Dr Julia Horsfield

Julia Horsfiled and the Zebrafish tanks Director
BSc (Hons), PhD, DipAppSci

Dr Julia Horsfield is a developmental geneticist based in the Department of Pathology at the University of Otago.

Julia leads a research group investigating the role of chromosome structure in animal development and cancer. Her specific research interest lies in cohesin proteins, which are present in all animals and important for cell division and DNA repair. As the name implies, cohesin proteins’ main function is to hold replicated chromosomes together until cells divide. However, they are also involved in gene expression and this is where Julia’s research focus lies, particularly in relation to Cornelia de Lange and Roberts syndromes.

Julia has worked with zebrafish as her model animal for the past 12 years. She moved from the University of Auckland to the University of Otago in 2007, introducing Otago researchers to zebrafish in the process. Her enthusiasm for the zebrafish animal model has attracted several senior researchers and their teams to zebrafish and this has ultimately led to the development of the new state-of-the-art facility.

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Publications

Morice, M., Bixley, M., Cadzow, M., Major, T., Phipps-Green, A., Topless, R., Merriman, M., Merriman, T. R., Leask, M., & Horsfield, J. (2021). Replication of a Māori and Pacific-specific T2D-risk variant within JAZF1. New Zealand Medical Journal, 134(1547), (pp. 142). Retrieved from https://www.nzma.org.nz/journal

Leask, M., Carleton, C., Leeke, B., Newman, T., Antoun, J., Farella, M., & Horsfield, J. (2021). Riboceine rescues auranofin-induced craniofacial defects in zebrafish. Antioxidants, 10, 1964. doi: 10.3390/antiox10121964

Horsfield, J. (2021). The circle of life: Connecting cell division with cell fate [Keynote]. Proceedings of the Genetics Otago (GO) Annual Symposium. Retrieved from https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/go

Thomas, A. L., Marsman, J., Antony, J., Schierding, W., O'Sullivan, J. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2021). Transcriptional regulation of RUNX1: An informatics analysis. Gene, 12(8), 1175. doi: 10.3390/genes12081175

Antony, J., Chin, C. V., & Horsfield, J. A. (2021). Cohesin mutations in cancer: Emerging therapeutic targets. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(13), 6788. doi: 10.3390/ijms22136788

Journal - Research Article

Schierding, W., Horsfield, J. A., & O'Sullivan, J. M. (2021). Low tolerance for transcriptional variation at cohesin genes is accompanied by functional links to disease-relevant pathways. Journal of Medical Genetics, 58, 534-542. doi: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2020-107095

Journal - Research Article

Boocock, J., Leask, M., Okada, Y., Asian Genetic Epidemiology Network (AGEN) Consortium, Matsuo, H., Shi, Y., … Cadzow, M., Gosling, A. L., Major, T. J., Horsfield, J. A., … Merriman, T. R. (2020). Genomic dissection of 43 serum urate-associated loci provides multiple insights into molecular mechanisms of urate control. Human Molecular Genetics, 29(6), 923-943. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddaa013

Journal - Research Article

Chin, C. V., Antony, J., Ketharnathan, S., Labudina, A., Gimenez, G., Parsons, K. M., … Braithwaite, A., Guilford, P., … Horsfield, J. A. (2020). Cohesin mutations are synthetic lethal with stimulation of WNT signaling. eLIFE, 9, e61405. doi: 10.7554/eLife.61405

Journal - Research Article

Chiu, J. Z. S., Hold, I., Newman, T. A. C., Horsfield, J. A., & McDowell, A. (2020). Chlorogenic acid supplementation benefits zebrafish embryos exposed to auranofin. Pharmaceutics, 12, 1199. doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12121199

Journal - Research Article

Ketharnathan, S., Labudina, A., & Horsfield, J. A. (2020). Cohesin components Stag1 and Stag2 differentially influence haematopoietic mesoderm development in zebrafish embryos. Frontiers in Cell & Developmental Biology, 8, 617545. doi: 10.3389/fcell.2020.617545

Journal - Research Article

Marsman, J., Gimenez, G., Day, R. C., Horsfield, J. A., & Jones, G. T. (2020). A non-coding genetic variant associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm alters ERG gene regulation. Human Molecular Genetics, 29(4), 554-565. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddz256

