The main focus of my research activity is focused on the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulation.

One of the aspects analysed, in the past, was the relevance of promoter chromatin organization and its remodeling in the control of gene expression, both at the level of nucleosome positioning and histone covalent modifications. Most of the work was performed in the yeast S.cerevisiae, using as model system a group of co-regulated genes, normally repressed by glucose and activated in glucose limiting conditions.

Another aspect analysed was the influence of environment on epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation. We have developed an in vitro system in which human monocyte-macrophage U937 cells are directly exposed to filters containing different amounts of PM(10) collected in the city of Rome. Transcriptional profiling obtained after short exposure (1h) of cells, using a macroarray panel of 1176 genes, reveals a significant change in the mRNA level for 87 genes. The identification of a large panel of bio-markers offers the possibility to investigate in a systematic manner the cause-effect relationship between specific components of particulate matter and their consequences on genome functions.

To further investigate the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional regulation my research activity was also focused on a possible interplay between histone acetylation and poly ADP-ribosylation. Using PJ34 or ABT888 to inhibit PARP activity or over-expressing poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase (PARG), we show a decrease of global histone H3 and H4 acetylation. This effect is accompanied by a reduction of the steady state mRNA level of p300, Pcaf, and Tnfα, but not of Dnmt1and an increase of global deacetylase activity in nuclear extracts from cells treated with PJ34.

More recently, the main interest of my research activity is to verify the hypothesis that the Quadrato Motor Training (QMT), a sensory-motor training which was found to improve neuronal synchronization and to increase creativity, reflectivity, attention, as well as neuroplasticity.

Neuroplasticity implies remodeling of neuronal structures, which in turn involves molecular modifications. Maintaining neuroplasticity is an important goal, which can be stimulated through training, by activating molecular mechanisms, for example, regulation of growth factors. The aim of the current exploratory study was to examine the link between structural and neurotrophic changes following the QMT, providing novel insights regarding the possible underlying neural and molecular mechanisms.

Pubblicazioni su riviste internazionali.

1) E. Di Mauro, G. Camilloni, L. Verdone and M. Caserta (1993).
    DNA topoisomeraseI controls the kinetics of promoter activation and DNA topology in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 
    Mol Cell Biol 13, 6702-6710.

2) L. Verdone, G. Camilloni, E. Di Mauro and M. Caserta (1996). 
    Chromatin Remodeling during Saccharomyces cerevisiae ADH2 Gene Activation. 
    Mol Cell Biol 16, 1978-1988. 

3) L. Verdone, F. Cesari, C.L. Denis, E. Di Mauro and M. Caserta (1997). 
    Factors affecting Saccharomyces cerevisiae ADH2 chromatin remodeling and transcription.
    J Biol Chem 49, 30828-30834. 

4) A.E. Mayes, L. Verdone, P. Legrain and J.D. Beggs (1999). 
    Characterization of Sm-like proteins in yeast and their association with U6 snRNA. 
    EMBO J. 18, 101-111

5) V.P.I. Vidal, L. Verdone, A.E. Mayes and J.D. Beggs. (1999). 
    Characterization of U6 snRNA-protein interactions.
    RNA 5, 1470-1481.

6) E. Di Mauro, L. Verdone, B. Chiappini and M. Caserta (2002). 
    In vivo changes of nucleosome positioning in the pre-transcription state.
    J Biol Chem 277, 7002-7009.

7) L. Verdone, J. Wu, K. van Riper, N. Kacherovsky, M. Vogelauer, E. T. Young, M. Grunstein, E. Di Mauro and M. Caserta (2002). 
    Hyperacetylation of chromatin at the ADH2 promoter allows Adr1 to bind in repressed   conditions. 
    EMBO J. 21, 1101-1111.

8) Kufel, J., Allmang, C., Verdone, L., Beggs, J.D. and Tollervey, D. (2002). 
    Lsm-proteins are required for normal processing of pre-tRNAs and their efficient association with La (Lhp1p). 
    Mol Cell Biol 22, 5248-5256.

9) Caserta, M., Verdone, L. and Di Mauro, E. (2002). 
     Aspects of nucleosomal positional flexibility and fluidity.
     ChemBioChem 3, 1172-1182.

10) Mazzoni, C., Mancini, P., Verdone, L., Madeo, F., Serafini, A., Herker, E. and Falcone, C. (2003). 
      A truncated form of KlLsm4p, a component of the Lsm complex leads to enhanced mRNA  stability and apoptosis in yeast.
      Mol Biol Cell 14, 721-729.

11) Kufel J., Allmang C., Verdone L., Beggs J D.,and Tollervey D. (2003). 
       A complex pathway for 3’-processing of the yeast U3 snoRNA.
       Nucleic Acids Res 31, 6788-6797.

12) Agricola, E., Verdone, L., Xella B., Di Mauro E. and Caserta M. (2004). 
       Common chromatin architecture, common chromatin remodeling and common transcription kinetics  of Adr1-dependent genes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
       Biochemistry 43, 8878-8884 .

13) Verdone, L., Galardi, S., Page, D. and Beggs, J.D. (2004).
      Lsm proteins promote regeneration of pre-mRNA splicing activity.
      Curr Biol 14, 1487-1491.

