WelcomeMembers
Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology
Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas
N. Plastira 100, Vassilika Vouton, PO Box 1385
70013 - Heraklion, Crete
Greece
+30-(0)2810-391066(5)
+30-(0)2810-391067
tavernarakis@imbb.forth.gr
Job opportunities
Neurobiology of C. elegans, Neurodegeneration, Learning and Memory, Aging
Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Crete
Research Area
We aim to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying sensory transduction and integration that forms the basis of learning and memory in the nematode C. elegans. DEG/ENaC ion channels have been identified in nematodes, snails, flies and vertebrates including humans, where they serve diverse functions such as ion homeostasis and sensory transduction. Members of the acid-sensing subgroup of DEG/ENaC ion channels (termed ASICs) have been implicated in synaptic plasticity, learning and memory in mammals.
We find that ASIC-1, a novel nematode DEG/ENaC protein and a close homologue of mammalian ASIC is required for conditioning to several chemical attractants, while it is dispensable for chemotaxis. Consistently, this gene is also required for associating the presence of food with the rearing temperature. Our observations indicate that DEG/ENaCs contribute to the capacity of the animal for associative learning. Therefore, ASIC roles in associative learning and memory are conserved from nematodes to mammals, thus, making C. elegans an attractive model in which to dissect the relevant mechanisms.
Please see also: http://www.imbb.forth.gr/worms
Publications
Troulinaki K. and Tavernarakis N.* (2011) Requirement for clathrin-mediated endocytosis and intracellular trafficking in C. elegans necrotic neurodegeneration. EMBO Journal, in press.
Kourtis N. and Tavernarakis N.* (2011) Cellular stress response pathways and ageing: Intricate molecular relationships. EMBO Journal, 30: 2520-2531.
Rieckher M., Birk U. J., Meyer H., Ripoll J. and Tavernarakis N.* (2011) Microscopic optical projection tomography in vivo. PLoS One, 6: e18963.
Tserevelakis G. J., Filippidis, G., Megalou E., Fotakis C. and Tavernarakis N. (2011) Cell tracking in live Caenorhabditis elegans embryos via third harmonic generation imaging microscopy measurements. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 16: 046019/1-6.
Krasagakis K., Metaxari M., Zervou M., Stathopoulos E. N., Eberle J., Kanitakis J., Georgoulias V., Krüger-Krasagakis S., Tavernarakis N. and Tosca A. D. (2011) Identification of the M541L sequence variation of the transmembrane Kit domain in Merkel cell carcinoma. Anticancer Research, 31: 807-811.
Marino G., Morselli E., Bennetzen M. V., Eisenberg T., Megalou E., Schroeder S., Cabrera S., Benit P., Rustin P., Criollo A., Kepp O., Galluzzi L., Shen S., Malik S. A., Maiuri M. C., Horio Y., Lopez-Otin C., Andersen J. S., Tavernarakis N., Madeo F. and Kroemer G. (2011) Longevity-relevant regulation of autophagy at the level of the acetylproteome. Autophagy, 7: 647-649.
Markaki M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2011) The role of autophagy in genetic pathways influencing ageing. Biogerontology, 12: 377-386.
Morselli E., Marino G., Bennetzen M., Eisenberg T., Megalou E., Schroeder S., Cabrera S., Benit P., Rustin P., Criollo A., Shen S., Kepp O., Maiuri C., Horio Y., López-Otín C., Andersen J. S., Tavernarakis N., Madeo F., and Kroemer G. (2011) Spermidine and resveratrol induce autophagy by distinct pathways converging on the acetylproteome. Journal of Cell Biology, 192: 615-629.
Krasagakis K., Fragiadaki I., Metaxari M., Krüger-Krasagakis S., Tzanakakis G. N., Stathopoulos E. N., Eberle J., Tavernarakis N., and Tosca A. D. (2011) Kit receptor activation by autocrine and paracrine stem cell factor stimulates growth of merkel cell carcinoma in vitro. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 226: 1099-1109.
Artal-Sanz M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2010) Opposing function of mitochondrial prohibitin in aging. Aging, 2: 1004-1011.
Markaki M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2010) Modelling human diseases in Caenorhabditis elegans. Biotechnology Journal, 5: 1261-1276.
