The main focus of our research is the study of neuronal function and dysfunction, using the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism. Among the specific interests of our lab are the molecular mechanisms of necrotic cell death in neurodegeneration and senescent decline, the molecular mechanisms of sensory transduction and integration by the nervous system, the interplay between cellular metabolism and ageing, and the development of novel genetic tools for C. elegans research.
Palikaras K, Lionaki E, Tavernarakis N. (2015) Coordination of mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis during ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature 521:525-528.
Kourtis N, Nikoletopoulou V, Tavernarakis N. (2012) Small heat shock proteins protect from heat stroke-associated neurodegeneration. Nature 490:213-218.
Artal-Sanz M, Tavernarakis N. (2009) Prohibitin couples diapause signaling to mitochondrial energy metabolism during ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature 461:793-797.
Syntichaki P, Troulinaki K, Tavernarakis N. (2007) eIF4E function in somatic cells modulates ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature 445:922-926.
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.
Books
Protein Metabolism and Homeostasis in Aging (2010) Edited by Nektarios Tavernarakis. Springer-Verlag New York Inc., Series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, New York, NY, USA. |
Journal articles
- Palikaras K. and Tavernarakis N. (2017) Assessing mitochondrial selective autophagy in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods in Molecular Biology, 1567: 349-361.
- Papandreou M.-E. and Tavernarakis N. (2017) Monitoring autophagic responses in Caenorhabditis elegans. Methods in Enzymology, 588: 429-444.
- Palikaras K. and Tavernarakis N. (2017) In vivo mitophagy monitoring in Caenorhabditis elegans to determine mitochondrial homeostasis. Bio-protocol, 7: e2215.
- Kourtis N. and Tavernarakis N. (2017) Protein synthesis rate assessment by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). Bio-protocol, 7: e2156.
- Charmpilas N., Kyriakakis E. and Tavernarakis N. (2017) Small heat shock proteins in ageing and age-related diseases. Cell Stress and Chaperones, DOI: 10.1007/s12192-016-0761-x.
- Princz A. and Tavernarakis N. (2017) The role of SUMOylation in ageing and senescent decline. Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, 162: 85-90.
- Rieckher M. and Tavernarakis N. (2017) P-Body and Stress Granule Quantification in Caenorhabditis elegans. Bio-protocol, 7: e2108.
- Papandreou M.-E. and Tavernarakis N. (2017) Autophagy and the endo/exosomal pathways in health and disease. Biotechnology Journal, 12: 1600175 (1-9).
- Palikaras K., Mari M., Petanidou B., Pasparaki A, Filippidis G. and Tavernarakis N. (2017) Ectopic fat deposition contributes to age-associated pathology in Caenorhabditis elegans. Journal of Lipid Research, 58: 72-80.
- Palikaras K. and Tavernarakis N. (2016) Intracellular Assessment of ATP Levels in Caenorhabditis elegans. Bio-protocol, 6: e2048.
- Palikaras K. and Tavernarakis N. (2016) Measuring oxygen consumption rate in Caenorhabditis elegans. Bio-protocol, 6: e2049.
- Roussou I.G., Savakis C., Tavernarakis N. and Metaxakis A. (2016) Stage dependent nutritional regulation of transgenerational longevity. Nutrition and Healthy Aging, 4: 47-54.
- Lionaki E., Gkikas I. and Tavernarakis N. (2016) Differential protein distribution between the nucleus and mitochondria: implications in aging. Frontiers in Genetics, 7: 162.
- Pediaditakis I., Efstathopoulos P., Prousis C. K., Zervou M., Arevalo J.-C., Alexaki I. V., Nikoletopoulou V., Karagianni E., Potamitis C., Tavernarakis N., Chavakis T., Margioris N. A., Venihaki M., Calogeropoulou T., Charalampopoulos I. and Gravanis A. (2016) Selective and differential interactions of BNN27, a novel C17-spiroepoxy steroid derivative, with TrkA receptors, regulating neuronal survival and differentiation. Neuropharmacology, 111: 266-282.
