Professor Laura Spagnolo

  • Professor of Biophysical Chemistry (Molecular Biosciences)

Biography

Laura obtained her MSc in Pharmacy at the University of Trieste, Italy. She performed her doctoral studies at the University of Padova, Italy, and EMBL Heidelberg, Germany, under the supervision of Angelo Fontana and Luis Serrano. After a short postdoc at ELETTRA, the Italian synchrotron, she undertook postdoctoral work at the Institute of Cancer Research, with Laurence Pearl, contributing fundamental information on the structural organisation and macromolecular plasticity of DNA-PK synapses within Non-Homologous End-Joining complexes.

Laura established her own research group at the University of Edinburgh, supported by an appointment at the Centre for Science at Extreme Conditions. At Edinburgh, the Spagnolo group continued work on DNA damage and repair, with a focus on extremophiles, as well as starting new projects on gene editing machines, such as Type III CRISPR complexes. In Glasgow, Laura is a co-founding member of the Scottish Centre for Macromolecular Imaging. Her interest in gene editing has further expanded to include work on DNA integrases and complexes involved in RNA metabolism, using a multi-modal approach spanning from quasi-atomic to cellular resolution. In 2023, Laura joined the Research Complex at Harwell as Group Leader.  

Research interests

The overarching theme of the research conducted in the laboratory is centered on mechanisms of genome editing and engineering. We study macromolecular complexes involved in DNA editing and RNA metabolism using an integrated structural biology approach.

Research groups

Publications

List by: Type | Date

Jump to: 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2017 | 2015 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002
Number of items: 20.

2023

Cannone, G., Kompaniiets, D., Graham, S., White, M. F. and Spagnolo, L. (2023) Structure of the Saccharolobus solfataricus type III-D CRISPR effector. Current Research in Structural Biology, 5, 100098. (doi: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2023.100098) (PMID:36843655) (PMCID:PMC9945777)

2022

Hogrel, G., Guild, A., Graham, S., Rickman, H., Grüschow, S., Bertrand, Q., Spagnolo, L. and White, M. F. (2022) Cyclic nucleotide-induced helical structure activates a TIR immune effector. Nature, 608(7924), pp. 808-812. (doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05070-9) (PMID:35948638)

2021

van Beek, L., McClay, É., Patel, S., Schimpl, M., Spagnolo, L. and Maia de Oliveira, T. (2021) PARP power: a structural perspective on PARP1, PARP2, and PARP3 in DNA damage repair and nucleosome remodelling. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(10), 5112. (doi: 10.3390/ijms22105112) (PMID:34066057) (PMCID:PMC8150716)

2020

Rennie, M. L. , Lemonidis, K. , Arkinson, C., Chaugule, V. K. , Clarke, M. , Streetley, J. , Spagnolo, L. and Walden, H. (2020) Differential functions of FANCI and FANCD2 ubiquitination stabilize ID2 complex on DNA. EMBO Reports, 21(7), e50133. (doi: 10.15252/embr.202050133) (PMID:32510829) (PMCID:PMC7332966)

Visentin, S., Cannone, G., Doutch, J., Harris, G., Gleghorn, M. L., Clifton, L., Smith, B. O. and Spagnolo, L. (2020) A multi-pronged approach to understanding the form and function of hStaufen protein. RNA, 26(3), pp. 265-277. (doi: 10.1261/rna.072595.119)

2017

Cannone, G., Visentin, S., Palud, A., Henneke, G. and Spagnolo, L. (2017) Structure of an octameric form of the minichromosome maintenance protein from the archaeon Pyrococcus abyssi. Scientific Reports, 7, 42019. (doi: 10.1038/srep42019) (PMID:28176822) (PMCID:PMC5296750)

2015

Cannone, G., Xu, Y., Beattie, T. R., Bell, S. D. and Spagnolo, L. (2015) The architecture of an Okazaki fragment-processing holoenzyme from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. Biochemical Journal, 465(2), pp. 239-245. (doi: 10.1042/BJ20141120) (PMID:25299633)