Gessmann R., Kourtis N., Petratos K. and Tavernarakis N.* (2010) Molecular modelling of mechanosensory ion channel structural and functional features. PLoS One, 5: e12814.
Birk U. J., Rieckher M., Konstantinides N., Darrell A., Sarasa-Renedo A., Meyer H., Tavernarakis N. and Ripoll J. (2010) Correction for specimen movement and rotation errors for in vivo optical projection tomography. Biomedical Optics Express, 1: 87-96.
Madeo F., Tavernarakis N. and Kroemer G. (2010) Can autophagy promote longevity? Nature Cell Biology, 12: 842-846.
Tserevelakis G. J., Filippidis G., Krmpot A. J., Vlachos M., Fotakis C. and Tavernarakis N. (2010) Imaging Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis by Third-Harmonic Generation microscopy. Micron, 41: 444-447.
Vlachos M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2010) Non-apoptotic cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans. Developmental Dynamics, 239: 1337-1351.
Eisenberg T., Carmona-Gutierrez D., Büttner S., Tavernarakis N. and Madeo F. (2010) Necrosis in yeast. Apoptosis, 15: 257-268.
Morselli E., Maiuri M. C., Markaki M., Megalou E., Pasparaki A., Palikaras K., Galluzzi L., Criollo A., Malik S. A., Madeo F., Tavernarakis N.* and Kroemer G. (2010) Caloric restriction and resveratrol prolong longevity via the sirtuin-1 mediated induction of autophagy. Cell Death and Disease, 1: e10; doi:10.1038/cddis.2009.8.
Morselli E., Maiuri M. C., Markaki M., Megalou E., Pasparaki A., Palikaras K., Criollo A., Galluzzi L., Malik S. A., Vitale I., Michaud M., Madeo F., Tavernarakis N.* and Kroemer G. (2010) The life span-prolonging effect of sirtuin-1 is mediated by autophagy. Autophagy, 6: 186-188.
Liolios K., Chen A., Mavromatis K., Tavernarakis N., Hugenholtz P., Markowitz V. and Kyrpides N. C. (2010) The Genomes On Line Database (GOLD) in 2009: status of genomic and metagenomic projects and their associated metadata. Nucleic Acids Research, 38: D346-D354.
Morselli E., Galluzzi L., Kepp O., Criollo A., Maiuri M. C., Tavernarakis N.*, Madeo F., and Kroemer G. (2009) Autophagy mediates pharmacological lifespan extension. Aging, 1: 961-970.
Andreou A. M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) SUMOylation and cell signalling. Biotechnology Journal, 4: 1740-1752.
Artal-Sanz M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Prohibitin couples diapause signalling to mitochondrial energy metabolism during ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature, 461: 793-797.
Eisenberg T., Knauer H., Schauer A., Fussi H., Büttner S., Ruckenstuhl C., Carmona-Gutierrez D., Ring J., Schröder S., Antonacci L., Fahrenkrog B., Deszcz L., Hartl R., Magnes C., Sinner F., Schraml E., Criollo A., Megalou E., Weiskopf D., Laun P., Heeren G., Breitenbach M., Grubeck-Loebenstein B., Herker E., Fröhlich K.-U., Tavernarakis N., Minois N., Kroemer G. and Madeo F. (2009) Induction of autophagy by spermidine promotes longevity. Nature Cell Biology, 11: 1305-1314.
Artal-Sanz M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Prohibitin and mitochondrial biology. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 20:394-401.
Filippidis G., Gualda E. J., Mari M., Troulinaki K., Fotakis C. and Tavernarakis N. (2009) In vivo imaging of cell morphology and cellular processes in Caenorhabditis elegans, using non-linear phenomena. Micron, 40: 876-880.
Filippidis G., Troulinaki K., Fotakis C. and Tavernarakis N. (2009) In vivo polarization-dependant Second and Third harmonic generation imaging of Caenorhabditis elegans pharyngeal muscles. Laser Physics, 19: 1475-1479.
Rieckher M., Kourtis N., Pasparaki A. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Transgenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods in Molecular Biology, 561: 21-39.