Journal - Research Article

Jones, G. T., Marsman, J., Pardo, L. M., Nijsten, T., De Maeseneer, M., Phillips, V., Lynch-Sutherland, C., Horsfield, J., Krysa, J., & van Rij, A. M. (2019). A variant of the castor zinc finger 1 (CASZ1) gene is differentially associated with the clinical classification of chronic venous disease. Scientific Reports, 9, 14011. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-50586-2

Journal - Research Article

Leask, M., Dowdle, A., Salvesen, H., Topless, R., Fadason, T., Wei, W., … Marsman, J., Antony, J., … Merriman, T. R., & Horsfield, J. A. (2019). Functional urate-associated genetic variants influence expression of lincRNAs LINC01229 and MAFTRR. Frontiers in Genetics, 9, 733. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00733

Journal - Research Article

Cukrov, D., Newman, T., Leask, M., Leeke, B., Sarogni, P., Patimo, A., … Horsfield, J., & Musio, A. (2018). Antioxidant treatment ameliorates phenotypic features of SMC1A-mutated Cornelia de Lange syndrome in vitro and in vivo. Human Molecular Genetics, 27(17), 3002-3011. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddy203

Journal - Research Article

Kaur, G., Li, C. G., Chantry, A., Stayner, C., Horsfield, J., & Eccles, M. R. (2018). SMAD proteins directly suppress PAX2 transcription downstream of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) signalling in renal cell carcinoma. Oncotarget, 9(42), 26852-26867. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.25516

Journal - Research Article

Ketharnathan, S., Leask, M., Boocock, J., Phipps-Green, A. J., Antony, J., O'Sullivan, J. M., Merriman, T. R., & Horsfield, J. A. (2018). A non-coding genetic variant maximally associated with serum urate levels is functionally linked to HNF4A-dependent PDZK1 expression. Human Molecular Genetics, 27(22), 3964-3973. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddy295

Journal - Research Article

Lee, S. L. J., Horsfield, J. A., Black, M. A., Rutherford, K., & Gemmell, N. J. (2018). Identification of sex differences in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brains during early sexual differentiation and masculinisation using 17α-methyltestoterone. Biology of Reproduction, 99(2), 446-460. doi: 10.1093/biolre/iox175

Journal - Research Article

Mehta, S. Y., Morten, B. C., Antony, J., Henderson, L., Lasham, A., Campbell, H., Cunliffe, H., Horsfield, J. A., … Braithwaite, A. W. (2018). Regulation of the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) pathway by p63 and Δ133p53 isoform in different breast cancer subtypes. Oncotarget, 9(49), 29146-29161. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.25635

Journal - Research Article

Meier, M., Grant, J., Dowdle, A., Thomas, A., Gerton, J., Collas, P., … Horsfield, J. A. (2018). Cohesin facilitates zygotic genome activation in zebrafish. Development, 145, dev156521. doi: 10.1242/dev.156521

Journal - Research Article

Schierding, W., Antony, J., Karhunen, V., Vääräsmäki, M., Franks, S., Elliott, P., … Horsfield, J. A., … Cutfield, W. S. (2018). GWAS on prolonged gestation (post-term birth): Analysis of successive Finnish birth cohorts. Journal of Medical Genetics, 55(1), 55-63. doi: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2017-104880

Journal - Research Article

Lee, S. L. J., Horsfield, J. A., Black, M. A., Rutherford, K., Fisher, A., & Gemmell, N. J. (2017). Histological and transcriptomic effects of 17α-methyltestosterone on zebrafish gonad development. BMC Genomics, 18, 557. doi: 10.1186/s12864-017-3915-z

Journal - Research Article

Marsman, J., Thomas, A., Osato, M., O'Sullivan, J. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2017). A DNA contact map for the mouse Runx1 gene identifies novel haematopoietic enhancers. Scientific Reports, 7, 13347. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-13748-8

Journal - Research Article

McKinlay, P., Keller, C., & Horsfield, J. (2017). It’s written in your DNA: Or is it? Junctures, 2017(18), 81-87.

Journal - Research Article

McKinlay, P., Pickery, J.-J., & Horsfield, J. (2017). The GENE-ration game. Junctures, 2017(18), 71-80.

