Biological Sciences

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Garry studied Molecular Biology at Portsmouth and completed his undergraduate degree in 1991. He stayed in the Biophysics laboratories at Portsmouth for his postgraduate studies, working in the group of Professor Geoff Kneale on the characterisation of the gene V protein, a DNA binding protein that is important in the life cycle of the Fd bacteriophage via its role in gene regulation.

After completing his Ph.D. in 1995 Garry worked on unusual DNA structures formed by triplet repeat sequences in the laboratory of Dr. James McClellan also in Portsmouth. In 1999 Garry took a new post-doctoral position in the laboratories of Professors Bob Simmons and Walter Gratzer at the Randall Institute London. He returned to Portsmouth in 2000 where he worked as a post-doctoral researcher for Dr. Matt Guille, allowing him a chance to learn a new set of skills and a change of direction into the cell and developmental biology fields.

Garry was appointed a Senior Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth in November 2004.

Research Interests

The main focus of the Scarlett lab research interest is in the role of unusual nucleic acid structures in gene regulation. Garry makes use of the popular model system Xenopus laevis in his work and employs a wide range of genetic, biochemical and biophysical assays. The lab is currently studying the role of A-form DNA in transcriptional control at the Xenopus GATA-2 promoter.

Teaching and administration

Garry teaches on, and is also the unit co-ordinator for, the level 1 unit Cell structure and Metabolism. At level 2 he helps teach on both the Biochemistry and Cells units. He also runs the practical part of the Applied Forensic Biology course at level 3. Garry's administrative roles include Level 1 Co-ordinator, Staff-Student Liaison Officer and Genetically Modified Organisms Safety Officer.

Recent Publications

More recent publications

Publications Before 2008

Ophelie Cazanove, Julie Batut, Stuart Elgar, Garry Scarlett, Sarah Bickwood, Isabelle Neant, Marc Moreau and Matthew Guille. Methylation of Xilf3 by xPRMT1b alters its DNA binding activity. Biochemistry (submitted 2007)

Christine Friedeberg, Garry Scarlett, John McGeeghan, Anita Abu-daya, Matthew Guille and Geoff Kneale (2006). Identification of a structural and functional domain in xNAP1 involved in protein-protein interactions. Nucleic Acids Res. 34, 4893-4899.

Scarlett, G.P., Elgar, S.J., Cary, P.D., Noble, A.M., Orford, R.L., Kneale, G.G. and Guille, M.J. (2004). Intact RNA-binding domains are necessary for structure-specific DNA binding and transcription control by CBTF122 during Xenopus development. J. Biol. Chem. 279, 52447-52455.

Abadjieva, A., Scarlett, G., Janscak, P., Dutta, C.F. and Firman, K. (2003). Characterization of an EcoR124I restriction-modification enzyme produced from a deleted form of the DNA-binding subunit, which results in a novel DNA specificity Folia. Microbiol. 48, 319-328.

Pinheiro, P., Scarlett, G., Rodger, A., Rodger, P.M., Murray, A., Brown, T., Newbury, S.F. and McClellan, J.A. (2002). Structures of CUG repeats in RNA. Potential implications for human genetic diseases. J. Biol. Chem. 277, 35183-35190.

Brzostowski, J., Robinson, C., Orford, R., Elgar, S., Scarlett, G., Peterkin, T., Malartre, M., Kneale, G., Wormington, M. and Guille, M. (2000). RNA dependent cytoplasmic anchoring of a transcription factor subunit during Xenopus development. EMBO J. 19, 3683-3693.

Funding Sources

• Royal Society
• IBBS