Bazopoulou D. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) The NemaGENETAG initiative: Large scale transposon insertion gene-tagging in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetica, 137: 39-46.
Kourtis N. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Cell-specific monitoring of protein synthesis in vivo. PLOS One, 4: e4547.
Megalou E. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Autophagy in Caenorhabditis elegans. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta-Molecular Cell Research, 1793: 1444-1451.
Kourtis N. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Autophagy and cell death in model organisms. Cell Death and Differentiation, 16: 21-30.
Tavernarakis N.* (2008) Editorial: Brain Matters. Biotechnology Journal, 3: 1459.
Voglis G. and Tavernarakis N.* (2008) A synaptic DEG/ENaC ion channel mediates learning in C. elegans by facilitating dopamine signalling. EMBO Journal, 27: 3288-3299.
Gualda E. J., Filippidis G., Mari M., Voglis G., Vlachos M., Fotakis C. and Tavernarakis N. (2008) In vivo imaging of neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans by third harmonic generation microscopy. Journal of Microscopy, 232: 270-275.
Tavernarakis N.*, Pasparaki A., Tasdemir E., Maiuri M. C. and Kroemer G. (2008) The effects of p53 on whole organism longevity are mediated by autophagy. Autophagy, 4: 810-814.
Tasdemir E., Maiuri M. C., Morselli E., Criollo A., D’Amelio M., Djavaheri-Mergny M., Cecconi F., Tavernarakis N. and Kroemer G. (2008) A dual role of p53 in the control of autophagy. Autophagy, 4: 810-814.
Tasdemir E., Maiuri M. C., Galluzzi L., Vitale I., Djavaheri-Mergny M., D’Amelio M., Criollo A., Morselli E., Zhu C., Harper F., Nannmanrk U., Samara C., Pinton P., Vicencio J.-M., Carnuccio R., Moll U. M., Madeo F., Paterlini-Brechot P., Rizzuto R., Szabadkai G., Pierron G., Blomgren K., Tavernarakis N., Codogno P. Cecconi F. and Kroemer G. (2008) Regulation of autophagy by cytoplasmic p53. Nature Cell Biology, 10: 676-687.
Syntichaki P. Troulinaki K., Tavernarakis N. (2007):eIF4E function in somatic cells modulates ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans..Nature: 445: 922-926
Kourtis N. and Tavernarakis N.* (2011) Cellular stress response pathways and ageing: Intricate molecular relationships. EMBO Journal, 30: 2520-2531.
Rieckher M., Birk U. J., Meyer H., Ripoll J. and Tavernarakis N.* (2011) Microscopic optical projection tomography in vivo. PLoS One, 6: e18963.
Tserevelakis G. J., Filippidis, G., Megalou E., Fotakis C. and Tavernarakis N. (2011) Cell tracking in live Caenorhabditis elegans embryos via third harmonic generation imaging microscopy measurements. Journal of Biomedical Optics, 16: 046019/1-6.
Krasagakis K., Metaxari M., Zervou M., Stathopoulos E. N., Eberle J., Kanitakis J., Georgoulias V., Krüger-Krasagakis S., Tavernarakis N. and Tosca A. D. (2011) Identification of the M541L sequence variation of the transmembrane Kit domain in Merkel cell carcinoma. Anticancer Research, 31: 807-811.
Marino G., Morselli E., Bennetzen M. V., Eisenberg T., Megalou E., Schroeder S., Cabrera S., Benit P., Rustin P., Criollo A., Kepp O., Galluzzi L., Shen S., Malik S. A., Maiuri M. C., Horio Y., Lopez-Otin C., Andersen J. S., Tavernarakis N., Madeo F. and Kroemer G. (2011) Longevity-relevant regulation of autophagy at the level of the acetylproteome. Autophagy, 7: 647-649.
Markaki M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2011) The role of autophagy in genetic pathways influencing ageing. Biogerontology, 12: 377-386.
Morselli E., Marino G., Bennetzen M., Eisenberg T., Megalou E., Schroeder S., Cabrera S., Benit P., Rustin P., Criollo A., Shen S., Kepp O., Maiuri C., Horio Y., López-Otín C., Andersen J. S., Tavernarakis N., Madeo F., and Kroemer G. (2011) Spermidine and resveratrol induce autophagy by distinct pathways converging on the acetylproteome. Journal of Cell Biology, 192: 615-629.
