Maria Assunta Costa
Research staff
Degree cum laude in Biological Sciences, University of Palermo (1984). Health Finalized Research Grant at IBS (now IBIM), CNR Palermo (1987.06 to 1989.05) Scholarship at IBS (now IBIM), CNR Palermo (1990.01 to 1991.12) Scholarship at IBS (now IBIM), CNR Palermo (1992.03 to 1993.2) Holder of a Contract of Presidential Decree at IBS (now IBIM), CNR Palermo (1994.12 to 1998.02) Researcher at IBIM, CNR Palermo (1998.02.16 to 2013.08.31) Researcher at IBF, CNR Palermo (2013.09.01 to date)
orcid://0000-0003-3377-6123,
Contact:
- Email mariaassunta.costa@ibf.cnr.it
- Phone +39-091-6809539
- Location Palermo
Research interests:
- Extraction, identification and characterization of naturally occurring compounds and study of their biological activity on cell lines. (Principal investigator)
- Study of natural and chemically modified natural polymers for biotechnological applications
- Development of bio-adhesives for wet environments from marine mussels
- Laboratory of protein engineering for production of recombinant proteins.
- Biomolecular Aggregation Processes
- Protein aggregation and the onset of neurodegenerative diseases
- Extraction and characterization of polyphenols from complex systems of agri-food origin; study of antioxidant properties and of neuroprotective and anti-amyloidogenic effects in neurodegenerative processes
- Liposome as drug delivery system
Further collaborations:
- Clelia Dispenza, Dipartimento di Ingegneria, Università di Palermo Jesus Lozano Sanchez, Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Granada
Key publications:
Ditta LA, Rao E, Provenzano F, Sánchez JL, Santonocito R, Passantino R, Costa MA, Sabatino MA, Dispenza C, Giacomazza D, San Biagio PL, Lapasin R (2020). Agarose/?-carrageenan-based hydrogel film enriched with natural plant extracts for the treatment of cutaneous wounds. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 164, 2818-2830. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.08.170.
Provenzano F, Sánchez JL, Rao E, Santonocito R, Ditta LA, Borrás Linares I, Passantino R, Campisi P, Dia MG, Costa MA, Segura-Carretero A, San Biagio PL, Giacomazza D (2019). Water Extract of Cryphaea heteromalla (Hedw.) D. Mohr Bryophyte as a Natural Powerful Source of Biologically Active Compounds. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 20, 5560. doi: 10.3390/ijms20225560
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 Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 170, 479-487. doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2018.06.032
Giacomazza D, D'Andrea D, Provenzano A, Picone P, Provenzano F, Guarrasi V, Raimondo M, San Biagio PL, Passantino R, Mangione MR, Di Carlo M, Costa MA (2018). The precious content of the olive mill wastewater: The protective effects of the antioxidant fraction in cell cultures. CyTA: journal of food 16, 658-666. doi:10.1080/19476337.2018.1458752
Presti G, Guarrasi V, Gulotta E, Provenzano F, Provenzano A, Giuliano S, Monfreda M, Mangione MR, Passantino R, San Biagio PL, Costa MA and Giacomazza D (2017). Bioactive compounds from extra virgin olive oils: Correlation between phenolic content and oxidative stress cell protection, Biophysical Chemistry 230, 109-116. doi: 10.1016/j.bpc.2017.09.002
Publications (22):
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
miR-126-3p and miR-21-5p as Hallmarks of Bio-Positive Ageing; Correlation Analysis and Machine Learning Prediction in Young to Ultra-Centenarian Sicilian Population
Accardi G.; Bono F.; Cammarata G.; Aiello A.; Herrero M.T.; Alessandro R.; Augello G.; Carru C.; Colomba P.; Costa M.A.; De Vivo I.; Ligotti M.E.; Curto A.L.; Passantino R.; Taverna S.; Zizzo C.; Duro G.; Caruso C.; Candore G.
cells, 11, 2022
DOI: 10.3390/cells11091505
Recombinant mussel protein Pvfp5? enhances cell adhesion of poly(vinyl alcohol)/k-carrageenan hydrogel scaffolds
Muscolino, Emanuela and Costa, Maria Assunta and Sabatino, Maria Antonietta and Alessi, Sabina and Bulone, Donatella and Biagio, Pier Luigi San and Passantino, Rosa and Giacomazza, Daniela and Dispenza, Clelia
international journal of biological macromolecules, 211, 2022
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.05.068
Can Be miR-126-3p a Biomarker of Premature Aging? An Ex Vivo and In Vitro Study in Fabry Disease
Lo Curto A; Taverna S; Costa MA; Passantino R; Augello G; Adamo G; Aiello A ; Colomba P; Zizzo C; Zora M; Accardi G; Candore G; Francofonte D; Di Chiara T; Alessandro R; Caruso C; Duro G; Cammarata G;
cells, 2021
Valorization of apple peels through the study of the effects on the amyloid aggregation process of ?-casein
Guarrasi V., Rappa G.C., Costa M.A., Librizzi F., Raimondo M., Di Stefano V., Germanà M.A., Vilasi S.