- Ploumi C., Daskalaki I. and Tavernarakis N. (2017) Mitochondrial biogenesis and clearance: a balancing act. FEBS Journal, 284: 183-195.
- Papaevgeniou N., Sakellari M., Jha S., Tavernarakis N., Holmberg C., Gonos E. S. and Chondrogianni N. (2016) 18a-glycyrrhetinic acid proteasome activator decelerates aging and Alzheimer's disease progression in C. elegans and neuronal cultures. Antioxidants and Redox Signaling, 25: 855-869.
- Klionsky D., … Tavernarakis N., et al. (2016) Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy. Autophagy, 12: 1-222.
- Palikaras K., Lionaki E. and Tavernarakis N. (2015) Mitophagy: in sickness and in health. Molecular and Cellular Oncology, 3: e1056332.
- Palikaras K., Lionaki E. and Tavernarakis N. (2015) Interfacing mitochondrial biogenesis and elimination to enhance host pathogen defense and longevity. Worm, 4: e1071763.
- Palikaras K., Lionaki E. and Tavernarakis N. (2015) Coupling mitogenesis and mitophagy for longevity. Autophagy, 11:1428-1430.
- Schiavi A., Maglioni S., Palikaras K., Shaik A., Strapazzon F., Brinkmann V., Torgovnick A., Castelein N., De Henau S., Braeckman B. P., Cecconi F., Tavernarakis N. and Ventura N. (2015) Iron starvation-induced mitophagy mediates lifespan extension upon mitochondrial stress in C. elegans. Current Biology, 25: 1810-1822.
(Supplementary files: 1 | 2)
- Taferner A., Pircher H., Koziel R., von Grafenstein S., Baraldo G., Palikaras K., Liedl K. R., Tavernarakis N. and Jansen-Duerr P. (2015) FAH domain containing protein 1 (FAHD-1) is required for mitochondrial function and locomotion activity in C. elegans. PLoS One, 10: e0134161.
- Palikaras K., Lionaki E. and Tavernarakis N. (2015) Balancing mitochondrial biogenesis and mitophagy to maintain energy metabolism homeostasis. Cell Death and Differentiation, 22: 1399-1401.
- Palikaras K., Lionaki E. and Tavernarakis N. (2015) Coordination of mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis during ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature, DOI: 10.1038/nature14300.
(Supplementary material)
- Nikoletopoulou V., Kyriakakis E. and Tavernarakis N. (2014) Cellular and molecular longevity pathways: The old and the new. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 25: 212-223.
- Buttner S., Habernig L., Broeskamp F., Ruli D, Vogtle F. N., Vlachos M., Macchi F., Kuttner V., Carmona-Gutierrez D., Eisenberg T., Ring J., Markaki M., Taskin A. A., Benke S., Ruckenstuhl C., Braun R., Van den Haute C., Bammens T., van der Perren A., Frohlich K.-U., Winderickx J., Kroemer G., Baekelandt V., Tavernarakis N., Kovacs G. G., Dengjel J., Mesinger C., Sigrist S. J. and Madeo F. (2013) Endonuclease G mediates a-synuclein cytotoxicity during Parkinson's disease. EMBO Journal, 32: 3041-3054.
- Coburn C., Allman E., Mahanti P., Benedetto A., Cabreiro F., Pincus Z., Matthijssens F., Araiz C., Mandel A., Vlachos M., Edwards S.-A., Fischer G., Davidson A., Pryor R., Stevens A., Slack F., Tavernarakis N., Braeckman B. P., Schroeder F., Nehrke K. and Gems D. (2013) Anthranilate fluorescence marks a calcium-propagated necrotic wave that promotes organismal death in C. elegans. PLoS Biology, 11: e1001613.
- Buttner S., Faes L., Reichelt W., Broeskamp F., Habernig L., Benke S., Kourtis N., Ruli D., Carmona-Gutierrez D., Eisenberg T., D'hooge P., Ghillebert R., Franssens V., Harger A., Pieber T. R., Freudenberger P., Kroemer G., Sigrist S. J., Winderickx J., Callewaert G., Tavernarakis N. and Madeo M. (2013) The Ca(2+)/Mn(2+) ion-pump PMR1 links elevation of cytosolic Ca(2+) levels to α-synuclein toxicity in Parkinson's disease models. Cell Death and Differentiation, 20: 465-477.