Krasagakis K., Fragiadaki I., Metaxari M., Krüger-Krasagakis S., Tzanakakis G. N., Stathopoulos E. N., Eberle J., Tavernarakis N., and Tosca A. D. (2011) Kit receptor activation by autocrine and paracrine stem cell factor stimulates growth of merkel cell carcinoma in vitro. Journal of Cellular Physiology, 226: 1099-1109.
Artal-Sanz M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2010) Opposing function of mitochondrial prohibitin in aging. Aging, 2: 1004-1011.
Markaki M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2010) Modelling human diseases in Caenorhabditis elegans. Biotechnology Journal, 5: 1261-1276.
Gessmann R., Kourtis N., Petratos K. and Tavernarakis N.* (2010) Molecular modelling of mechanosensory ion channel structural and functional features. PLoS One, 5: e12814.
Birk U. J., Rieckher M., Konstantinides N., Darrell A., Sarasa-Renedo A., Meyer H., Tavernarakis N. and Ripoll J. (2010) Correction for specimen movement and rotation errors for in vivo optical projection tomography. Biomedical Optics Express, 1: 87-96.
Madeo F., Tavernarakis N. and Kroemer G. (2010) Can autophagy promote longevity? Nature Cell Biology, 12: 842-846.
Tserevelakis G. J., Filippidis G., Krmpot A. J., Vlachos M., Fotakis C. and Tavernarakis N. (2010) Imaging Caenorhabditis elegans embryogenesis by Third-Harmonic Generation microscopy. Micron, 41: 444-447.
Vlachos M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2010) Non-apoptotic cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans. Developmental Dynamics, 239: 1337-1351.
Eisenberg T., Carmona-Gutierrez D., Büttner S., Tavernarakis N. and Madeo F. (2010) Necrosis in yeast. Apoptosis, 15: 257-268.
Morselli E., Maiuri M. C., Markaki M., Megalou E., Pasparaki A., Palikaras K., Galluzzi L., Criollo A., Malik S. A., Madeo F., Tavernarakis N.* and Kroemer G. (2010) Caloric restriction and resveratrol prolong longevity via the sirtuin-1 mediated induction of autophagy. Cell Death and Disease, 1: e10; doi:10.1038/cddis.2009.8.
Morselli E., Maiuri M. C., Markaki M., Megalou E., Pasparaki A., Palikaras K., Criollo A., Galluzzi L., Malik S. A., Vitale I., Michaud M., Madeo F., Tavernarakis N.* and Kroemer G. (2010) The life span-prolonging effect of sirtuin-1 is mediated by autophagy. Autophagy, 6: 186-188.
Liolios K., Chen A., Mavromatis K., Tavernarakis N., Hugenholtz P., Markowitz V. and Kyrpides N. C. (2010) The Genomes On Line Database (GOLD) in 2009: status of genomic and metagenomic projects and their associated metadata. Nucleic Acids Research, 38: D346-D354.
Morselli E., Galluzzi L., Kepp O., Criollo A., Maiuri M. C., Tavernarakis N.*, Madeo F., and Kroemer G. (2009) Autophagy mediates pharmacological lifespan extension. Aging, 1: 961-970.
Andreou A. M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) SUMOylation and cell signalling. Biotechnology Journal, 4: 1740-1752.
Artal-Sanz M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Prohibitin couples diapause signalling to mitochondrial energy metabolism during ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature, 461: 793-797.
Eisenberg T., Knauer H., Schauer A., Fussi H., Büttner S., Ruckenstuhl C., Carmona-Gutierrez D., Ring J., Schröder S., Antonacci L., Fahrenkrog B., Deszcz L., Hartl R., Magnes C., Sinner F., Schraml E., Criollo A., Megalou E., Weiskopf D., Laun P., Heeren G., Breitenbach M., Grubeck-Loebenstein B., Herker E., Fröhlich K.-U., Tavernarakis N., Minois N., Kroemer G. and Madeo F. (2009) Induction of autophagy by spermidine promotes longevity. Nature Cell Biology, 11: 1305-1314.
