Category Archives: Molecular Organism

A PDZ scaffolding/CaM-mediated pathway in Cryptochrome signaling

Bellanda M, Damulewicz M, Zambelli B, Costanzi E, Gregoris F, Mammi S, Tosatto SCE, Costa R, Minervini G, Mazzotta GM Protein Sci Cryptochromes are cardinal constituents of the circadian clock, which orchestrates daily physiological rhythms in living organisms. A growing body of evidence points to their participation in pathways that have not traditionally been associated […]

Natural alleles of the clock gene timeless differentially affect life-history traits in Drosophila

Andreatta G, Montagnese S, Costa R Front Physiol Circadian clocks orchestrate a variety of physiological and behavioural functions within the 24-h day. These timekeeping systems have also been implicated in developmental and reproductive processes that span more (or less) than 24 h. Whether natural alleles of cardinal clock genes affect entire sets of life-history traits […]

Mitochondrial Cytochrome c Oxidase Defects Alter Cellular Homeostasis of Transition Metals

Brischigliaro M, Badocco D, Costa R, Viscomi C, Zeviani M, Pastore P, Fernández-Vizarra E Front Cell Dev Biol The redox activity of cytochrome c oxidase (COX), the terminal oxidase of the mitochondrial respiratory chain (MRC), depends on the incorporation of iron and copper into its catalytic centers. Many mitochondrial proteins have specific roles for the synthesis and […]

Inhibition of the deubiquitinase USP8 corrects a Drosophila PINK1 model of mitochondria dysfunction

Von Stockum S, Sanchez-Martinez A, Corrà S, Chakraborty J, Marchesan E, Locatello L, Da-Rè C, Cusumano P, Caicci F, Ferrari V, Costa R, Bubacco L, Rasotto MB, Szabo I, Whitworth AJ, Scorrano L, Ziviani E Life Science Alliance Aberrant mitochondrial dynamics disrupts mitochondrial function and contributes to disease conditions. A targeted RNA interference screen for […]

Knockdown of APOPT1/COA8 Causes Cytochrome c Oxidase Deficiency, Neuromuscular Impairment, and Reduced Resistance to Oxidative Stress in Drosophila melanogaster

Brischigliaro M, Corrà S, Tregnago C, Fernandez-Vizarra E, Zeviani M, Costa R, De Pittà C Frontiers in Physiology Cytochrome c oxidase (COX) deficiency is the biochemical hallmark of several mitochondrial disorders, including subjects affected by mutations in apoptogenic-1 (APOPT1), recently renamed as COA8 (HGNC:20492). Loss-of-function mutations are responsible for a specific infantile or childhood-onset mitochondrial leukoencephalopathy with a chronic clinical course. […]