Rita Carrotta
Research staff
Dal gennaio 2008: Ricercatrice IBF.
2006:2007: Post-Doc presso Dip di Fisica, Università di Palermo
2003-2005: Contratto e assegno di ricerca presso IBF - CNR di Palermo
Maggio 2003: PhD in Biofisica presso KVL, Frederiksberg C, DK
Luglio 1997: Laurea in Fisica, Università di Palermo
Periodi di maternità: Maggio – Ottobre 2009; Gennaio – Luglio 2006
Luglio – Dicembre 2003; Settembre 2001 – Febbraio 2002
Esperienze: spettroscopia, tecniche di diffusione (small angle x-ray and neutron scattering and multi-angle light scattering), calorimetia (DSC and ITC) and microscopia (AFM and light).
orcid://0000-0003-4628-2819,
Contact:
- Email rita.carrotta@ibf.cnr.it
- Phone +39-091-6809313
- Location Palermo
Research interests:
- Amyloid aggregation processes and their inhibition (Principal investigator)
- Model Membrane Systems and Interaction Studies (Principal investigator)
- Liposome as drug delivery system (Principal investigator)
- Dynamical properties of proteins
- Extraction, identification and characterization of naturally occurring compounds and study of their biological activity on cell lines.
- Characterisation of extracellular vescicles
Further collaborations:
- Antonella Bongiovanni (Cnr-Ibim)
- Antonio Cupane (Università degli studi di Palermo)
- Valeria Vetri (Università degli studi di Palermo)
- Judith Peters (ILL, Grenoble)
Financial support:
- FetOpen “Ves4Us - Extracellular vesicles from a natural source for tailormade Nanomaterials”
- Progetto FSE 2014/2020 “Percorsi formative nei settori Biotecnologia, Biomedicina e agroalimentare”
Key publications:
Costa MA, Mangione MR, Santonocito R, Passantino R, Giacomazza D, Librizzi F, Moran O, Carrotta R (2018) Biophysical characterization of asolectin-squalene liposomes. Colloids and Surface B: Biointerfaces 170:479-487
Nicastro MC, Spigolon D, Librizzi F, Moran O, Ortore MG, Bulone D, San Biagio PL, Carrotta R (2016) Amyloid beta-peptide insertion in liposomes containing GM1-cholesterol domains. BiophysChem 208:9–16. doi: 10.1016/j.bpc.2015.07.010
Librizzi F, Carrotta R, Spigolon D, Bulone D, San Biagio PL (2014) alfa-Casein Inhibits Insulin Amyloid Formation by Preventing the Onset of Secondary Nucleation Processes. J Phys Chem Lett 5:3043-3048. doi: 10.1021/jz501570m
Carrotta R, Vilasi S, Librizzi F, Martorana V, Bulone D, San Biagio PL (2012) alfa-Casein Inhibition Mechanism in Concanavalin A Aggregation Process. J Phys Chem B 116:14700-14707. doi: 10.1021/jp307417x
Carrotta R, Canale C, Diaspro A, Trapani A, San Biagio PL, Bulone D (2012) Inhibiting effect of alfas1-casein on Abeta1–40 fibrillogenesis. BBA 1820:124–132. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2011.11.010
Publications (33):
Moringa oleifera Extracts as Strategic Phyto‐Therapy for Alzheimer's DiseaseCarrotta, Rita; Vilasi, Silvia; Costa, Maria Assunta; Librizzi, Fabio; Martorana, Vincenzo; Passantino, Rosa; Buzzanca, Carla; di Stefano, Vita; Ortore, Maria Grazia; Piccirillo, Silvia; Preziuso, Alessandra; Magi, Simona; Mangione, Maria Rosalia
FOOD SCIENCE & NUTRITION, 13, 2025
DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.70007
Studying an orphan disease by a biophysical approach: The case of cblC
Vilasi, S.; Longo, L.; Randazzo, L.; Bollati, M.; Carrotta, R.; Costa, M. A.; De Rosa, M.; Mangione, M. R.; Martorana, V.; Milani, M.; Ortore, M. G.; Tutone, M.; Passantino, R.
