Research in Cell Biology

Research in Cell Biology is an international peer-reviewed journal that provides a forum of experimental cell investigation, publishes reviews, original articles and short communications on the structure, function and macromolecular organization of cells and cell components. Contributions addressing cell biological problems in prokaryotes and plants are welcome.

Sergio Giannattasio

Editorial Board Member of Research in Cell Biology

Research Scientist, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR)-Istituto di Biomembrane e Bioenergetica (IBBE), Italy

Research Areas

Life Sciences

Education

1982Degree in ChemistryUniversity of Bari, Italy

Experience

2001-presentConsiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), senior scientist at Istituto di Biomembrane e Bioenergetica (IBBE, formerly Centro di Studio sui Mitocondri e Metabolismo Energetico, CSMME)
1998-2001Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), research assistant at CSMME
1990-1998Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), contract research assistant at CSMME
1984-1989Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), contract research assistant at CSMME
1983Young research fellow at the Istituto di Chimica Biologica of Bari University

Academic Achievement

2002-03 Research supervisor of the project "Characterization of the Molecular Basis of Phenylketonuria in Italy Identification of Phenylalanine hydroxylase gene Exon 12 R408W mutation", carried out by three Bari Liceo Classico "Socrate" students, winner o
2001 SIBioC-BIO-RAD Prize for studies on "Molecular diagnosis of phenylketonuria: a model to implement a quality control system for monogenic disease"
2000 SIBioC 2000 Prize for studies on "A survey on molecular biology in clinical laboratoratories in Apulia Region"
1997 "Fondazione Gaetano Quagliariello" Award for his studies on the molecular basis of inherited disease
1994 SIBioC (Italian Society of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) '94 Prize for research "Mutation detection by RNA single strand conformation polymorphism (rSSCP)"
1987 Classed second for the S.I.B. (Italian Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) Medal

Membership

Member of Italian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Member of Italian Society of Biophysics and Molecular Biology
Member of European Cell Death Organization
Member of Italian Environmental Mutagen Society