14) Verdone, L., Caserta, M. And Di Mauro E. (2005).
      Role of histone acetylation in the control of gene expression.
      Biochem Cell Biol 83, 344-53. Review

15) Agricola E., Verdone L, Di Mauro E, Caserta M. (2006) 
       H4 acetylation does not replace H3 acetylation in chromatin remodelling and transcription activation of Adr1-dependent genes.
       Mol Microbiol 62, 1433-1446

16) Verdone L, Agricola E, Caserta M, Di Mauro E. (2006)
       Histone acetylation in gene regulation. 
       Brief Funct Genomic Proteomic 5, 209-221 Review

17) Caserta M, Agricola E, Churcher M, Hiriart E, Verdone L, Di Mauro E, Travers A. (2009). A translational signature for nucleosome positioning in vivo. 
       Nucleic Acids Res 37, 5309-5321

 
18) Bastonini E, Verdone L, Morrone S, Santoni A, Settimo G, Marsili G, La FortezzaM, Di   Mauro E, Caserta M. (2011) 
      Transcriptional modulation of a human monocytic cell line exposed to PM(10) from an urban area. Environ Res 111, 764-774

19) Abate G, Bastonini E, Braun KA, Verdone L, Young ET, Caserta M. (2012)
      Snf1/AMPK regulates GCN5 occupancy, H3 acetylation and chromatin remodelling a S.cerevisiae ADY2 promoter.
      Biochim Biophys Acta 1819, 419-427

20) Ben-Soussan TD, Piervincenzi C, Venditti S, Verdone L, Caserta M, Carducci F. (2014)   
       Increased cerebellar volume and BDNF level following Quadrato Motor Training. 
       Synapse 69, 1–6 

21) Sabrina Venditti, Loredana Verdone, Caterina Pesce, Nicoletta Tocci, M. Caserta and Tal Ben-Soussan (2015) 
       Creating well-being: Increased creativity and proNGF decrease following Quadrato Motor Training. BioMed Research International  Article ID 275062 

22)  Verdone L, La Fortezza M, Ciccarone F, Caiafa P, Zampieri M, Caserta M. (2015) Poly(ADP-Ribosyl)ation Affects Histone Acetylation and Transcription.
       PLoS One. 2015 Dec 4;10(12):e0144287. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144287. eCollection 2015.

 
Pubblicazioni su riviste nazionali.

1) Di Mauro Ernesto e Verdone Loredana  (2006)

    Epigenetic mechanisms and genome evolution.

    Rendiconti- Accademia Nazionale delle Scienze detta XL 

    Memorie di Scienze Fisiche e Naturali

    124° Vol XXX, t. I, pp. 1-10

2)  Rufo F, Verdone L, Venditti S (2006)

    Le biotecnologie e l’invecchiamento della popolazione: problemi di equità e di epistemologia civica.

    ARCO DI GIANO vol, 49, pp 131-145 ISSN 1721-0178

3)  Maio Andrea e Verdone Loredana (2012) 

    Obesità: un nuovo paradigma sociale

    Rivista Prometeo Anno 30, numero 118 Arnoldo Mondadori editore.

4)  Micaela Caserta, Loredana Verdone, Emanuela Bastonini, Michele Russo, Petra Tomassini (2012)

    Cap.15: Cellule umane stressate dall'inquinamento: Effetti dell'inquinamento   atmosferico sull'epigenetica. 

    Titolo del libro: Stress e Vita. La scienza dello stress e la scienza della salute alla luce della Psiconeuroendocrinoimmunologia.  ISBN: 978-88-481-2854-4

Within IBPM:  

CNR Researchers: -

Associate members:

Prof. Ernesto Di Mauro (Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza Università di Roma)

Prof. Giorgio Camilloni (Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza Università di Roma) 

With other institutions:

Prof. Paola Caiafa (Dipartimento di Biotecnologie Cellulari ed Ematologia, Sapienza Università di Roma) 

Prof. Angela Santoni (Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Patologia, Sapienza Università di Roma) 

Dr. Sabrina Venditti (Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie “Charles Darwin”, Sapienza Università di Roma) 

Dr. Tal Dotan Ben-Soussan (Fondazione Patrizio Paoletti per lo Sviluppo e la Comunicazione)

Prof. Elton T. Young (Department of Biochemistry, Washington University at Seattle, USA)

Loredana Verdone, Mignano Monte Lungo (CE) February 5th 1970

1993 Degree in Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

1997 Doctorate degree in Genetics and Molecular Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

1997-1999 Post Doctoral Position in Jean D Beggs laboratory  at the University of Edinburgh (Scotland)

2010 Permanent position as Researcher at the Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, CNR, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy

Expertise

Basic molecular biology techniques, DNA macroarrays, qRT-PCR, analysis of chromatin structure and epigenetic modifications (Chromatin IP, nucleosome positioning), Cell culture (yeast and human cells).

Teaching activity 

Since 2004 I teach basic Biology (5 CFU) in Bioethics Master at Sapienza University of Rome

Educational activity 

Since 2008, I work as tutor of experimental theses in Molecular Biology e Molecular Genetics.  

Editorial activity

Translator of Molecular Biology book, Robert F. Weaver, 3rd edition  editor Mc  Graw Hill;

Dictionary, vol. VI, published in ”Enciclopedia della Scienza e della Tecnica”, by Giovanni Treccani