Dr Mary Jane Beilby

My background is in physics. I research electrical properties of membranes surrounding living plant cells. Many life processes involve moving ions in and out of the cell. Electrical potential difference (PD) across the membrane can be measured and controlled. The ionic currents flowing through multitude of specific transport systems (protein molecules imbedded in the lipid bilayer) show characteristic PD dependencies. Such current-voltage (I/V) characteristics allow modeling of different transporters, such as the proton pump, the large conductance K⁺ channels, inward and outward rectifiers, Ca²⁺ - activated Cl^- channels, OH^- transporters, amine uniport, Cl^-/2H⁺ symporter and non-selective cation channels. I have also investigated and modelled the plant action potential (AP). The experiments are performed on two types of giant-celled algae: (i) the Characeae are related to ancestor of all land plants and provide a good model for them; (ii) Ventricaria (Valonia) ventricosa represent the other branch of green algae with very different cell structure and transport systems. My group has developed and refined electrophysiological techniques and apparatus.