Tim Robbins

Contact

• workRoom C27 Plant Sciences
  Sutton Bonington Campus
  Sutton Bonington
  Leicestershire
  LE12 5RD
  UK
• work0115 951 6329
• tim.robbins@nottingham.ac.uk
• https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/biosciences/people/tim.robbins

Teaching Summary

I teach on a range of BSc and MSc modules based in the School of Biosciences

I co-convene a first year module "Genes and Cells" and convene a final year/MSc module "Sex, Flowers and Biotechnology"

I am External Examiner for undergraduate courses in Biology at the University of Technology, Kingston, Jamaica

Research Summary

The main area of research in my group is gametophytic self-incompatibility with a ribonuclease-based mechanism. This is one of the most widely distributed genetic mechanisms that prevents self… read more

Selected Publications

• DZIDZIENYO, DANIEL K., BRYAN, GLENN J., WILDE, GAIL and ROBBINS, TIMOTHY P., 2016. Allelic diversity of S-RNase alleles in diploid potato species. TAG. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. Theoretische und angewandte Genetik. 129(10), 1985-2001
• BOMBARELY, AURELIANO, MOSER, MICHEL, AMRAD, AVICHAI, BAO, MANZHU, BAPAUME, LAURE, BARRY, CORNELIUS S, BLIEK, MATTIJS, BOERSMA, MAAIKE R, BORGHI, LORENZO, BRUGGMANN, REMY, BUCHER, MARCEL, D'AGOSTINO, NUNZIO, DAVIES, KEVIN, DRUEGE, UWE, DUDAREVA, NATALIA, EGEA-CORTINES, MARCOS, DELLEDONNE, MASSIMO, FERNANDEZ-POZO, NOE, FRANKEN, PHILIPP, GRANDONT, LAURIE, HESLOP-HARRISON, J S, HINTZSCHE, JENNIFER, JOHNS, MITRICK, KOES, RONALD, LV, XIAODAN, LYONS, ERIC, MALLA, DIWA, MARTINOIA, ENRICO, MATTSON, NEIL S, MOREL, PATRICE, MUELLER, LUKAS A, MUHLEMANN, JOELLE, NOURI, EVA, PASSERI, VALENTINA, PEZZOTTI, MARIO, QI, QINZHOU, REINHARDT, DIDIER, RICH, MELANIE, RICHERT-POGGELER, KATJA R, ROBBINS, TIM P, SCHATZ, MICHAEL C, SCHRANZ, M ERIC, SCHUURINK, ROBERT C, SCHWARZACHER, TRUDE, SPELT, KEES, TANG, HAIBAO, URBANUS, SUSAN L, VANDENBUSSCHE, MICHIEL, VIJVERBERG, KITTY, VILLARINO, GONZALO H, WARNER, RYAN M, WEISS, JULIA, YUE, ZHEN, ZETHOF, JAN, QUATTROCCHIO, FRANCESCA, SIMS, THOMAS L and KUHLEMEIER, CRIS, 2016. Insight into the evolution of the Solanaceae from the parental genomes of Petunia hybrida. Nature plants. 2(6), 16074
• SUTHERLAND, B.G., TOBUTT, K.R. and ROBBINS, T. P., 2008. Trans-specific S-RNase and SFB alleles in Prunus self-incompatibility haplotypes Molecular Genetics and Genomics. 279(1), 95-106
• SONNEVELD, T., TOBUTT, K.R., VAUGHAN, S.P. and ROBBINS, T.P., 2005. Loss of pollen-S function in two self-compatible selections of Prunus avium is associated with deletion/mutation of an S haplotype-specific F-box gene Plant Cell. 17(1), 37-51

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Current Research

The main area of research in my group is gametophytic self-incompatibility with a ribonuclease-based mechanism. This is one of the most widely distributed genetic mechanisms that prevents self fertilization in angiosperms. Self pollen is rejected following a highly specific recognition between pollen and pistil. We study self-incompatibility in members of the Solanaceae (Petunia and Solanum) and Rosaceae (Prunus and Pyrus).