Journal - Research Article

Stayner, C., Poole, C. A., McGlashan, S. R., Pilanthananond, M., Brauning, R., Markie, D., … Slobbe, L., … Parker, K., Wiles, A., … Leichter, A., Leask, M., … Jennings, M., Horsfield, J. A., Walker, R. J., & Eccles, M. R. (2017). An ovine hepatorenal fibrocystic model of a Meckel-like syndrome associated with dysmorphic primary cilia and TMEM67 mutations. Scientific Reports, 7, 1601. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-01519-4

Journal - Research Article

Chatterjee, A., Lagisz, M., Rodger, E. J., Zhen, L., Stockwell, P. A., Duncan, E. J., Horsfield, J. A., … Nakagawa, S. (2016). Sex differences in DNA methylation and expression in zebrafish brain: A test of an extended ‘male sex drive’ hypothesis. Gene, 590, 307-316. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2016.05.042

Journal - Research Article

Dasgupta, T., Antony, J., Braithwaite, A. W., & Horsfield, J. A. (2016). HDAC8 inhibition blocks SMC3 deacetylation and delays cell cycle progression without affecting cohesin-dependent transcription in MCF7 cancer cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 291(24), 12761-12770. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M115.704627

Journal - Research Article

Newman, T., Jhinku, N., Meier, M., & Horsfield, J. (2016). Dietary intake influences adult fertility and offspring fitness in zebrafish. PLoS ONE, 11(11), e01663394. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166394

Journal - Research Article

Schierding, W., Antony, J., Cutfield, W. S., Horsfield, J. A., & O'Sullivan, J. M. (2016). Intergenic GWAS SNPs are key components of the spatial and regulatory network for human growth. Human Molecular Genetics, 25(15), 3372-3382. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddw165

Journal - Research Article

Antony, J., Dasgupta, T., Rhodes, J. M., McEwan, M. V., Print, C. G., O'Sullivan, J. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2015). Cohesin modulates transcription of estrogen-responsive genes. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Gene Regulatory Mechanisms, 1849(3), 257-269. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2014.12.011

Journal - Research Article

Newman, T. A. C., Carleton, C. R., Leeke, B., Hampton, M. B., & Horsfield, J. A. (2015). Embryonic oxidative stress results in reproductive impairment for adult zebrafish. Redox Biology, 6, 648-655. doi: 10.1016/j.redox.2015.10.010

Journal - Research Article

Schuster, K., Leeke, B., Meier, M., Wang, Y., Newman, T., Burgess, S., & Horsfield, J. A. (2015). A neural crest origin for cohesinopathy heart defects. Human Molecular Genetics, 24(24), 7005-7016. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddv402

Journal - Research Article

Leeke, B., Marsman, J., O'Sullivan, J. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2014). Cohesin mutations in myeloid malignancies: Underlying mechanisms. Experimental Hematology & Oncology, 3, 13. doi: 10.1186/2162-3619-3-13

Journal - Research Article

Marsman, J., O'Neill, A. C., Kao, B. R.-Y., Rhodes, J. M., Meier, M., Antony, J., Mönnich, M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2014). Cohesin and CTCF differentially regulate spatiotemporal runx1 expression during zebrafish development. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Gene Regulatory Mechanisms, 1839(1), 50-61. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2013.11.007

Journal - Research Article

O'Sullivan, J. M., Doynova, M. D., Antony, J., Pichlmuller, F., & Horsfield, J. A. (2014). Insights from space: Potential role of diet in the spatial organization of chromosomes. Nutrients, 6(12), 5724-5739. doi: 10.3390/nu6125724

Journal - Research Article

Chatterjee, A., Ozaki, Y., Stockwell, P. A., Horsfield, J. A., Morison, I. M., & Nakagawa, S. (2013). Mapping the zebrafish brain methylome using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. Epigenetics, 8(9), 979-989. doi: 10.4161/epi.25797

Journal - Research Article

Deardorff, M. A., Wilde, J. J., Albrecht, M., Dickinson, E., Tennstedt, S., Braunholz, D., Mönnich, M., … Horsfield, J. A., & Kaiser, F. J. (2012). RAD21 mutations cause a human cohesinopathy. American Journal of Human Genetics, 90(6), 1014-1027. doi: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2012.04.019

Journal - Research Article

Horsfield, J. A., Print, C. G., & Mönnich, M. (2012). Diverse developmental disorders from The One Ring: Distinct molecular pathways underlie the cohesinopathies. Frontiers in Genetics, 3, 171. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2012.00171

