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Dr Chloe Singleton

Dr Chloe Singleton

Lecturer in Chemistry

 3105

 01392 723105

 Biocatalysis Centre BC2.1

 

Biocatalysis Centre, University of Exeter, The Henry Wellcome Building for Biocatalysis, Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QD , UK

Overview

My research is focused on the manipulation of microorganisms to enhance and exploit their natural processes for environmental and technological benefit. I utilise a synthetic biology approach to allow for the domestication of industrially relevant chassis for the production of fuels and bulk chemicals.

I am a biochemist by training and I now have over ten years of research experience gained during my PhD and Post-Doctoral positions. My research involves use of molecular biological techniques, bacterial transformation and expression systems, protein biochemistry techniques spectroscopic techniques and in vivo studies.

My previous projects have involved utilizing a variety of spectroscopic and analytical techniques to:

  • Improve the carboxylation efficiency of Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) the key enzyme in photosynthesis (BBSRC funded project)
  • Elucidate the function of a protein thought to involved in the calcification of the marine algae Emiliania huxleyi (EPOCA funded project)
  • Investigate the nature of heme binding to the Iron Response Regulator (Irr) from Rhizobium leguminosarm (BBSRC funded project)
  • Investigate the metal binding by, and transfer between, two proteins, CopZ and CopA involved in the copper detoxification pathway of the bacteria Bacillus subtilis (BBSRC funded PhD)

 

Qualifications

2002: MChem Chemistry, University of East Anglia
2008: PhD ‘Metal binding studies of CopZ and CopA from Bacillus subtilis’, University of East Anglia
2009: PGCE in Secondary Science

Career

2019-present: Lecturer in Chemistry University of Exeter

2014-2021: Research Fellow, University of Exeter

2012-2013: Associate Research Fellow, University of Exeter        
2010-2012: Post Doctoral Research Assistant, The Marine Biological Association
2009-2010: Part time Lecturer of Chemistry, Truro College
2007-2008: Post Doctoral Research Associate, University of East Anglia
2003: Research Technician, University of East Anglia

Research group links

Research

Research projects

The Exeter Microbial Biofuels Group has previously developed metabolic routes for the biosynthesis of replica fuel molecules (hydrocarbons) in the host Escherichia coli. These artificial metabolic pathways are capable of producing a wide-range of molecules corresponding to those found in retail fuels but they require a considerable number of genetic components to work in unison and alongside the existing complexities of the cell. For industrial scale-up a more suitable chassis is required but the molecular tools and protocols available for culture, transformation and engineering of industrial chassis’ are limited in comparison to model organisms such as E. coli.

My research focusses on the development of a molecular toolkit that will allow us to engineer and control both synthetic and natural biological pathways within a non-model organism. The tools are designed and tested using a synthetic biology approach to allow them to be modular and transferable. Synthetic biology uses engineering principles to design and construct new biological parts, devises and systems or redesign natural biological systems. My laboratory work is increasingly utilizing high throughput methods to screen these biological tools: liquid-handling robots and multi-well plate formats. Coupled with automated analytical techniques for robust quantification of target compounds within a Statistical Design of Experiments (DOE) framework, our research group is also developing predictive modeling of complex systems based upon empirical data sets.

 