Self-incompatibility in the Solanaceae My research in the Solanaceae has involved using the model system of Petunia. The S-RNase has been cloned for three functional S-alleles. As part of a collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Beijing) an F-box candidate for the pollen-S gene was identified (Qiao et al, 2004). Most cultivars of Petunia hybrida are self-compatible and we are also studying the molecular basis of self-compatibility which is associated with a particular S-RNase (So). A more recent area of research in the Solanaceae is a collaboration with Dr Glenn Bryan at the James Hutton Institute, Dundee on the allelic diversity of S-RNases in wild species of Solanum. This work was recently published (Dzidzienyo et al, 2016).

Self-incompatibility in the Rosaceae In collaborative projects with Ken Tobutt and colleagues at East Malling we have sequenced a wide range of S-RNases to study S-allele diversity in the genus Prunus. The study of a two self-compatible mutants in sweet cherry (Prunus avium) provided evidence confiming the role of S-linked F-box genes in self-incompatibility in the Rosaceae (Sonneveld et al, 2005). I have also collaborated with Dr Javier Sanzol and colleagues at CITA Zaragosa studying S-RNase diversity in the European pear (Pyrus communis).

• BOMBARELY, AURELIANO, MOSER, MICHEL, AMRAD, AVICHAI, BAO, MANZHU, BAPAUME, LAURE, BARRY, CORNELIUS S, BLIEK, MATTIJS, BOERSMA, MAAIKE R, BORGHI, LORENZO, BRUGGMANN, REMY, BUCHER, MARCEL, D'AGOSTINO, NUNZIO, DAVIES, KEVIN, DRUEGE, UWE, DUDAREVA, NATALIA, EGEA-CORTINES, MARCOS, DELLEDONNE, MASSIMO, FERNANDEZ-POZO, NOE, FRANKEN, PHILIPP, GRANDONT, LAURIE, HESLOP-HARRISON, J S, HINTZSCHE, JENNIFER, JOHNS, MITRICK, KOES, RONALD, LV, XIAODAN, LYONS, ERIC, MALLA, DIWA, MARTINOIA, ENRICO, MATTSON, NEIL S, MOREL, PATRICE, MUELLER, LUKAS A, MUHLEMANN, JOELLE, NOURI, EVA, PASSERI, VALENTINA, PEZZOTTI, MARIO, QI, QINZHOU, REINHARDT, DIDIER, RICH, MELANIE, RICHERT-POGGELER, KATJA R, ROBBINS, TIM P, SCHATZ, MICHAEL C, SCHRANZ, M ERIC, SCHUURINK, ROBERT C, SCHWARZACHER, TRUDE, SPELT, KEES, TANG, HAIBAO, URBANUS, SUSAN L, VANDENBUSSCHE, MICHIEL, VIJVERBERG, KITTY, VILLARINO, GONZALO H, WARNER, RYAN M, WEISS, JULIA, YUE, ZHEN, ZETHOF, JAN, QUATTROCCHIO, FRANCESCA, SIMS, THOMAS L and KUHLEMEIER, CRIS, 2016. Insight into the evolution of the Solanaceae from the parental genomes of Petunia hybrida. Nature plants. 2(6), 16074
• DZIDZIENYO, DANIEL K., BRYAN, GLENN J., WILDE, GAIL and ROBBINS, TIMOTHY P., 2016. Allelic diversity of S-RNase alleles in diploid potato species. TAG. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. Theoretische und angewandte Genetik. 129(10), 1985-2001
• SIMS, T.L. and ROBBINS, T.P., 2009. Gametophytic self-incompatibility in petunia. In: GERATS, T. and STROMMER,J., eds., Petunia: evolutionary, developmental and physiological genetics 2nd. Springer. 85-106
• SUTHERLAND, B. G., CEROVIC, R., ROBBINS, T. P. and TOBUTT, K. R., 2009. The myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera L.): a useful diploid model for studying the molecular genetics of self-incompatibility in plums EUPHYTICA. 166(3), 385-398
