OUR Publications

 

2025

 

Toxoplasma effector TgROP1 establishes membrane contact sites with the endoplasmic reticulum during infection.

Mehra, C., Valverde, J.A., Matias, A.M.N., Torelli, F., Medeiros, T.C., Straub, J., Asaki, J.D., Bradley, P.J., Luck, K., Lawo, S., Treeck, M. & Pernas, L. (2025) Nature Microbiology

 
 

Host cells weaponize mitochondrial metabolism: upon detection of secreted parasite effectors, host cells activate the ISR. The ISR effector ATF4 increases mtDNA levels and induces mitochondrial one-carbon (mito-1C) metabolism, thereby restricting Toxoplasma access to the folate(s) that it requires for dTMP synthesis and growth.

Mitochondria protect against an intracellular pathogen by restricting access to folate.

Medeiros, T.C., Ovciarikova, J., Li, X., Krueger, P., Bartsch, T., Reato, S., Crow, J. C., Sutterlin, M.C., Garcia, B.M., Rais, I., Allmeroth, K., Hartman, M.D., Denzel, M.S., Purrio, M., Mesaros, A., Leung, K.-Y., Greene, N.D.E., Sheiner, L., Giavalisko, P., Pernas, L. (2025) Science

Perspective:
Mitochondria hoard folate to starve a parasite Suomalainen A. & Nikkanen J. (2025) Science
Coverage:
 Scientists discover how cells use a secret weapon to fight off some pathogens
Mitochondria defend cells against pathogens

2024

 

Glutamine is directly sensed by and required for activation of the mevalonate pathway, coupling precursor availability to cellular lipid formation.

Glutamine sensing licenses cholesterol synthesis.

Garcia, B.M., Melchinger, P., Medeiros, T., Hendrix, S., Prabhu, K., Corrado, M., Kingma, J., Gorbatenko, A., Deshwal, S., Veronese, M., Scorrano, L., Pearce, E., Giavalisco, P., Zelcer, N., and Pernas, L. (2024) EMBO J

2022

 

Mitochondria shed SPOTs during Toxoplasma infection.

(Left) Mitochondria surrounding the parasite Toxoplasma (red) shed SPOTs, large structures positive for OMM (yellow) that lack mitochondrial matrix (cyan). (Right) Cartoon depiction of image at left as infection progresses (clock). OMM proteins—including the import translocase SAM50, and MFN1 and MFN2, which are required for mitochondrial fusion—are sequestered on SPOTs.

Mitochondria shed their outer membrane in response to infection-induced stress.

Li, X., Straub, J., Medeiros, T., Mehra, C., den Brave, F., Peker, E., Atanassov, I., Stillger, K., Michaelis, J.B., Burbridge, E., Burbridge, E., Adrain, C., Münch, C., Riemer, J., Becker, T., and Pernas, L. (2022) Science

Selected for preview:
Molting Mitochondria Ulrich, F. (2022) Nat Struct Mol Biol.;
Hijacking of host mitochondria by Toxoplasma gondii and SARS-CoV-2 Zhang, R. et al., (2022) Trends Parasitol.
SPOTting stress at the mitochondrial outer membrane Schuler, M. and Hughes, A.L. (2022) Mol Cell
Hunger games in the host cell: Toxoplasma traps & skins host mitochondria Hakimi, M.A. (2022) Cell Host Microbe

2021

 

Opa1 promotes browning of white adipocytes

The mitochondrial protein OPA1 promotes adipocyte browning that is dependent on urea cycle metabolites.

Bean, C., Audano, M., Varanita, T., Favaretto, F., Medaglia, M., Gerdol, M., Pernas, L., Stasi, F., Giacomello, M., Herkenne, S., Muniandy, M., Cazaly, E., Ollikainen, M., Milan, G., Pallavicini, A., Pietilainen, K., Vettor, M., Scorrano, L. (2021) Nat Metabolism

2020

 

Impaired folliculogenesis in Mfn1-deficient oocytes is associated with abnormal mitochondrial architecture and function.

