Stefano Bonatti
Stefano Bonatti
e-mail:
affiliation: Università di Napoli Federico II
research area(s): Cell Biology, Molecular Biology
Course: Genetics and Molecular Medicine
University/Istitution: Università di Napoli Federico II
Employment and research experience:

1974-1982: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Biochemistry, University of Naples, prof. Ranieri Cancedda. Studies on Sindbis virus glycoproteins biogenesis: synthesis, post-translational modifications, intracellular transport.
1977-1979: Post-doctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA, prof. Gunter Blobel. Biosynthesis and membrane assembly of Sindbis virus glycoproteins in cell-free systems.
1982: Research Fellow, Department of Biochemistry, University of Naples.
1982-1987: Setting his own group. Studies on Sindbis virus glycoproteins biogenesis. Start of a long-term collaboration with dr. Maria Rosaria Torrisi, University of Rome.
!987: Associate Professor of Cell Biology, University of Naples
!987: Long term EMBO fellowship.
1987-1988: Visiting Scientist, Program of Cell Biology, EMBL, Heidelberg, Germany, dr. Kai Simons. Studies on VSV-G and Sindbis virus glycoproteins intracellular trafficking.
1988-1992: studies on CD8a and viral glycoproteins post-translational modifications and transport along the secretory pathway. Characterization of the intermediate compartment between ER and Golgi complex.
1992. NATO Senior Fellowship.
1992-1993: Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Cell Biology, Yale University Medical School, New Haven, USA, prof. Ari Helenius. Folding and export from the ER of CD8a and VSV-G glycoproteins.
1994: Full Professor of Cell Biology, University of Naples.
1994 to present: studies on the molecular mechanisms of protein localization and organelles homeostasis and

Invited speaker at: European Congress of Cell Biology (Paris 1982 - Firenze 1990 - Bologna 1998); 2nd IUMBM (Bari 1993); EMBO workshop The Cell Biology of Virus Infection (Heidelberg 2001).

Recipient of EU grants, programs HCM and TMR, and of Telethon grant

Tutor of 8 graduate students for the PhD program: Genetics and Molecular Medicine, and President of the Council for the M.Sc. degree in Medical Biotechnology (2009-2012), University of Naples Federico II

Co-founder of the Italian Association for Cell Biology (ABCD, President for the term 1996-1998) and of the Italian Federation of Life Sciences (FISV, President for 1998).
Secretary of the Italian Association for Biology and Genetics (from 2007)
Main scientific topics in the past: biosynthesis and assembly in the ER of transmembrane proteins, post-translational modifications of proteins along the secretory pathway, protein trafficking between ER and Golgi complex.
Current research focus: molecular mechanisms that determine protein localization and organelles homeostasis along the secretory pathway in mammalian cells. Molecular mechanism of Familial Exudative Vitreoretinopathy (FEVR).
Soldovieri MV, Castaldo P, Iodice L, Miceli F, Barrese V, Bellini G, Miraglia del Giudice E, Pascotto A, Bonatti A, Annunziato L, and Taglialatela M. (2006) Decreased Subunit Stability as a Novel Mechanismfor PotassiumCurrent Impairment by a KCNQ2 C Terminus Mutation Causing Benign Familial Neonatal Convulsions. J Biol Chem. 281:418-428.

D'Angelo G., Prencipe L., Iodice L., Beznoussenko G., Savarese M., Marra P.F., Di Tullio G., Martire G., De Matteis M.A., Bonatti S. (2009) GRASP65 and GRASP55 sequentially promote the transport of C-terminal valine-bearing cargos to and through the Golgi complex. J Biol Chem. vol. 284; p. 34849-34860

D'Agostino M., Tornillo G., Caporaso M.G., Barone M.V., Ghigo E., Bonatti S., Mottola G. (2011)
The ligand of Numb-protein LNX1p80 and LNX2 interact with the human glycoprotein CD8α and promote its ubiquitination and endocytosis. J Cell Sci accepted for publication on June 13 2011
Project Title:
Elucidation of the molecular mechanism of a dominant form of familial exudative vitreoretinopathy


Project Title:
Identification of GRASPs protein interactors involved in ER to Golgi transport