Publications: Conferences/Workshops/Symposiums/Journals/Books

[1]  Guaragnella N, Passarella S, Marra E, Giannattasio S. (2011) Cytochrome c Trp65Ser substitution results in inhibition of acetic acid-induced programmed cell death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Mitochondrion, doi:10.1016/j.mito.2011.08.007
[2]  Guaragnella N., Antonacci L., Passarella S., Marra E. and Giannattasio S. (2011) Achievements and perspectives in yeast acetic acid-induced programmed cell death pathways. Biochem. Soc. Trans. (in press) Review
[3]  Guaragnella N, Passarella S, Marra E, Giannattasio S. (2010) Knock-out of metacaspase and/or cytochrome c results in the activation of a ROS-independent acetic acid-induced programmed cell death pathway in yeast. FEBS Lett. 584:3655-60.
[4]  Guaragnella N., Bobba A., Passarella S., Marra E. and Giannattasio S. (2010) Yeast acetic acid-induced programmed cell death can occur without cytochrome c release which requires metacaspase YCA1. FEBS Lett.584, 224-228.
[5]  R.A. Vacca, S. Giannattasio,. G. Capitani, E. Marra and P. Christen. (2008) Molecular Evolution of B6 Enzymes: Binding of Pyridoxal-5'-phosphate and Lys41Arg Substitution Turn Ribonuclease A into a Model B6 Protoenzyme. BMC Biochemistry 9, 17.
[6]  Kucejova B, Li L, Wang X, Giannattasio S, Chen XJ. (2008) Pleiotropic effects of the yeast Sal1 and Aac2 carriers on mitochondrial function via an activity distinct from adenine nucleotide transport. Mol Genet Genomics 280, 25-39.
[7]  Giannattasio S., Atlante A., Antonacci L., Guaragnella N., Lattanzio P., Passarella S., Marra E. (2008) Cytochrome c is released from coupled mitochondria of yeast en route to acetic acid-induced programmed cell death and can work as an electron donor and a ROS scavenger. FEBS Lett. 582, 1519-1525.
[8]  Valenti D., Vacca R.A., Guaragnella N., Passarella S., Marra E., Giannattasio S. (2008) A transient proteasomeactivation is needed foracetic acid-induced programmed cell death to occur in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. FEMS Yeast Res. 8, 400-404.
[9]  Guaragnella N., Antonacci L., Giannattasio S., Marra E., Passarella S. (2008) Catalase T and Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase in the acetic acid-induced programmed cell death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. FEBS Lett. 582, 210-214.
[10]  N. Guaragnella, L.Antonacci, S. Passarella, E. Marra, S. Giannattasio (2007) Hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion production during acetic acid-induced yeast programmed cell death. Folia Miocrobiol. 52, 237-240.
[11]  N. Guaragnella, C. Pereira, M. J. Sousa, L. Antonacci, S. Passarella, M. Corte-Real, E. Marra and S. Giannattasio (2006) YCA1 participates in the acetic acid induced yeast programmed cell death also in a manner unrelated to its caspase-like activity. FEBS Lett. 580, 6880-6884.
[12]  S. Giannattasio, A. Bobba, V. Jurgelevičius, R.A. Vacca, P. Lattanzio, R.S. Merafina, A. Utkus, V. Kučinskas and E. Marra (2006) Molecular basis of cystic fibrosis in Lithuania. Incomplete CFTR mutation detection by PCR-based screening protocols. Genet. Test. 10, 169-173.
[13]  S. Giannattasio, Z. Liu, J. Thornton, R. A. Butow (2005) Retrograde respinse to mitochondrial dysfunction is separable from TOR1/2 regulation of retrograde gene expression. J. Biol. Chem. 280, 42528-42535.
[14]  S. Giannattasio, N. Guaragnella, M. Corte-Real, S. Passarella, E. Marra (2005) Acid stress adaptation protects Saccharomyces cerevisiae from acetic acid-induced programmed cell death. Gene, 354, 93-98.
[15]  A. Atlante, S. Giannattasio, A. Bobba, S. Gagliardi, V. Petragallo, P. Calissano, E. Marra, S. Passarella (2005) An increase in the ATP levels occurs in cerebellar granule cells en route to apoptosis in which ATP derives from both oxidative phosphorylation and aerobic glycolysis. Biochim. Biophys. Acta, 1708, 50-62.
[16]  Bobba A, Marra E, Fathallah DM, S. Giannattasio. Related (2003) Non-radioactive detection of five common microsatellite markers for ATP7B gene in Wilson disease patients. Mol Cell Probes.17, 271-274.
[17]  N. Pronina, S. Giannattasio, P. Lattanzio, R. Lugovska, P. Vevere, A. Kornejeva (2003) The molecular basis of phenylketonuria in Latvia. Hum. Mutat. 21, 398-399
