22.04.2026., 11.00 am., room 1.03
As part of the “Excellence Initiative – Research University” program, we invite you to a seminar by Professor Francesco Malatesta from the Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Biochemical Sciences, Rome, Italy:
“Probing electron transfer and proton translocation in cytochrome c oxidase by stopped-flow spectroscopy”
Abstract: Cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) is a key enzyme in the mitochondrial respiratory chain, catalyzing the reduction of molecular oxygen to water in the final step of cellular respiration. Structurally, it is a large, oligomeric membrane protein complex composed of 13 distinct polypeptides in mammals and containing essential metal cofactors, including copper and iron centers within its heme groups. Functionally, CcO transfers electrons from cytochrome c to dioxygen while simultaneously driving proton translocation across the inner mitochondrial membrane from the matrix space to the intermembrane aqueous medium. This process contributes to the electrochemical gradient that powers ATP synthesis. In this seminar, I will discuss a series of experiments conducted in the Roman laboratory using stopped-flow spectroscopy, which have provided detailed insights into the kinetics of electron transfer and proton pumping in CcO.
Bio:
Professor Francesco Malatesta is a distinguished scientist with numerous notable achievements.
Scientific achievements:
1. Extensive research on cytochrome c oxidase and other respiratory chain proteins (over 100 publications in prestigious international journals)
2. Development of a novel equation for analyzing second-order reactions, useful for studying electron transfer and protein folding
3. Characterization of terminal oxidases from various bacterial species
4. Structural and functional studies on trypanothione reductase, pyridoxine 5′-phosphate oxidase, and other enzymes with potential pharmaceutical applications
5. Cloning of the phosphodiesterase V gene from bovine lung, relevant to sildenafil research
Teaching achievements:
1. Full Professor of Biological Chemistry at prestigious Italian universities since 1994
2. Coordinator of the Chemistry and Biochemical Propaedeutics course at Sapienza University of Rome since 2009
3. Coordinator of the Biochemistry course in the English Medicine and Surgery Master’s Degree Course at Sapienza University of Rome since 2012
4. Coordinator of the PhD Course in Biochemistry at Sapienza University of Rome (2011 2016)
5. Education Ambassador within the FEBS Education and Training Committee since 2018 and member of the FEBS Education and Training Committee since 2023
Other achievements:
1. Co-author of textbooks on medical chemistry and biochemistry and research papers (e.g., PNAS, JBC, FEBS J, BBA)
2. Organizer of international conferences and courses on protein structure and function.
3. Editor and reviewer for several international biochemistry journals
4. Recipient of numerous research grants 5. Member of prestigious scientific societies (e.g., the Italian Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)