• SANZOL, J. and ROBBINS, T.P., 2008. Combined analysis of S-alleles in european pear by pollinations and PCR-based S-genotyping: correlation between S-phenotypes and S-RNase genotypes Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science. 133(2), 213-224
• SUTHERLAND, B.G., TOBUTT, K.R. and ROBBINS, T. P., 2008. Trans-specific S-RNase and SFB alleles in Prunus self-incompatibility haplotypes Molecular Genetics and Genomics. 279(1), 95-106
• SANZOL, J., SUTHERLAND, B.G. and ROBBINS, T.P., 2006. Identification and characterization of genomic DNA sequences of the S-ribonuclease gene associated with self-incompatibility alleles S1 to S5 in European pear Plant Breeding. VOL 125(NUMBER 5), 513-518
• SONNEVELD, T., ROBBINS, T. P. and TOBUTT, K. R., 2006. Improved discrimination of self-incompatibility S-RNase alleles in cherry and high throughput genotyping by automated sizing of first intron polymerase chain reaction products Plant Breeding. VOL 125(NUMBER 3), 305-307
• SONNEVELD, T., TOBUTT, K.R., VAUGHAN, S.P. and ROBBINS, T.P., 2005. Loss of pollen-S function in two self-compatible selections of Prunus avium is associated with deletion/mutation of an S haplotype-specific F-box gene Plant Cell. 17(1), 37-51
• TUMUSIIME, S., POWER, J. B. and ROBBINS, T. P., 2005. Self-incompatibility in Coffea canephora and Petunia hybrida COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY. 141(3), S254-S254
• QIAO,H., WANG,F., ZHAO,L., ZHOU,J.L., LAI,Z., ZHANG,Y.S., ROBBINS,T.P. and XUE,Y.B, 2004. The F-box protein AhSLF-S2 controls the pollen function of S-RNase-based self-incompatibility Plant Cell. 16(9), 2307-2322
• SUTHERLAND, B. G., ROBBINS, T. P. and TOBUTT, K. R., 2004. Primers amplifying a range of Prunus S-alleles Plant Breeding. VOL 123(NUMBER 6), 582-584
• SONNEVELD, T., TOBUTT, K.R. and ROBBINS, T.P., 2003. Allele-specific PCR detection of sweet cherry self-incompatibility (S) alleles S1 to S16 using consensus and allele-specific primers Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 107(6), 1059-1070
• SONNEVELD, T., ROBBINS, T.P., BOSKOVIC, R. and TOBUTT, K.R., 2001. Cloning of six cherry self-incompatibility alleles and development of allele-specific PCR detection Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 102(6/7), 1046-1055
• ROBBINS, T. P., HARBORD, R. M., SONNEVELD, T. and CLARKE, K., 2000. The Molecular Genetics of Self-incompatibility in Petunia hybrida Annals of Botany. VOL 85(SUPPL A), 105-112
• HARBORD, R M, NAPOLI, C A and ROBBINS, T P, 2000. Segregation distortion of T-DNA markers linked to the self-incompatibility (S) locus in Petunia hybrida. Genetics. 154(3), 1323-33
• TEN HOOPEN, R., HARBORD, R. M., MAES, T., NANNINGA, N. and ROBBINS, T. P., 1998. The self-incompatibility (S) locus in Petunia hybrida is located on chromosome III in a region, syntenic for the Solanaceae J Plant Journal. VOL 16(NUMBER 6), 729-734