IL NUOVO CIMENTO C, 47, 2024
DOI: 10.1393/ncc/i2024-24318-2
alphaS1-Casein administration to a C. elegans model of Alzheimer's disease through proteoliposome delivery
Carrotta, Rita; Paterna, Angela; Santonicola, Pamela; DI PRIMA, Giulia; Rao, Estella; Raccosta, Samuele; Zampi, Giuseppina; Oscar, Moran; Manno, Mauro; DI SCHIAVI, Elia; Librizzi, Fabio
EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL WITH BIOPHYSICS LETTERS, 52, 2023
αS1-Casein-Loaded Proteo-liposomes as Potential Inhibitors in Amyloid Fibrillogenesis: In Vivo Effects on a C. elegans Model of Alzheimer’s Disease
Paterna, A.; Santonicola, P.; Di Prima, G.; Rao, E.; Raccosta, S.; Zampi, G.; Russo, C.; Moran, O.; Manno, M.; Di Schiavi, E.; Librizzi, F.; Carrotta, R.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE, 14, 2023
DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00239
Small Angle X-ray Scattering Sensing Membrane Composition: The Role of Sphingolipids in Membrane-Amyloid beta-Peptide Interaction
Carrotta, Rita; Mangione, Maria Rosalia; Librizzi, Fabio; Moran, Oscar
biology (basel), 11, 2022
DOI: 10.3390/biology11010026
Isolation of extracellular vesicles from microalgae: Towards the production of sustainable and natural nanocarriers of bioactive compounds
Picciotto, Sabrina; Barone, Maria E.; Fierli, David; Aranyos, Anita; Adamo, Giorgia; Bo?i?, Darja; Romancino, Daniele P.; Stanly, Christopher; Parkes, Rachel; Morsbach, Svenja; Raccosta, Samuele; Paganini, Carolina; Cusimano, Antonella; Martorana, Vincenzo; Noto, Rosina; Carrotta, Rita; Librizzi, Fabio; Capasso Palmiero, Umberto; Santonicola, Pamela; Igli?, Ales; Gai, Meiyu; Corcuera, Laura; Kisslinger, Annamaria; Di Schiavi, Elia; Landfester, Katharina; Liguori, Giovanna L.; Kralj-Igli?, Veronika; Arosio, Paolo; Pocsfalvi, Gabriella; Manno, Mauro; Touzet, Nicolas; Bongiovanni, Antonella
biomaterials science (print)issn: 2047-4830royal society of chemistry, 9, 2021
DOI: 10.1039/d0bm01696a
Nanoalgosomes: Introducing extracellular vesicles produced by microalgae
Adamo, Giorgia; Fierli, David; Romancino, Daniele P.; Picciotto, Sabrina; Barone, Maria E.; Aranyos, Anita; Bo?i?, Darja; Morsbach, Svenja; Raccosta, Samuele; Stanly, Christopher; Paganini, Carolina; Gai, Meiyu; Cusimano, Antonella; Martorana, Vincenzo; Noto, Rosina; Carrotta, Rita; Librizzi, Fabio; Randazzo, Loredana; Parkes, Rachel; Capasso Palmiero, Umberto; Rao, Estella; Paterna, Angela; Santonicola, Pamela; Igli?, Ales; Corcuera, Laura; Kisslinger, Annamaria; Di Schiavi, Elia; Liguori, Giovanna L.; Landfester, Katharina; Kralj-Igli?, Veronika; Arosio, Paolo; Pocsfalvi, Gabriella; Touzet, Nicolas; Manno, Mauro; Bongiovanni, Antonella
journal of extracellular vesiclesissn: 2001-3078järfälla : co-action pub., 10, 2021
DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12081
Light scattering as an easy tool to measure vesicles weight concentration
Di Prima, G., Librizzi, F., Carrotta, R.
membranes, 10, 2020
DOI: 10.3390/membranes10090222
Amyloid beta-Peptide Interaction with Membranes: Can Chaperones Change the Fate?