[18]  J. Kasnauskiene, S. Giannattasio, P. Lattanzio, L. Cimbalistiene, V. Kučinskas (2003) The molecular basis of phenylketonuria in Lithuania. Hum. Mutat. 21, 398.
[19]  S. Giannattasio, I. Dianzani, P. Lattanzio, M. Spada, V. Romano, F. Calì, G. Andria, A. Ponzone, E. Marra and A. Piazza (2001) Genetic heterogeneity in five Italian regions: Analysis of PAH mutations and minihaplotypes. Hum. Hered. 52, 154-159.
[20]  A. Atlante, P. Calissano, A. Bobba, S. Giannattasio, E. Marra and S. Passarella (2001) Glutamate neurotoxicity, oxidative stress and mitochondria. FEBS Lett. 497, 1-5.
[21]  A. Bobba, E. Marra, P. Lattanzio, A. Iolascon and S. Giannattasio (2000) Characterization of the cyp21 gene 5' flanking region in patients affected by 21-OH deficiency. Hum. Mutat. 15, 481.
[22]  A. Bobba, A. Atlante, S. Giannattasio, G. Sgaramella, P. Calissano and E. Marra (1999) Early release and subsequent caspase-mediated degradation of cytochrome c in apoptotic cerebellar granule cells. FEBS Lett. 457, 126-130.
[23]  A. Bobba, A. Iolascon, F. Monno, S. Di Maio,. E. Marra and S. Giannattasio (1999) 21-hydroxylase deficiency in Italy: a distinct distribution pattern of CYP21 mutations in a sample from Southern Italy. J. Med. Genet. 36, 648-650.
[24]  A. Azzariti, R. A. Vacca, S. Giannattasio, R. S. Merafina, E. Marra and S. Doonan (1998) Kinetic properties and thermal stabilities of mutant forms of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1386, 29-38.
[25]  Spada, M., Dianzani, I., Bonetti, G., Biondi, A., Leone, L, S. Giannattasio and Ponzone, A. (1998) Phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism in PKU heterozygotes: influence of different PAH mutations. J. Inherit. Metab. Dis. 21, 236-239.
[26]  Guzzetta, V., Bonapace, G., Dianzani, I., Parenti, G., Lecora, M., S. Giannattasio, Concolino, D., Strisciuglio, P., Sebastio, G., Andria, G. (1997) Phenylketonuria in Italy: distinct distribution pattern of three mutations of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene. J. Inherit. Metab. Dis. 20, 619-624.
[27]  Vacca, R. A., S. Giannattasio, Graber R., Sandmeier E., Marra E. and Christen P. (1997). Active-site Arg→Lys substitutions alter reaction and substrate specificity of aspartate aminotransferase. J. Biol. Chem. 272, 21932-21937.
[28]  F. Calì, F., Dianzani, I., Desviat, L. R., Perez, B., Ugarte. M., Ozguc, M., Shiloh, Y., S. Giannattasio, Carducci, C., Bosco, P., De Leo, G., Piazza, A. and Romano, V. (1997). The STR 252-IVS10nt546-VNTR 7 phenylalnine hydroxylase minihaplotype in five Mediterranean samples. Hum. Genet. 100, 350-355.
[29]  S. Giannattasio, P. Lattanzio, V. Jurgelevicius, L. Cimbalistiene, E. Marra and V. Kucinskas (1997). Phenylketonuria mutations and the linked haplotypes in the Lithuanian population: origin of the most common R408W mutation. Hum. Hered. 47, 155-160
[30]  A. Bobba, A. Iolascon, S. Giannattasio, M. Albrizio, A. Sinisi, F. Prisco, F. Schettini and E. Marra (1997). Characterization of CAH alleles with non radioactive DNA-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis of CYP21 gene. J. Med. Genet. 34, 223-228.
[31]  S. Giannattasio, P.Lattanzio, A. Bobba and E. Marra (1997). Detection of microsatellites by ethidium bromide staining. The analysis of the STR system in the human phenylalanine hydroxylase gene. Mol. Cell. Probes 11, 81-83.
[32]  A. Azzariti, S. Giannattasio, S. Doonan, R.S. Merafina, E.Marra, E. Quagliariello (1995). Use of protease sensitivity to probe the conformations of newly-synthesised mutant forms of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 215, 800-807.
[33]  A. Bobba, S. Giannattasio, A. Pucci, R. Lippolis, C. Camaschella and E. Marra (1995). Characterization of mitochondrial DNA in primary cardiomyopathies. Clin. Chim. Acta 243, 181-189.
[34]  I. Dianzani, S. Giannattasio, L. de Sanctis, C. Alliaudi, P: Lattanzio, C. Dionisi Vici, A. Burlina, M: Burroni, G. Sebastio, F. Carnevale, V. Guzzetta, E. Marra, C. Camaschella, A. Ponzone (1995). Characterization of phenylketonuria alleles in the Italian population. Eur. J. Hum. Genet. 3, 294-302.