Publications

Key publications | Publications by category | Publications by year

Key publications


Zhou L, Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2012). CopAb, the second N-terminal soluble domain of Bacillus subtilis CopA, dominates the Cu(I)-binding properties of CopAab. Dalton Trans, 41(19), 5939-5948. Abstract.  Author URL.
Zhou L, Singleton C, Hecht O, Moore GR, Le Brun NE (2012). Cu(I)- and proton-binding properties of the first N-terminal soluble domain of Bacillus subtilis CopA. FEBS J, 279(2), 285-298. Abstract.  Author URL.
Gledhill M, Devez A, Highfield A, Singleton C, Achterberg EP, Schroeder D (2012). Effect of metals on the lytic cycle of the Coccolithovirus, EhV86. Frontiers in Microbiology, 3(APR). Abstract.
White GF, Singleton C, Todd JD, Cheesman MR, Johnston AWB, Le Brun NE (2011). Heme binding to the second, lower-affinity site of the global iron regulator Irr from Rhizobium leguminosarum promotes oligomerization. FEBS J, 278(12), 2011-2021. Abstract.  Author URL.
Singleton C, White GF, Todd JD, Marritt SJ, Cheesman MR, Johnston AWB, Le Brun NE (2010). Heme-responsive DNA binding by the global iron regulator Irr from Rhizobium leguminosarum. J Biol Chem, 285(21), 16023-16031. Abstract.  Author URL.
Singleton C, Hearnshaw S, Zhou L, Le Brun NE, Hemmings AM (2009). Mechanistic insights into Cu(I) cluster transfer between the chaperone CopZ and its cognate Cu(I)-transporting P-type ATPase, CopA. Biochem J, 424(3), 347-356. Abstract.  Author URL.

Publications by category


Journal articles

Wojcik E, Singleton C, Chapman L, Parker D, Love J (In Press). Plant Biomass as Biofuels. eLS
Singleton C, Howard TP, Smirnoff N (In Press). Synthetic metabolons for metabolic engineering. Journal of Experimental Botany Abstract.
Welsh C, Pike L, Elliott J, Bailey J, Quintin-Baxendale R, Billington J, Matousek A, Matthews C, Dumitrescu D, Murphy JF, et al (2020). Why is it so hard to enact responsible change?: Scientists need to work more closely with other social groups to implement sustainable innovation. EMBO Rep, 21(4). Abstract.  Author URL.
Tennant RK, Ayine M, Power A, Gilman J, Hewlett M, James P, Singleton C, Parker D, Love J (2019). A Hybrid Sequencing Approach Completes the Genome Sequence of Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus JW 200. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 8(3).
Singleton C, Gilman J, Rollit J, Zhang K, Parker DA, Love J (2019). A design of experiments approach for the rapid formulation of a chemically defined medium for metabolic profiling of industrially important microbes. PLoS One, 14(6). Abstract.  Author URL.
Gilman J, Singleton C, Tennant RK, James P, Howard TP, Lux T, Parker DA, Love J (2019). Rapid, Heuristic Discovery and Design of Promoter Collections in Non-Model Microbes for Industrial Applications. ACS Synth Biol, 8(5), 1175-1186. Abstract.  Author URL.
Kay KL, Zhou L, Tenori L, Bradley JM, Singleton C, Kihlken MA, Ciofi-Baffoni S, Le Brun NE (2017). Kinetic analysis of copper transfer from a chaperone to its target protein mediated by complex formation. Chem Commun (Camb), 53(8), 1397-1400. Abstract.  Author URL.
Zhou L, Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2012). CopAb, the second N-terminal soluble domain of Bacillus subtilis CopA, dominates the Cu(I)-binding properties of CopAab. Dalton Trans, 41(19), 5939-5948. Abstract.  Author URL.
Zhou L, Singleton C, Hecht O, Moore GR, Le Brun NE (2012). Cu(I)- and proton-binding properties of the first N-terminal soluble domain of Bacillus subtilis CopA. FEBS J, 279(2), 285-298. Abstract.  Author URL.
Gledhill M, Devez A, Highfield A, Singleton C, Achterberg EP, Schroeder D (2012). Effect of metals on the lytic cycle of the Coccolithovirus, EhV86. Frontiers in Microbiology, 3(APR). Abstract.
White GF, Singleton C, Todd JD, Cheesman MR, Johnston AWB, Le Brun NE (2011). Heme binding to the second, lower-affinity site of the global iron regulator Irr from Rhizobium leguminosarum promotes oligomerization. FEBS J, 278(12), 2011-2021. Abstract.  Author URL.
Singleton C, White GF, Todd JD, Marritt SJ, Cheesman MR, Johnston AWB, Le Brun NE (2010). Heme-responsive DNA binding by the global iron regulator Irr from Rhizobium leguminosarum. J Biol Chem, 285(21), 16023-16031. Abstract.  Author URL.
Hearnshaw S, West C, Singleton C, Zhou L, Kihlken MA, Strange RW, Le Brun NE, Hemmings AM (2009). A tetranuclear Cu(I) cluster in the metallochaperone protein CopZ. Biochemistry, 48(40), 9324-9326. Abstract.  Author URL.
Singleton C, Hearnshaw S, Zhou L, Le Brun NE, Hemmings AM (2009). Mechanistic insights into Cu(I) cluster transfer between the chaperone CopZ and its cognate Cu(I)-transporting P-type ATPase, CopA. Biochem J, 424(3), 347-356. Abstract.  Author URL.
Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2009). The N-terminal soluble domains of Bacillus subtilis CopA exhibit a high affinity and capacity for Cu(I) ions. Dalton Trans(4), 688-696. Abstract.  Author URL.
Kihlken MA, Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2008). Distinct characteristics of Ag+ and Cd2+ binding to CopZ from Bacillus subtilis. J Biol Inorg Chem, 13(6), 1011-1023. Abstract.  Author URL.
Zhou L, Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2008). High Cu(I) and low proton affinities of the CXXC motif of Bacillus subtilis CopZ. Biochem J, 413(3), 459-465. Abstract.  Author URL.
Singleton C, Banci L, Ciofi-Baffoni S, Tenori L, Kihlken MA, Boetzel R, Le Brun NE (2008). Structure and Cu(I)-binding properties of the N-terminal soluble domains of Bacillus subtilis CopA. Biochem J, 411(3), 571-579. Abstract.  Author URL.
Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2007). Atx1-like chaperones and their cognate P-type ATPases: copper-binding and transfer. Biometals, 20(3-4), 275-289. Abstract.  Author URL.
Aitken-Rogers H, Singleton C, Lewin A, Taylor-Gee A, Moore GR, Le Brun NE (2004). Effect of phosphate on bacterioferritin-catalysed iron(II) oxidation. J Biol Inorg Chem, 9(2), 161-170. Abstract.  Author URL.

