Alessandro Vannini

Alessandro Vannini

Alessandro Vannini è un biochimico. Dirige il Centro di Biologia Strutturale dopo quasi otto anni passati nel Regno Unito in qualità di Principal Investigator e Deputy Head of Division all’Institute of Cancer Research di Londra.

Il suo laboratorio si occupa di studiare in dettaglio i meccanismi molecolari di complessi proteici che vengono assemblati intorno a siti di legame per la RNA Polymerase III e che giocano un ruolo fondamentale nella regolazione dell’espressione genica e nella organizzazione strutturale del genoma eucariotico. Questi meccanismi sono spesso deregolati in patalogie umane, quali il cancro e malattie neurodegenerative congenite.

Email: alessandro.vannini[at]fht.org

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Pubblicazioni

  • 11/2019 - Molecular Cell

    TFIIIC Binding to Alu Elements Controls Gene Expression via Chromatin Looping and Histone Acetylation

    How repetitive elements, epigenetic modifications, and architectural proteins interact ensuring proper genome expression remains poorly understood. Here, we report regulatory mechanisms unveiling a central role of Alu elements (AEs) and RNA polymerase III transcription factor C (TFIIIC) in structurally and functionally modulating the genome via chromatin looping and histone acetylation. Upon serum deprivation, a subset […]

  • 04/2018 - Biochim Biophys Acta Gene Regul Mech

    Structural rearrangements of the RNA polymerase III machinery during tRNA transcription initiation

    RNA polymerase III catalyses the synthesis of tRNAs in eukaryotic organisms. Through combined biochemical and structural characterisation, multiple auxiliary factors have been identified alongside RNA Polymerase III as critical in both facilitating and regulating transcription. Together, this machinery forms dynamic multi-protein complexes at tRNA genes which are required for polymerase recruitment, DNA opening and initiation […]

  • 01/2018 - Nature

    Structural basis of RNA polymerase III transcription initiation

    RNA polymerase (Pol) III transcribes essential non-coding RNAs, including the entire pool of transfer RNAs, the 5S ribosomal RNA and the U6 spliceosomal RNA, and is often deregulated in cancer cells. The initiation of gene transcription by Pol III requires the activity of the transcription factor TFIIIB to form a transcriptionally active Pol III preinitiation […]

  • 08/2017 - Transcription

    New tricks for an old dog: Brf2-dependent RNA Polymerase III transcription in oxidative stress and cancer

    Here, we discuss the role of Brf2, an RNA Polymerase III core transcription factor, as a master switch of the oxidative stress response. We highlight the interplay of Brf2 with the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway, as well as the role of Brf2 in cancer and other possible regulations.

  • 08/2017 - EMBO J

    RNA polymerase I, bending the rules?

    Transcription initiation is one of the key regulatory steps in expressing the genetic information encoded in the DNA. Mechanisms of RNA Pol II transcription have been extensively studied, whereas the structural basis of RNA Pol I and III transcription is still poorly defined. Three recent studies discussed here give a first glimpse into the molecular mechanisms underlying the process of RNA Pol I transcriptional initiation and […]