Journal - Research Article

Marsman, J., & Horsfield, J. A. (2012). Long distance relationships: Enhancer-promoter communication and dynamic gene transcription. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Gene Regulatory Mechanisms, 1819(11-12), 1217-1227. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2012.10.008

Journal - Research Article

McEwan, M. V., Eccles, M. R., & Horsfield, J. A. (2012). Cohesin is required for activation of MYC by estradiol. PLoS ONE, 7(11), e49160. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049160

Journal - Research Article

Mönnich, M., Kuriger, Z., Print, C. G., & Horsfield, J. A. (2011). A zebrafish model of Roberts syndrome reveals that Esco2 depletion interferes with development by disrupting the cell cycle. PLoS ONE, 6(5), e20051. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0020051

Journal - Research Article

Rhodes, J. M., McEwan, M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2011). Gene regulation by cohesin in cancer: Is the ring an unexpected party to proliferation? Molecular Cancer Research, 9(12), 1587-1607. doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-11-0382

Journal - Research Article

Rhodes, J. M., Bentley, F. K., Print, C. G., Dorsett, D., Misulovin, Z., Dickinson, E. J., … Horsfield, J. A. (2010). Positive regulation of c-Myc by cohesin is direct, and evolutionarily conserved. Developmental Biology, 344, 637-649. doi: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2010.05.493

Journal - Research Article

Mönnich, M., Banks, S., Eccles, M., Dickinson, E., & Horsfield, J. (2009). Expression of cohesin and condensin genes during zebrafish development supports a non-proliferative role for cohesin. Gene Expression Patterns, 9(8), 586-594. doi: 10.1016/j.gep.2009.08.004

Journal - Research Article

Horsfield, J. A., Anagnostou, S. H., Hu, J. K.-H., Cho, K. H. Y., Geisler, R., Lieschke, G., … Crosier, P. S. (2007). Cohesin-dependent regulation of Runx genes. Development, 134, 2639-2649. doi: 10.1242/dev.002485

Journal - Research Article

Brumby, A., Secombe, J., Horsfield, J., Coombe, M., Amin, N., Coates, D., … Richardson, H. (2004). A genetic screen for dominant modifiers of a cyclin E hypomorphic mutation identifies novel regulators of S-phase entry in drosophilia. Genetics, 168(1), 227-251. doi: 10.1534/genetics.104.026617

Journal - Research Article

Kalev-Zylinska, M. L., Horsfield, J. A., Flores, M. V., Postlethwait, J. H., Chau, J. Y., Cattin, P. M., … Crosier, K. E. (2003). Runx3 is required for hematopoietic development in zebrafish. Developmental Dynamics, 228(3), 323-336. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.10388

Journal - Research Article

Brumby, A. M., Zraly, C. B., Horsfield, J. A., Secombe, J., Saint, R., Dingwall, A. K., & Richardson, H. (2002). Drosophila cyclin E interacts with components of the Brahma complex. EMBO Journal, 21(13), 3377-3389. doi: 10.1093/emboj/cdf334

Journal - Research Article

Crosier, P. S., Kalev-Zylinska, M. L., Hall, C. J., Flores, M. V. C., Horsfield, J. A., & Crosier, K. E. (2002). Pathways in blood and vessel development revealed through zebrafish genetics. International Journal of Developmental Biology, 46, 493-502.

Journal - Research Article

Horsfield, J., Ramachandran, A., Reuter, K., Lavallie, E., Collins-Racie, L., Crosier, K., & Crosier, P. (2002). Cadherin-17 is required to maintain pronephric duct integrity during zebrafish development. Mechanisms of Development, 115, 15-26. doi: 10.1016/S0925-4773(02)00094-1

Journal - Research Article

Irvine, J., Horsfield, J. A., McKinney, C. Z., & Tate, W. P. (1998). A novel strategy to interfere with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 propagation. New Zealand Medical Journal, 111, 222-224.

Journal - Research Article

Tate, W. P., Poole, E. S., Horsfield, J. A., Mannering, S. A., Brown, C. M., Moffat, J. G., Dalphin, M. E., … Major, L. L., & Wilson, D. N. (1995). Translational termination efficiency in both bacteria and mammals is regulated by the base following the stop codon. Biochemistry & Cell Biology, 73, 1095-1103. doi: 10.1139/o95-118

Journal - Research Article

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