Ricci C, Maccarini M, Falus P, Librizzi F, Mangione MR, Moran O, Ortore MG, Schweins R, Vilasi S, Carrotta R
Journal of physical chemistry b, 123, 2019
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b11719
Inhibition of AB1-42 Fibrillation by Chaperonins: Human Hsp60 Is a Stronger Inhibitor than Its Bacterial Homologue GroEL
Vilasi S, Carrotta R, Ricci C, Rappa GC, Librizzi F, Martorana V, Ortore MG, Mangione MR
ACS chemical neuroscience, 10, 2019
DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.9b00183
Biophysical characterization of asolectin-squalene liposomes
Costa MA, Mangione MR, Santonocito R, Passantino R, Giacomazza D, Librizzi F, Moran O, Carrotta R
Colloids and surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 170, 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.06.032
The effects of pressure on the energy landscape of proteins
Librizzi F, Carrotta R, Peters J, Cupane A
Scientific reports , 8, 2018
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20417-x
Investigation Investigation on different chemical stability of mitochondrial Hsp60 and its precursor
Ricci C, Carrotta R, Rappa GC, Mangione MR, Librizzi F, San Biagio PL, Amenitsch H, Ortore MG, Vilasi S
Biophysical chemistry , 229, 2017
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2017.07.008
Amyloid ?-peptide insertion in liposomes containing GM1-cholesterol domains
Nicastro MC, Spigolon D, Librizzi F, Moran O, Ortore MG, Bulone D, Biagio PL, Carrotta R
Biophysical chemistry, 208, 2016
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2015.07.010
Stability and disassembly properties of human naïve Hsp60 and bacterial GroEL chaperonins
Ricci, Caterina; Ortore, Maria Grazia; Vilasi, Silvia; Carrotta, Rita; Mangione, Maria Rosalia; Bulone, Donatella; Librizzi, Fabio; Spinozzi, Francesco; Burgio, Giosalba; Amenitsch, Heinz; San Biagio, Pier Luigi
Biophysical chemistry, 208, 2016
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2015.07.006
alpha-Casein Inhibits Insulin Amyloid Formation by Preventing the Onset of Secondary Nucleation Processes
Librizzi, Fabio; Carrotta, Rita; Spigolon, Dario; Bulone, Donatella; San Biagio, Pier Luigi
Journal of physical chemistry letters, 5, 2014
DOI: 10.1021/jz501570m
Human Hsp60 with Its Mitochondrial Import Signal Occurs in Solution as Heptamers and Tetradecamers Remarkably Stable over a Wide Range of Concentrations
Vilasi, Silvia; Carrotta, Rita; Mangione, Maria Rosalia; Campanella, Claudia; Librizzi, Fabio; Randazzo, Loredana; Martorana, Vincenzo; Gammazza, Antonella Marino; Ortore, Maria Grazia; Vilasi, Annalisa; Pocsfalvi, Gabriella; Burgio, Giosalba; Corona, Dav
PloS one, 9, 2014
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0097657
alpha-Casein Inhibition Mechanism in Concanavalin A Aggregation Process
Carrotta R; Vilasi S; Librizzi F; Martorana V; Bulone D; San Biagio PL
Journal of physical chemistry b, 116, 2012
DOI: 10.1021/jp307417x
Entrapment of A Beta 1-40 peptide in unstructured aggregates
Corsale C; Carrotta R; Mangione MR; Vilasi S; Provenzano A; Cavallaro G; Bulone D; San Biagio PL
Journal of physics. Condensed matter, 24, 2012
DOI: 10.1088/0953-8984/24/24/244103
Inhibiting effect of alpha(s1)-casein on A beta(1-40) fibrillogenesis
Carrotta R; Canale C; Diaspro A; Trapani A; San Biagio PL; Bulone D