[35]  E. Marra, A. Azzariti, S. Giannattasio, S. Doonan, and E. Quagliariello (1995). Cumulative effects of mutations in newly-synthesised mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase on uptake intomitochondria. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 214, 511-517.
[36]  S. Giannattasio, L. Bisceglia, P. Lattanzio, A. Grifa, I. Dianzani, P. Gasparini, E. Marra (1995). Molecular screening of genetic defects with RNA-SSCP analysis: the PKU and cystinuria model. Mol. Cell. Probes 9, 201-205.
[37]  A. Bobba, R. Lippolis, S. Giannattasio, C. Camaschella and E. Marra (1995). An efficient method for PCR analysis of mitochondrial DNA from paraffin-embedded archival heart tissue. PCR Methods and Applications 4, 309-310
[38]  I. Dianzani, P. M. Knappskog, L. de Sanctis, S. Giannattasio, E. Riva, A. Ponzone, J. Apold, C. Camaschella (1995). A novel missense mutation in the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene leading to complete loss of enzymatic activity. Hum. Mutat. 6, 247-249.
[39]  I. Dianzani, S. Giannattasio, L. de Sanctis, E. Marra, A. Ponzone, C. Camaschella, A. Piazza (1994). Genetic history of phenylketonuria mutations in Italy. Am J. Hum. Genet. 55, 851-853.
[40]  S. Giannattasio, A. Azzariti, E. Marra and E. Quagliariello (1994). The N-terminal region of mature mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase can direct cytosolic dihydrofolate reductase into mitochondria in vitro. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 201, 1059-1065.
[41]  P. Pan, R. Jaussi, H. Gehring, S. Giannattasio, and P. Christen (1994). Shift in pH-Rate profile and enhanced discrimination between dicarboxylic and aromatic substrates in mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase Y70H. Biochemistry 33, 2757-2760.
[42]  S. Giannattasio, E. Marra, R. A. Vacca, G. Iannace, and E. Quagliariello (1992). Import of mutant forms of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase into isolated mitochondria. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 298, 532-537.
[43]  S. Giannattasio, E. Marra, M.F. Abruzzese, M. Greco and E. Quagliariello (1991). The in vitro-synthesized precursor and mature mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase share the same import pathway in isolated mitochondria. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 290, 528-534.
[44]  M. Barile, S. Giannattasio, E. Marra, S. Passarella, P. Pucci, G. Sannia and E. Quagliariello (1990). Certain N-terminal peptides inhibit uptake of mature aspartate aminotransferase by isolated mitochondria. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 170, 609-615.
[45]  R. Jaussi, R. Behra, S. Giannattasio, T. Flura and P. Christen (1987). Expression of cDNAs encoding the precursor and the mature form of chicken mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase in E. coli. J. Biol. Chem. 262, 12434-12437.
[46]  A. Atlante, S. Passarella, S. Giannattasio and E. Quagliariello (1985). Fumarate permeation in rat liver mitochondria: fumarate/malate and fumarate/phosphate translocators. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 132, 8-18.
[47]  R. Curci, S. Giannattasio, O. Sciacovelli and L. Troisi (1984). Mechanism of peroxidic oxygen transfer to organic substrates. Oxidation of organic sulphides by chromium (VI) oxide diperoxide. TETRAHEDRON 40, 2763-2771.
[48]  E. Marra, S. Giannattasio, M. Greco and E. Quagliariello (1987). Nucleo-cytoplasmic-mitochondrial interaction: the import of mAAT into mitochondria. In E. Quagliariello, G. Bernardi and A. Ullmann (eds.) "From enzyme adaptation to natural philosophy: heritage from J. Monod" Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 115-126.
[49]  S. Passarella, E. Marra, A. Atlante, M. Barile, S. Giannattasio and E. Quagliariello (1988). Traffic across the mitochondrial membranes in mitochondrial biogenesis and turnover. In: F. Palmieri and E. Quagliariello eds. "Molecular Basis of Biomembrane Transport", Elsevier, Amsterdam, p. 185-194.
[50]  E. Marra, S. Giannattasio and E. Quagliariello (1989). In vitro synthesis and import of mitochondrial proteins. In: J.M. Tager, A. Azzi, S. Papa and F. Guerrieri eds. "Organelles in Eukaryotic Cells", Plenum, New York, p. 219-228.
