The studies performed in my lab fall into three broad categories that seek to understand the molecular mechanisms of virus development in the complex double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses. The first project centers on the enzymology of terminase, the DNA packaging motor of bacteriophage lambda. This motor is among the most powerful known in biology; it packages the viral genome into a preformed procapsid shell to liquid crystalline density, which ultimately generates over 25 atmospheres of internal pressure. We utilize detailed enzyme kinetic, biochemical, and biophysical approaches to dissect the intimate details of motor structure and function.
Education, Licensure & Certifications
- B.A., Biochemistry, 1979, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California
- Pharm.D., Clinical Pharmacy, 1983, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Ph.D., Medicinal Chemistry, 1987, University of California, San Francisco, California
Affiliations
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Program
Research Interest
- Assembly and maturation of viral capsids
- Molecular mechanisms of viral DNA packaging motors
- Physical Virology
- Viral capsids as designer nanoparticles for therapeutic and diagnostic (theranostic) applications
Publications and Presentations
Ortiz, D., delToro, D., Ordyan, M., Pajak, J., Sippy, J., Catala, A., Oh, C.S., Vu, A., Arya, G., Feiss, M., Smith, D.E., & Catalano, C. E. (2018). Concerted Action of ASCE Glutamate and Arginine Residues in Catalysis of ATP Hydrolysis in the Phage Lambda DNA Packaging Motor. Nucleic Acids Research, 47(3), 1404-1415. doi: 10.1093/nar/gky1217
Catalano, C. E. (2018). Bacteriophage Lambda: The Path from Biology to Theranostic Agent. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Nanomedicine & Nanobiotechnology, e1517, 1-16. doi:10.1002/wnan.1517
Yang, T.-C., Ortiz, D., Nosaka, L. A., Lander, G. C., & Catalano, C. E. (2015). Thermodynamic Interrogation of the Assembly of a Viral Genome Packaging Motor Complex. Biophysical Journal, 109, 1663-1675. doi:10.1016/j.bpj.2015.08.037