhardt DW, Persson S
2013, Plant physiology, 162, 675-88, 23606596
Mitochondrial AtPAM16 is required for plant survival and the negative regulation of plant immunity.
Huang Y, Chen X, Liu Y, Roth C, Copeland C, McFarlane HE, Huang S, Lipka V, Wiermer M, Li X
2013, Nature communications, 4, 2558, 24153405
2012
RDR1 and SGS3, components of RNA-mediated gene silencing, are required for the regulation of cuticular wax biosynthesis in developing inflorescence stems of Arabidopsis.
Lam P, Zhao L, McFarlane HE, Aiga M, Lam V, Hooker TS, Kunst L
2012, Plant physiology, 159, 1385-95, 22689894
2011
Plant cell wall secretion and lipid traffic at membrane contact sites of the cell cortex.
Samuels L, McFarlane HE
2012, Protoplasma, S19-23, 22160188
Cellulose synthesis via the FEI2 RLK/SOS5 pathway and cellulose synthase 5 is required for the structure of seed coat mucilage in Arabidopsis.
Harpaz-Saad S, McFarlane HE, Xu S, Divi UK, Forward B, Western TL, Kieber JJ
2011, The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology, 68, 941-53, 21883548
2010
Arabidopsis ABCG transporters, which are required for export of diverse cuticular lipids, dimerize in different combinations.
McFarlane HE, Shin JJ, Bird DA, Samuels AL
2010, The Plant cell, 22, 3066-75, 20870961
2008
Analysis of the Golgi apparatus in Arabidopsis seed coat cells during polarized secretion of pectin-rich mucilage.
Young RE, McFarlane HE, Hahn MG, Western TL, Haughn GW, Samuels AL
2008, The Plant cell, 20, 1623-38, 18523060