• TEN HOOPEN, R., ROBBINS, T. R., FRANSZ, P. F., MONTIJN, B. M., OUD, O., GERATS, A. G. M. and NANNINGA, N., 1996. Localization of T-DNA Insertions in Petunia by Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization: Physical Evidence for Suppression of Recombination Plant Cell. VOL 8(NUMBER 5), 823-830
• TEN HOOPEN, R., FRANSZ, P. F., MONTIJN, M. B., OUD, J. L., GERATS, A. G. M., ROBBINS, T. P. and NANNINGA, N., 1995. FISH of T-DNA on metaphase preparations reveals non-uniform recombination in Petunia hybrida Chromosome Research. 3(SUPPL. 1), 101
• ROBBINS, TP, GERATS, AGM, FISKE, H and JORGENSEN, RA, 1995. SUPPRESSION OF RECOMBINATION IN WIDE HYBRIDS OF PETUNIA-HYBRIDA AS REVEALED BY GENETIC-MAPPING OF MARKER TRANSGENES THEORETICAL AND APPLIED GENETICS. 90(7-8), 957-968
• ROBBINS, TP, JENKIN, M and COURTNEYGUTTERSON, N, 1994. ENHANCED FREQUENCY OF TRANSPOSITION OF THE MAIZE TRANSPOSABLE ELEMENT ACTIVATOR FOLLOWING EXCISION FROM T-DNA IN PETUNIA-HYBRIDA MOLECULAR & GENERAL GENETICS. 244(5), 491-500
• DOONER H K, ROBBINS T P and JORGENSEN R A, 1992. GENETIC AND DEVELOPMENTAL CONTROL OF ANTHOCYANIN BIOSYNTHESIS 173-200
• GOODRICH W J, ALMEIDA J, ROBBINS T P, CARPENTER R and COEN E S, 1991. MOLECULAR CLONING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF DELILA A GENE REGULATING THE ANTHOCYANIN BIOSYNTHESIS PATHWAY IN ANTIRRHINUM-MAJUS Journal of Cellular Biochemistry Supplement. 114
• WALKER E L, ROBBINS T P, KERMICLE J L and DELLAPORTA S L, 1991. CLONING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF THE R-R ALLELE OF ZEA-MAYS Journal of Cellular Biochemistry Supplement. 108
• ROBBINS, TP, WALKER, EL, KERMICLE, JL, ALLEMAN, M and DELLAPORTA, SL, 1991. MEIOTIC INSTABILITY OF THE R-R COMPLEX ARISING FROM DISPLACED INTRAGENIC EXCHANGE AND INTRACHROMOSOMAL REARRANGEMENT GENETICS. 129(1), 271-283
• ROBBINS, TP, CARPENTER, R and COEN, ES, 1989. A CHROMOSOME REARRANGEMENT SUGGESTS THAT DONOR AND RECIPIENT SITES ARE ASSOCIATED DURING TAM3 TRANSPOSITION IN ANTIRRHINUM-MAJUS EMBO JOURNAL. 8(1), 5-13
• CHANDLER, VL, RADICELLA, JP, ROBBINS, TP, CHEN, JC and TURKS, D, 1989. 2 REGULATORY GENES OF THE MAIZE ANTHOCYANIN PATHWAY ARE HOMOLOGOUS - ISOLATION OF B UTILIZING R GENOMIC SEQUENCES PLANT CELL. 1(12), 1175-1183
• COEN E S, ROBBINS T P, ALMEIDA J, HUDSON A and CARPENTER R, 1989. CONSEQUENCES AND MECHANISMS OF TRANSPOSITION IN ANTIRRHINUM-MAJUS 413-436
• ALMEIDA, J, CARPENTER, R, ROBBINS, TP, MARTIN, C and COEN, ES, 1989. GENETIC INTERACTIONS UNDERLYING FLOWER COLOR PATTERNS IN ANTIRRHINUM-MAJUS GENES & DEVELOPMENT. 3(11), 1758-1767
• COEN E S, ALMEIDA J, ROBBINS T P, HUDSON A and CARPENTER R, 1988. MOLECULAR ANALYSIS OF GENES DETERMINING SPATIAL PATTERNS IN ANTIRRHINUM-MAJUS 63-82
• ROBBINS, TP, SCAMBLER, PJ, DAVIES, KE and WILLIAMSON, R, 1987. AN ANONYMOUS CLONE E9PL (D4S112) LOCALIZED TO 4Q26-QTER DETECTS AN MSP-I RFLP NUCLEIC ACIDS RESEARCH. 15(19), 8122-8122
• HUMPHRIES, SE, IMAM, AMA, ROBBINS, TP, COOK, M, CARRITT, B, INGLE, C and WILLIAMSON, R, 1984. THE IDENTIFICATION OF A DNA POLYMORPHISM OF THE ALPHA-FIBRINOGEN GENE, AND THE REGIONAL ASSIGNMENT OF THE HUMAN-FIBRINOGEN GENES TO 4Q26-QTER HUMAN GENETICS. 68(2), 148-153