[51]  S. Giannattasio, E. Marra, M.F. Abruzzese, R.A. Vacca, M. Greco and E. Quagliariello (1990). Which protein domains are involved in mAspAT import into mitochondria?. In: E. Quagliariello, F. Palmieri, S. Papa and C. Saccone eds. "Structure, Function and Biogenesis of Energy Transfer Systems", Elsevier, Amsterdam, p. 285-288.
[52]  E. Marra, S. Giannattasio, M.F. Abruzzese, R.A. Vacca, M. Greco and E. Quagliariello (1992). Molecular interactions between mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase and mitochondrial membrane in the import process. In E. Quagliariello and F. Palmieri eds. "Molecular Mechanisms of Transport", Elsevier, Amsterdam, p. 241-248.
[53]  M. Greco, R. A. Vacca, S. Giannattasio, E. Marra, E. Perlino and E. Quagliariello (1992). Effect of He-Ne laser irradiation on DNA replication and transcription and protein synthesis. In G. Galletti, L. Bolognani, G. Ussia eds. "Laser Application in Medicine and Surgery", Monduzzi Editore, Bologna, pp. 269-273.
[54]  S. Giannattasio, A. Azzariti, R. A. Vacca, P. Lattanzio, R. S. Merafina and E. Marra (1994). Mitochondrial protein import: role of certain domains of mitochondrial aspsartate aminotransferase. In: G. Marino, G. Sannia and F. Bossa eds. "Biochemistry of Vitamin B6 and PQQ", Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel/Switzerland, pp. 81-85.
[55]  S. Giannattasio, I. Dianzani, L. de Sanctis, C. Dompè, P. Lattanzio, C. Alliaudi, F. Carnevale, A. Ponzone and E. Marra (1995). Molecular basis of phenylketonuria. Bull. Mol. Biol. Med.20, 141-144.
[56]  Dianzani, L. de Sanctis, S. Giannattasio, C. Alliaudi, M. Sartore, C. Dionisi Vici, A. Burlina, M. Burroni, F. Papadia, G. Sebastio, V. Guzzetta, E. Marra, C. Camaschella, A. Ponzone (1995). Genotype/phenotype correlation in phenylketonuria. In S. Di Donato, R. Parini and G. Uziel (eds.) "Metabolic Encephalopathies", John Libbey & Company Ltd., London, pp. 63-71.
[57]  S. Giannattasio, A. Bobba, R. A. Vacca and E. Marra (1998) Perspective of protein engineering in the study of the molecular basis of human inherited diseases. Atti del Convegno "Basi molecolari in patologia umana: dai geni, al meccanismo, alla terapia" F. Carnevale, M. N. Gadaleta, E. Marra, E. Quagliariello, F. Schettini (eds.), Editrice C.S.H.-Centro Studi Humana, Milano, pp. 103-105.
[58]  I. Dianzani, S. Giannattasio, L. de Sanctis, M. Spada, C. Alliaudi, P. Lattanzio, F. Carnevale, e. Marra, A. Ponzone (1998) Genotype-phenotype correlation in phenylketonuria. Atti del Convegno "Basi molecolari in patologia umana: dai geni, al meccanismo, alla terapia" F. Carnevale, M. N. Gadaleta, E. Marra, E. Quagliariello, F. Schettini (eds.), Editrice C.S.H.-Centro Studi Humana, Milano, pp. 43-47.
[59]  E. Perlino, S. Giannattasio, A. Bobba, E. Marra (1998) Biogenesi dei mitocondri e patologie mitocondriali. Medicina Perinatale '98. CIC Edizioni Internazionali, Roma, pp. 119-124.
[60]  V. Kucinskas, D. Steponaviciute, S. Giannattasio, R. Lugovska, J. Zschocke (2002) Quality assurance in molecular genetic testing in a monogenic disease: lessons from testing in phenylketonuria. Laboratorinė medicina Special supplement, 20-28.
[61]  E.Perlino, S. Giannattasio, A.Bobba, E.Marra (2002) The Structural and functional features of the mitochondrial DNA in: Update on Gynaecology and reproductive Biology (Eds Nardo,F., Zarbo,G., Russo,E., Messina,K) Galatea Editrice, Catania pp.181-187.
[62]  S. Giannattasio, A. Bobba, P. Lattanzio, N. Guaragnella, V. Kučinskas, E. Marra (2009) Genotypic hetereogeneity of the molecular basis of cystic fibrosis: the paradigm of lithuanian population genetic testing, in Cystic Fibrosis: Etiology, Diagnosis and Treatments (Paul N. Leatte Ed.) Nova Science Publishers, Hauppauge, NY (USA) pp. 113-127. ISBN: 978-1-60741-833-7.
[63]  S. Giannattasio, N. Guaragnella and E. Marra (2011) Molecular mechanisms of programmed cell death induced by acetic acid in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, in Microbial Stress Tolerance for Biofuels: Systems Biology (Lewis Z. Liu Ed.), Microbiology Monographs, Springer, Heidelberg, Germany (in press).