Artal-Sanz M. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Prohibitin and mitochondrial biology. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 20:394-401.
Filippidis G., Gualda E. J., Mari M., Troulinaki K., Fotakis C. and Tavernarakis N. (2009) In vivo imaging of cell morphology and cellular processes in Caenorhabditis elegans, using non-linear phenomena. Micron, 40: 876-880.
Filippidis G., Troulinaki K., Fotakis C. and Tavernarakis N. (2009) In vivo polarization-dependant Second and Third harmonic generation imaging of Caenorhabditis elegans pharyngeal muscles. Laser Physics, 19: 1475-1479.
Rieckher M., Kourtis N., Pasparaki A. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Transgenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods in Molecular Biology, 561: 21-39.
Bazopoulou D. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) The NemaGENETAG initiative: Large scale transposon insertion gene-tagging in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genetica, 137: 39-46.
Kourtis N. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Cell-specific monitoring of protein synthesis in vivo. PLOS One, 4: e4547.
Megalou E. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Autophagy in Caenorhabditis elegans. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta-Molecular Cell Research, 1793: 1444-1451.
Kourtis N. and Tavernarakis N.* (2009) Autophagy and cell death in model organisms. Cell Death and Differentiation, 16: 21-30.
Tavernarakis N.* (2008) Editorial: Brain Matters. Biotechnology Journal, 3: 1459.
Voglis G. and Tavernarakis N.* (2008) A synaptic DEG/ENaC ion channel mediates learning in C. elegans by facilitating dopamine signalling. EMBO Journal, 27: 3288-3299.
Gualda E. J., Filippidis G., Mari M., Voglis G., Vlachos M., Fotakis C. and Tavernarakis N. (2008) In vivo imaging of neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans by third harmonic generation microscopy. Journal of Microscopy, 232: 270-275.
Tavernarakis N.*, Pasparaki A., Tasdemir E., Maiuri M. C. and Kroemer G. (2008) The effects of p53 on whole organism longevity are mediated by autophagy. Autophagy, 4: 810-814.
Tasdemir E., Maiuri M. C., Morselli E., Criollo A., D’Amelio M., Djavaheri-Mergny M., Cecconi F., Tavernarakis N. and Kroemer G. (2008) A dual role of p53 in the control of autophagy. Autophagy, 4: 810-814.
Tasdemir E., Maiuri M. C., Galluzzi L., Vitale I., Djavaheri-Mergny M., D’Amelio M., Criollo A., Morselli E., Zhu C., Harper F., Nannmanrk U., Samara C., Pinton P., Vicencio J.-M., Carnuccio R., Moll U. M., Madeo F., Paterlini-Brechot P., Rizzuto R., Szabadkai G., Pierron G., Blomgren K., Tavernarakis N., Codogno P. Cecconi F. and Kroemer G. (2008) Regulation of autophagy by cytoplasmic p53. Nature Cell Biology, 10: 676-687.
Syntichaki P. Troulinaki K., Tavernarakis N. (2007):eIF4E function in somatic cells modulates ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans..Nature: 445: 922-926
Artal-Sanz M., Samara C., Syntichaki P., Tavernarakis N. (2006):Lysosomal biogenesis and function is critical for necrotic cell death in C. elegans..Journal of Cell Biology: 173: 231–239
Voglis G., Tavernarakis N. (2006):The role of synaptic ion channels in synaptic plasticity..EMBO Reports: 7: 1104–1110
Syntichaki P., Samara C., Tavernarakis N. (2005):The Vacuolar H+-ATPase mediates intracellular acidification required for neurodegeneration in C. elegans..Current Biology: 15: 1249-1254
Syntichaki P., Tavernarakis N. (2004):Genetic models of mechanotransduction: The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans..Physiological Reviews: 84: 1097-1153
Syntichaki P., Tavernarakis N. (2003):The biochemistry of neuronal necrosis: Rogue biology?..Nature Reviews Neuroscience: 4: 672-684
Syntichaki P., Xu K., Driscoll M., Tavernarakis N. (2002):Specific aspartyl and calpain proteases are required for neurodegeneration in C. elegans..Nature: 419: 939-944
Technical Expertise