- Kourtis N., Nikoletopoulou V. and Tavernarakis N. (2012) Small heat shock proteins protect from heat stroke-associated neurodegeneration. Nature, 490: 213-218.
(Supplementary material)
See also: Commentary in Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology | F1000 Biology evaluations 1, 2 & 3
- Troulinaki K. and Tavernarakis N. (2012) Endocytosis and intracellular trafficking contribute to necrotic neurodegeneration in C. elegans. EMBO Journal, 31: 654-666.
(Supplementary files: 1 | 2)
- 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., Lopez-Otin 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.
(Supplementary files: 1 | 2 | 3)
- Kourtis N. and Tavernarakis N. (2011) Cellular stress response pathways and ageing: intricate molecular relationships. EMBO Journal, 30: 2520-2531.
- Madeo F., Tavernarakis N. and Kroemer G. (2010) Can autophagy promote longevity? Nature Cell Biology, 12: 842-846.
- Artal-Sanz M. and Tavernarakis N. (2009) Prohibitin couples diapause signaling to mitochondrial energy metabolism during ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature, 461: 793-797.
(Supplementary material)
See also: Nature Editor's summary
- Eisenberg T., Knauer H., Schauer A., Fussi H., Buttner S., Ruckenstuhl C., Carmona-Gutierrez D., Ring J., Schroder 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., Frohlich 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.
(Suppmementary information)
See also: Nature Cell Biology News and Views | F1000 Biology evaluation
- Artal-Sanz M. and Tavernarakis N. (2009) Prohibitin and mitochondrial biology. Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism, 20: 394-401.
- Kourtis N. and Tavernarakis N. (2009) Autophagy and cell death in model organisms. Cell Death and Differentiation, 16: 21-30.
- 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.
(Supplementary Material)
- Galluzzi L., Joza N., Tasdemir E., Maiuri M. C., Hengartner M., Abrams J. M., Tavernarakis N., Penninger J., Madeo F. and Kroemer G. (2008) No death without life: vital functions of apoptotic effectors. Cell Death and Differentiation,15: 1113-1123.
- 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.
(Supplementary material)
See also: Nature Cell Biology News and Views | F1000 Biology evaluation
- Tavernarakis N. (2008) Ageing and the regulation of protein synthesis: A balancing act? Trends in Cell Biology, 18: 228-235.
- Samara C., Syntichaki P. and Tavernarakis N. (2008) Autophagy is required for necrotic cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans. Cell Death and Differentiation, 15: 105-112.
(Supplementary material)
- Syntichaki P. Troulinaki K. and Tavernarakis N. (2007) eIF4E function in somatic cells modulates ageing in Caenorhabditis elegans. Nature, 445: 922-926.
(Supplementary material)
See also: Nature Editor's summary | Commentary in the Journal of Cell Biology
- Maiuri M. C., Le Toumelin G., Criollo A., Rain J.-C., Gautier F., Juin P., Tasdemir E., Pierron G., Troulinaki K., Tavernarakis N., Hickman J. A., Geneste O. and Kroemer G. (2007) Functional and physical interaction between Bcl-X(L) and a BH3-like domain in Beclin-1. EMBO Journal, 26: 2527-2539.
(Supplementary Figures: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4)
See also: F1000 Biology evaluation
- Liolios K., Tavernarakis N., Hugenholtz P. and Kyrpides N. C. (2006) The Genomes On Line Database (GOLD) v.2: a monitor of Genome Projects world-wide. Nucleic Acids Research, 34: D332-D334.
- Artal-Sanz M., Samara C., Syntichaki P. and Tavernarakis N. (2006) Lysosomal biogenesis and function is critical for necrotic cell death in Caenorhabditis elegans. The Journal of Cell Biology, 173: 231-239.