Publications by year


In Press

Wojcik E, Singleton C, Chapman L, Parker D, Love J (In Press). Plant Biomass as Biofuels. eLS
Singleton C, Howard TP, Smirnoff N (In Press). Synthetic metabolons for metabolic engineering. Journal of Experimental Botany Abstract.

2020

Welsh C, Pike L, Elliott J, Bailey J, Quintin-Baxendale R, Billington J, Matousek A, Matthews C, Dumitrescu D, Murphy JF, et al (2020). Why is it so hard to enact responsible change?: Scientists need to work more closely with other social groups to implement sustainable innovation. EMBO Rep, 21(4). Abstract.  Author URL.

2019

Tennant RK, Ayine M, Power A, Gilman J, Hewlett M, James P, Singleton C, Parker D, Love J (2019). A Hybrid Sequencing Approach Completes the Genome Sequence of Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus JW 200. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 8(3).
Singleton C, Gilman J, Rollit J, Zhang K, Parker DA, Love J (2019). A design of experiments approach for the rapid formulation of a chemically defined medium for metabolic profiling of industrially important microbes. PLoS One, 14(6). Abstract.  Author URL.
Reid T (2019). Developing synthetic consortia for industrial biofuel production from lignocellulose.  Abstract.
Reid T (2019). Developing synthetic consortia for industrial biofuel production from lignocellulose.  Abstract.
Gilman J, Singleton C, Tennant RK, James P, Howard TP, Lux T, Parker DA, Love J (2019). Rapid, Heuristic Discovery and Design of Promoter Collections in Non-Model Microbes for Industrial Applications. ACS Synth Biol, 8(5), 1175-1186. Abstract.  Author URL.

2017

Kay KL, Zhou L, Tenori L, Bradley JM, Singleton C, Kihlken MA, Ciofi-Baffoni S, Le Brun NE (2017). Kinetic analysis of copper transfer from a chaperone to its target protein mediated by complex formation. Chem Commun (Camb), 53(8), 1397-1400. Abstract.  Author URL.