Mitofusin 1 is required for the oocyte-granulosa cell communication that regulates oogenesis.

Machado TS*, Carvalho DF*, Garcia BM*, Zangirolamo AF, Macabelli CH, Sugiyama FHC, Grejo MP, Neto JDA, Ribeiro FKS, Sarapião FD, Meirelle FV, Guimarães FEG, Pernas L, Seneda MM, Chiaratti MR. (2020) FASEB J.

2018 and earlier

 

Mitochondria restrict growth of the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma by limiting its uptake of fatty acids.

Pernas, L., Bean, C., Boothroyd, J.C., and Scorrano, L. (2018) Cell Metabolism

Selected for preview:
Fighting for Resources: Who Started the Battle? Who Is Winning It? Zuzarte-Luis, V. and Mota M.M. (2018) Cell Metabolism

Editor’s choice (2018) Science, Hurtley, S

 

A Toxoplasma gondii locus required for the direct manipulation of host mitochondria has maintained multiple ancestral functions.

Blank, M.L., Parker, M.L., Ramaswamy, R., Powell, C.J., English, E.D., Adomako-Ankomay, Y., Pernas, L., Workman, S.D., Boothroyd, J.C., Boulanger, M.J., and Boyle, J.P. (2018) Molecular Microbiology

 

Host Mitochondrial Association Evolved in the Human Parasite Toxoplasma gondii via Neofunctionalization of a Gene Duplicate.

Adomako-Ankomah, Y., English, E.D., Danielson, J.J., Pernas, L., and Boyle, J.P. (2016) PLoS Genetics

 

Toxoplasma effector MAF1 mediates recruitment of host mitochondria and impacts the host response.

Pernas, L., Adomako-Ankomah, Y., Shastri, A.J., Ewald, S.E., Treeck M, Boyle, J.P., and Boothroyd, J.C. (2014) PLoS Biology

Selected for synopsis:
MAF1 sequesters mitochondria for Toxoplasma gondii. Sedwick, C (2014) PLoS Biology, F1000 Prime Article

 

Immune-profiling of pregnant Toxoplasma-infected US and Colombia patients reveals surprising impacts of infection on peripheral blood cytokines.

Pernas, L., Ramirez, R., Holmes, T.H., Montoya, J.G., and Boothroyd, J.C. (2014) Journal of Infectious Diseases

 
 

Reviews & Commentary

 

A ketogenic diet halts malaria parasite growth
Ademolue, T.W. and Pernas, L Nat Metab

Mitochondria as sensors of intracellular pathogens
Delgado, JM and Pernas, L (2025) Trends Endocrinol Metab

Division of labour: mitochondria split to meet energy demands
Pernas, L (2024) Nature

Metabolic immunity against microbes
Kreimendahl, S. and Pernas, L. (2023) Trends in Cell Biology

Contact sites between host organelles and pathogens: boon or bane?
Mehra, C. and Pernas, L. (2023) mSphere

Sleeping monsters: chronic infections in COVID-19 pathogenesis
Beros, S. and Pernas, L. (2023) Trends Microbiol.

Contact and competition between mitochondria and microbes
Medeiros, T.C., Mehra, C., and Pernas, L. (2021) Current Opinion in Microbiology (PDF)

Move it to lose it: Mitocytosis expels damaged mitochondria
Mehra, C., and Pernas, L. (2021) Developmental Cell

Cellular metabolism in the defense against microbes
Pernas, L. (2021) Journal of Cell Science

Finding a Direction-How do Mitochondria Know Where to Go?
Pernas, L. (2019) mSphere

RevAMPing Mitochondrial Shape to Live Longer.
Pernas, L. and Scorrano, L. (2017) Cell Metabolism

Mito-Morphosis: Mitochondrial fusion, fission, and cristae remodeling as key mediators of cellular function.
Pernas, L. and Scorrano, L. (2016) Annual Reviews of Physiology