See also: Commentary in the Journal of Cell Biology
- Voglis G. and Tavernarakis N. (2006) The role of synaptic ion channels in synaptic plasticity. EMBO Reports, 7: 1104-1110.
- Syntichaki P., Samara C. and Tavernarakis N. (2005) The Vacuolar H+-ATPase mediates intracellular acidification required for neurodegeneration in C. elegans. Current Biology, 15: 1249-1254.
(Supplementary material)
- Syntichaki P. and Tavernarakis N. (2004) Genetic models of mechanotransduction: The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Physiological Reviews, 84: 1097-1153.
- Syntichaki P. and Tavernarakis N. (2003) The biochemistry of neuronal necrosis: Rogue biology? Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 4: 672-684.
- Syntichaki P., Xu K., Driscoll M. and Tavernarakis N. (2002) Specific aspartyl and calpain proteases are required for neurodegeneration in C. elegans. Nature, 419: 939-944.
(Supplementary material)
See also: Science STKE Editors choice | F1000 Biology evaluation
- Syntichaki P. and Tavernarakis N. (2002) Death by necrosis: Uncontrollable catastrophe or is there order behind the chaos? EMBO Reports, 3: 604-609.
(Supplementary material)
- Boutla A, Kalantidis K, Tavernarakis N, Tsagris M and Tabler M. (2002) Induction of RNA interference in Caenorhabditis elegans by RNAs derived from plants exhibiting post-transcriptional gene silencing. Nucleic Acids Research 30: 1688-1694.
- Xu K., Tavernarakis N. and Driscoll M. (2001) Necrotic cell death in C. elegans requires the function of calreticulin and regulators of Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum. Neuron, 31: 957-971.
See also: Science STKE Editors choice
- Tavernarakis N., Everett J., Kyrpides N. and Driscoll M. (2001) Structural and functional features of the intracellular amino-termini of DEG/ENaC ion channels. Current Biology, 11: R205-R208.
(Supplementary material)
- Driscoll M. and Tavernarakis N. (2000) Closing in on a mammalian touch receptor. Nature Neuroscience, 3: 7-9.
- Tavernarakis N., Wang S. L., Dorovkov M., Ryazanof A. and Driscoll M. (2000) Heritable and inducible interference by dsRNA. Nature Genetics, 24: 180-183.
- Winnier A. R., Meir J. Y.-J., Ross J. M., Tavernarakis N., Driscoll M., Ishihara T., Katsoura I. and Miller D. M. III. (1999) Unc-4/UNC-37-dependent repression of motor neuron-specific genes controls synaptic choice in Caenorhabditis elegans. Genes and Development, 13: 2774-2786.
- Tavernarakis, N., Driscoll, M. and Kyrpides, N.C. (1999) The SPFH domain: a universal motif in stomatins and membrane-associated proteins implicated in regulating targeted protein turnover. Trends in Biochemical Sciences, 24: 425-427.
- Harbinder S., Tavernarakis N., Herndon L. A., Kinnell M., Xu S. Q., Fire A. and Driscoll M. (1997) Genetically targeted cell disruption in Caenorhabditis elegans. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 94: 13128-13133.
- Tavernarakis N. and Driscoll M. (1997) Molecular modeling of mechanotransduction in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Annual Reviews of Physiology, 59: 659-689.
- Tavernarakis N., Shreffler W., Wang S. L. and Driscoll M. (1997) unc-8, a member of the DEG/ENaC superfamily, encodes a subunit of a candidate stretch-gated motor neuron channel that modulates locomotion in C. elegans. Neuron, 18: 107-119.
- Kyrpides N., Tavernarakis N., Papamatheakis J. and Thireos G.(1995) A transient GCN4 mRNA destabilization follows GCN4 translational derepression. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 270: 17317-17320.
Equal contribution by Kyrpides N. and Tavernarakis N.
- Tavernarakis N. and Thireos G. (1995) A recombinatorial method useful for cloning dominant alleles in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Nucleic Acids Research, 23: 537-538.