2012

Zhou L, Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2012). CopAb, the second N-terminal soluble domain of Bacillus subtilis CopA, dominates the Cu(I)-binding properties of CopAab. Dalton Trans, 41(19), 5939-5948. Abstract.  Author URL.
Zhou L, Singleton C, Hecht O, Moore GR, Le Brun NE (2012). Cu(I)- and proton-binding properties of the first N-terminal soluble domain of Bacillus subtilis CopA. FEBS J, 279(2), 285-298. Abstract.  Author URL.
Gledhill M, Devez A, Highfield A, Singleton C, Achterberg EP, Schroeder D (2012). Effect of metals on the lytic cycle of the Coccolithovirus, EhV86. Frontiers in Microbiology, 3(APR). Abstract.

2011

White GF, Singleton C, Todd JD, Cheesman MR, Johnston AWB, Le Brun NE (2011). Heme binding to the second, lower-affinity site of the global iron regulator Irr from Rhizobium leguminosarum promotes oligomerization. FEBS J, 278(12), 2011-2021. Abstract.  Author URL.

2010

Singleton C, White GF, Todd JD, Marritt SJ, Cheesman MR, Johnston AWB, Le Brun NE (2010). Heme-responsive DNA binding by the global iron regulator Irr from Rhizobium leguminosarum. J Biol Chem, 285(21), 16023-16031. Abstract.  Author URL.

2009

Hearnshaw S, West C, Singleton C, Zhou L, Kihlken MA, Strange RW, Le Brun NE, Hemmings AM (2009). A tetranuclear Cu(I) cluster in the metallochaperone protein CopZ. Biochemistry, 48(40), 9324-9326. Abstract.  Author URL.
Singleton C, Hearnshaw S, Zhou L, Le Brun NE, Hemmings AM (2009). Mechanistic insights into Cu(I) cluster transfer between the chaperone CopZ and its cognate Cu(I)-transporting P-type ATPase, CopA. Biochem J, 424(3), 347-356. Abstract.  Author URL.
Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2009). The N-terminal soluble domains of Bacillus subtilis CopA exhibit a high affinity and capacity for Cu(I) ions. Dalton Trans(4), 688-696. Abstract.  Author URL.

2008

Kihlken MA, Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2008). Distinct characteristics of Ag+ and Cd2+ binding to CopZ from Bacillus subtilis. J Biol Inorg Chem, 13(6), 1011-1023. Abstract.  Author URL.
Zhou L, Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2008). High Cu(I) and low proton affinities of the CXXC motif of Bacillus subtilis CopZ. Biochem J, 413(3), 459-465. Abstract.  Author URL.
Singleton C, Banci L, Ciofi-Baffoni S, Tenori L, Kihlken MA, Boetzel R, Le Brun NE (2008). Structure and Cu(I)-binding properties of the N-terminal soluble domains of Bacillus subtilis CopA. Biochem J, 411(3), 571-579. Abstract.  Author URL.

2007

Singleton C, Le Brun NE (2007). Atx1-like chaperones and their cognate P-type ATPases: copper-binding and transfer. Biometals, 20(3-4), 275-289. Abstract.  Author URL.

2004

Aitken-Rogers H, Singleton C, Lewin A, Taylor-Gee A, Moore GR, Le Brun NE (2004). Effect of phosphate on bacterioferritin-catalysed iron(II) oxidation. J Biol Inorg Chem, 9(2), 161-170. Abstract.  Author URL.

Chloe_Singleton Details from cache as at 2023-06-08 01:25:01

Refresh publications

External Engagement and Impact

Invited lectures

October 2012: The Rank Prize Fund Mini-Symposium on Photosynthesis, Grasmere, UK

February 2013: BBSRC and NSF funded Photosynthetic Ideas Lab Workshop, Arlington, USA

May 2013: GARNet meeting Introduction to Opportunities in Plant Synthetic Biology, Nottingham (on behalf of Nick Smirnoff)

Teaching

I am part of the supervisory team for the University of Exeter's iGEM teams.

Modules

2022/23


Supervision / Group

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