2013

Cannone, G., Webber-Birungi, M. and Spagnolo, L. (2013) Electron microscopy studies of Type III CRISPR machines in Sulfolobus solfataricus. Biochemical Society Transactions, 41(6), pp. 1427-1430. (doi: 10.1042/BST20130166) (PMID:24256232)

Rouillon, C., Zhou, M., Zhang, J., Politis, A., Beilsten-Edmands, V., Cannone, G., Graham, S., Robinson, C. V., Spagnolo, L. and White, M. F. (2013) Structure of the CRISPR interference complex CSM reveals key similarities with cascade. Molecular Cell, 52(1), pp. 124-134. (doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2013.08.020) (PMID:24119402) (PMCID:PMC3807668)

Froese, D. S. et al. (2013) Crystal structures of malonyl-coenzyme A decarboxylase provide insights into its catalytic mechanism and disease-causing mutations. Structure, 21(7), pp. 1182-1192. (doi: 10.1016/j.str.2013.05.001) (PMID:23791943) (PMCID:PMC3701320)

Le Bihan, T., Rayner, J., Roy, M. M. and Spagnolo, L. (2013) Photobacterium profundum under pressure: A MS-based label-free quantitative proteomics study. PLoS ONE, 8(5), e60897. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060897) (PMID:23741291) (PMCID:PMC3669370)

2012

Zhang, J. et al. (2012) Structure and mechanism of the CMR complex for CRISPR-mediated antiviral immunity. Molecular Cell, 45(3), pp. 303-313. (doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2011.12.013) (PMID:22227115) (PMCID:PMC3381847)

Spagnolo, L. , Barbeau, J., Curtin, N. J., Morris, E. P. and Pearl, L. H. (2012) Visualization of a DNA-PK/PARP1 complex. Nucleic Acids Research, 40(9), pp. 4168-4177. (doi: 10.1093/nar/gkr1231) (PMID:22223246) (PMCID:PMC3351162)

2011

Morris, E. P., Rivera-Calzada, A., da Fonseca, P. C. A., Llorca, O., Pearl, L. H. and Spagnolo, L. (2011) Evidence for a remodelling of DNA-PK upon autophosphorylation from electron microscopy studies. Nucleic Acids Research, 39(13), pp. 5757-5767. (doi: 10.1093/nar/gkr146) (PMID:21450809) (PMCID:PMC3141256)

2006

Rivera-Calzada, A., Spagnolo, L. , Pearl, L. H. and Llorca, O. (2006) Structural model of full-length human Ku70-Ku80 heterodimer and its recognition of DNA and DNA-PKcs. EMBO Reports, 8, pp. 56-62. (doi: 10.1038/sj.embor.7400847) (PMID:17159921) (PMCID:PMC1796749)

Spagnolo, L. , Rivera-Calzada, A., Pearl, L. H. and Llorca, O. (2006) Three-dimensional structure of the human DNA-PKcs/Ku70/Ku80 complex assembled on DNA and its implications for DNA DSB repair. Molecular Cell, 22(4), pp. 511-519. (doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2006.04.013) (PMID:16713581)

2005

Rivera-Calzada, A., Maman, J. P., Spagnolo, L. , Pearl, L. H. and Llorca, O. (2005) Three-dimensional structure and regulation of the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs). Structure, 13(2), pp. 243-255. (doi: 10.1016/j.str.2004.12.006) (PMID:15698568)

2004

Spagnolo, L. , Törö, I., D'Orazio, M., O'Neill, P., Pedersen, J. Z., Carugo, O., Rotilio, G., Battistoni, A. and Djinović-Carugo, K. (2004) Unique features of the sodC-encoded superoxide dismutase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a fully functional copper-containing enzyme lacking zinc in the active site. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 279(32), pp. 33447-33455. (doi: 10.1074/jbc.M404699200) (PMID:15155722)

2003

Spagnolo, L. , Ventura, S. and Serrano, L. (2003) Folding specificity induced by loop stiffness. Protein Science, 12(7), pp. 1473-1482. (doi: 10.1110/ps.0302603) (PMID:12824493) (PMCID:PMC2323927)

2002

Ventura, S., Vega, M. C., Lacroix, E., Angrand, I., Spagnolo, L. and Serrano, L. (2002) Conformational strain in the hydrophobic core and its implications for protein folding and design. Nature Structural Biology, 9(6), pp. 485-493. (doi: 10.1038/nsb799) (PMID:12006985)

This list was generated on Thu Dec 26 09:48:56 2024 GMT.
Jump to: Articles
Number of items: 20.