Biochimica et biophysica acta. G, General subjects, 1820, 2012
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2011.11.010
Amyloid fibrils formation of concanavalin A at basic pH
Carrotta R, Vetri V, Librizzi F, Martorana V, Militello V, Leone M
Journal of physical chemistry b, 115, 2011
Insulin activated Akt rescues Ab oxidative stress induced cell death by orchestrating molecules trafficking
Picone, P; Giacomazza, D; Vetri, V; Carrotta, R; Militello, V; SAN BIAGIO, PIER LUIGI; Di Carlo, M
AGING CELL (ONLINE), 10, 2011
DOI: 10.1111/j.1474-9726.2011.00724.x
Insulin-activated Akt rescues A? oxidative stress-induced cell death by orchestrating molecular trafficking
Picone P, Giacomazza D, Vetri V, Carrotta R, Militello V, San Biagio PL, Di Carlo M
Aging cell, 10, 2011
Concanavalin A aggregation and toxicity on cell cultures
Vetri V, Carrotta R, Picone P, Di Carlo M, Militello V
Biochimica et biophysica acta-proteins and proteomics, 1804, 2010
Insulin promotes survival of amyloid-beta oligomers neuroblastoma damaged cells via caspase 9 inhibition and Hsp70 upregulation
Di Carlo M, Picone P, Carrotta R, Giacomazza D, San Biagio PL
Journal of biomedicine and biotechnology, 2010, 2010
Abeta oligomers and fibrillar aggregates induce different apoptotic pathways in LAN5 neuroblastoma cell cultures.
Picone P, Carrotta R, Montana G, Nobile MR, San Biagio PL, Di Carlo M
Biophysical journal, 96, 2009
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2008.11.056
Protein stability modulated by a conformational effector: effects of trifluoroethanol on bovine serum albumin.
Carrotta R, Manno M, Giordano FM, Longo A, Portale G, Martorana V, Biagio PL
Physical chemistry chemical physics, 11, 2009
DOI: 10.1039/b818687a
The sea urchin embryo: a model to study Alzheimer's beta amyloid induced toxicity.
Pellicanò M, Picone P, Cavalieri V, Carrotta R, Spinelli G, Di Carlo M
Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 483, 2009
Employment of Cationic Solid-Lipid nanoparticles as RNA carriers
Montana G.; Bondì M.L.; Carrotta R.; Picone P.; Craparo E.F.; San Biagio P.L.; Giammona G.; Di Carlo M.
Bioconjugate chemistry, 18, 2007
DOI: 10.1021/bc0601166
Kinetics of different processes in human insulin amyloid formation.
Manno M.; Craparo E.F.; Podestà A.; Bulone D.; Carrotta R.; Martorana V.; Milani P.; Tiana G.; San Biagio P.L.
Journal of Molecular Biology, 366, 2007
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2006.11.008
Large size fibrillar bundles of the alzheimer amyloid beta-protein.
Carrotta R.; J. Barthès; A. Longo; V. Martorana; M. Manno; G. Portale; P. L. San Biagio.
European biophysics journal, 36, 2007
DOI: 10.1007/s00249-007-0164-0
Toxicity of recombinant beta-amyloid prefibrillar oligomers on the morphogenesis of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus.
Carrotta R.; Di Carlo M.; Manno M.; Montana G.; Picone P.; Romancino D.; San Biagio P.L.
The FASEB journal, 20, 2006
DOI: 10.1096/fj.06-5716fje
Protofibril formation of amyloid beta-protein at low pH via a non-cooperative elongation mechanism.
Carrotta R.; Manno M.; Bulone D.; Martorana V.; San Biagio P.L.;
THE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY (PRINT), 280, 2005
DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M500052200