Articles

Cannone, G., Kompaniiets, D., Graham, S., White, M. F. and Spagnolo, L. (2023) Structure of the Saccharolobus solfataricus type III-D CRISPR effector. Current Research in Structural Biology, 5, 100098. (doi: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2023.100098) (PMID:36843655) (PMCID:PMC9945777)

Hogrel, G., Guild, A., Graham, S., Rickman, H., Grüschow, S., Bertrand, Q., Spagnolo, L. and White, M. F. (2022) Cyclic nucleotide-induced helical structure activates a TIR immune effector. Nature, 608(7924), pp. 808-812. (doi: 10.1038/s41586-022-05070-9) (PMID:35948638)

van Beek, L., McClay, É., Patel, S., Schimpl, M., Spagnolo, L. and Maia de Oliveira, T. (2021) PARP power: a structural perspective on PARP1, PARP2, and PARP3 in DNA damage repair and nucleosome remodelling. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(10), 5112. (doi: 10.3390/ijms22105112) (PMID:34066057) (PMCID:PMC8150716)

Rennie, M. L. , Lemonidis, K. , Arkinson, C., Chaugule, V. K. , Clarke, M. , Streetley, J. , Spagnolo, L. and Walden, H. (2020) Differential functions of FANCI and FANCD2 ubiquitination stabilize ID2 complex on DNA. EMBO Reports, 21(7), e50133. (doi: 10.15252/embr.202050133) (PMID:32510829) (PMCID:PMC7332966)

Visentin, S., Cannone, G., Doutch, J., Harris, G., Gleghorn, M. L., Clifton, L., Smith, B. O. and Spagnolo, L. (2020) A multi-pronged approach to understanding the form and function of hStaufen protein. RNA, 26(3), pp. 265-277. (doi: 10.1261/rna.072595.119)

Cannone, G., Visentin, S., Palud, A., Henneke, G. and Spagnolo, L. (2017) Structure of an octameric form of the minichromosome maintenance protein from the archaeon Pyrococcus abyssi. Scientific Reports, 7, 42019. (doi: 10.1038/srep42019) (PMID:28176822) (PMCID:PMC5296750)

Cannone, G., Xu, Y., Beattie, T. R., Bell, S. D. and Spagnolo, L. (2015) The architecture of an Okazaki fragment-processing holoenzyme from the archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus. Biochemical Journal, 465(2), pp. 239-245. (doi: 10.1042/BJ20141120) (PMID:25299633)

Cannone, G., Webber-Birungi, M. and Spagnolo, L. (2013) Electron microscopy studies of Type III CRISPR machines in Sulfolobus solfataricus. Biochemical Society Transactions, 41(6), pp. 1427-1430. (doi: 10.1042/BST20130166) (PMID:24256232)

Rouillon, C., Zhou, M., Zhang, J., Politis, A., Beilsten-Edmands, V., Cannone, G., Graham, S., Robinson, C. V., Spagnolo, L. and White, M. F. (2013) Structure of the CRISPR interference complex CSM reveals key similarities with cascade. Molecular Cell, 52(1), pp. 124-134. (doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2013.08.020) (PMID:24119402) (PMCID:PMC3807668)

Froese, D. S. et al. (2013) Crystal structures of malonyl-coenzyme A decarboxylase provide insights into its catalytic mechanism and disease-causing mutations. Structure, 21(7), pp. 1182-1192. (doi: 10.1016/j.str.2013.05.001) (PMID:23791943) (PMCID:PMC3701320)

Le Bihan, T., Rayner, J., Roy, M. M. and Spagnolo, L. (2013) Photobacterium profundum under pressure: A MS-based label-free quantitative proteomics study. PLoS ONE, 8(5), e60897. (doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0060897) (PMID:23741291) (PMCID:PMC3669370)

Zhang, J. et al. (2012) Structure and mechanism of the CMR complex for CRISPR-mediated antiviral immunity. Molecular Cell, 45(3), pp. 303-313. (doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2011.12.013) (PMID:22227115) (PMCID:PMC3381847)

Spagnolo, L. , Barbeau, J., Curtin, N. J., Morris, E. P. and Pearl, L. H. (2012) Visualization of a DNA-PK/PARP1 complex. Nucleic Acids Research, 40(9), pp. 4168-4177. (doi: 10.1093/nar/gkr1231) (PMID:22223246) (PMCID:PMC3351162)

Morris, E. P., Rivera-Calzada, A., da Fonseca, P. C. A., Llorca, O., Pearl, L. H. and Spagnolo, L. (2011) Evidence for a remodelling of DNA-PK upon autophosphorylation from electron microscopy studies. Nucleic Acids Research, 39(13), pp. 5757-5767. (doi: 10.1093/nar/gkr146) (PMID:21450809) (PMCID:PMC3141256)

Rivera-Calzada, A., Spagnolo, L. , Pearl, L. H. and Llorca, O. (2006) Structural model of full-length human Ku70-Ku80 heterodimer and its recognition of DNA and DNA-PKcs. EMBO Reports, 8, pp. 56-62. (doi: 10.1038/sj.embor.7400847) (PMID:17159921) (PMCID:PMC1796749)

Spagnolo, L. , Rivera-Calzada, A., Pearl, L. H. and Llorca, O. (2006) Three-dimensional structure of the human DNA-PKcs/Ku70/Ku80 complex assembled on DNA and its implications for DNA DSB repair. Molecular Cell, 22(4), pp. 511-519. (doi: 10.1016/j.molcel.2006.04.013) (PMID:16713581)

Rivera-Calzada, A., Maman, J. P., Spagnolo, L. , Pearl, L. H. and Llorca, O. (2005) Three-dimensional structure and regulation of the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs). Structure, 13(2), pp. 243-255. (doi: 10.1016/j.str.2004.12.006) (PMID:15698568)

Spagnolo, L. , Törö, I., D'Orazio, M., O'Neill, P., Pedersen, J. Z., Carugo, O., Rotilio, G., Battistoni, A. and Djinović-Carugo, K. (2004) Unique features of the sodC-encoded superoxide dismutase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a fully functional copper-containing enzyme lacking zinc in the active site. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 279(32), pp. 33447-33455. (doi: 10.1074/jbc.M404699200) (PMID:15155722)

Spagnolo, L. , Ventura, S. and Serrano, L. (2003) Folding specificity induced by loop stiffness. Protein Science, 12(7), pp. 1473-1482. (doi: 10.1110/ps.0302603) (PMID:12824493) (PMCID:PMC2323927)

Ventura, S., Vega, M. C., Lacroix, E., Angrand, I., Spagnolo, L. and Serrano, L. (2002) Conformational strain in the hydrophobic core and its implications for protein folding and design. Nature Structural Biology, 9(6), pp. 485-493. (doi: 10.1038/nsb799) (PMID:12006985)

This list was generated on Thu Dec 26 09:48:56 2024 GMT.

Grants

Grants and Awards listed are those received whilst working with the University of Glasgow.

  • Light and electron microscopy of Staufen assemblies
    Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
    2024 - 2027
     
  • Modernising the Electron Microscopy capabilities at the University of Glasgow
    Medical Research Council
    2022 - 2023
     
  • The directionality mechanism of DNA site-specific recombination by serine integrases
    Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
    2022 - 2025
     
  • CryoEM - SULSA
    Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance
    2018 - 2022
     
  • SMIC-SULSA
    Scottish Funding Council
    2018 - 2021
     
  • The Scottish Macromolecular Imaging Centre (SMIC)
    Medical Research Council
    2017 - 2022
     
  • Elucidating the molecular architecture of the Archaeal CMR complex, a key player in the unicellular immune response
    Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
    2016 - 2017
     
  • Determining the macromolecular structure and cellular function of an alternative MCM complex. University of St Andrews Reference: YMR025
    Medical Research Council
    2016 - 2017