molecules (basel, online)issn: 1420-3049molecules/mdpi, molecular diversity preservation international, 26, 2021
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26082371
Agarose/κ-carrageenan-based hydrogel film enriched with natural plant extracts for the treatment of cutaneous wounds
Ditta, L.A., Rao, E., Provenzano, F., Sánchez, J.L., Santonocito, R., Passantino, R., Costa, M.A., Sabatino, M.A., Dispenza, C., Giacomazza, D., San Biagio, P.L., Lapasin, R.
International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 164, 2020
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.08.170
Recombinant mussel protein Pvfp-5?: A potential tissue bioadhesive
Santonocito R1, Venturella F2,3, Dal Piaz F4, Morando MA3, Provenzano A, Rao E, Costa MA, Bulone D, San Biagio PL, Giacomazza D, Sicorello A, Alfano C, Passantino R, Pastore A
Journal of biological chemistry, 294, 2019
DOI: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.009531
Water Extract of Cryphaea heteromalla (Hedw.) D. Mohr Bryophyte as a Natural Powerful Source of Biologically Active Compounds
Provenzano F, Sánchez JL, Rao E, Santonocito R, Ditta LA, Borrás Linares I, Passantino R, Campisi P, Dia MG, Costa MA, Segura-Carretero A, San Biagio PL, Giacomazza D
International journal of molecular sciences, 20, 2019
DOI: 10.3390/ijms20225560
Biochemical and biophysical characterization of water-soluble pectin from Opuntia ficus-indica and its potential cytotoxic activity
Lefsih K, Giacomazza D, Passantino R, Costa MA, Bulone D, Mangione MR, Guarrasi V, Mingoia F, San Biagio PL, Madani K
Phytochemistry, 154, 2018
DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2018.06.015
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 precious content of the olive mill wastewater: The protective effects of the antioxidant fraction in cell cultures
Giacomazza D, D'Andrea D, Provenzano A, Picone P, Provenzano F, Guarrasi V, Raimondo M, San Biagio PL, Passantino R, Mangione MR, Di Carlo M, Costa MA
CyTA: journal of food, 16, 2018
DOI: 10.1080/19476337.2018.1458752
Bioactive compounds from extra virgin olive oils: Correlation between phenolic content and oxidative stress cell protection
Presti G, Guarrasi V, Gulotta E, Provenzano F, Provenzano A, Giuliano S, Monfreda M, Mangione MR, Passantino R, San Biagio PL, Costa MA, Giacomazza D
Biophysical chemistry , 230, 2017
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2017.09.002
Pectin from Opuntia ficus indica: Optimization of microwave-assisted extraction and preliminary characterization
Lefsih K, Giacomazza D, Dahmoune F, Mangione MR, Bulone D, San Biagio PL, Passantino R, Costa MA, Guarrasi V, Madani K
Food chemistry, 221, 2017
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.10.073
Multiple IgE recognition on the major allergen of the Parietaria pollen Par j 2
Valeria Longo, Maria Assunta Costa, Fabio Cibella, Giuseppina Cuttitta, Stefania La Grutta, Paolo Colombo
Molecular immunology , 63, 2015
DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2014.09.012
Supramolecular Assemblies Based on Complexes of Nonionic Amphiphilic Cyclodextrins and a meso-Tetra(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphine Tributyltin(IV) Derivative: Potential Nanotherapeutics against Melanoma
Antonino Mazzaglia+ Maria Luisa Bondì, Angela Scala, Francesca Zito,Giovanna Barbieri, Francesco Crea, Giuseppina Vianelli, Placido G. Mineo,Tiziana Fiore, Claudia Pellerito, Lorenzo Pellerito, and Maria Assunta Costa.
Biomacromolecules, 14, 2013
DOI: 10.1021/bm400849n
ERK1 nucleocytoplasmic shuttling rate depends on specific N-terminal aminoacids.
Marchi, M; Pancrazi, L; Maffei, M; Ratto, Gm; Costa, M
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS (PRINT), 398, 2010
Localization and trafficking of fluorescently tagged ERK1 and ERK2
Marchi, M; Parra, R; Costa, M; Ratto, Gm
METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY (CLIFTON N.J.), 661, 2010
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-60761-795-2_17
Epigenetic drugs modulate MeCP2 dynamics in living cells
Marchi, M; Becucci, M; Tognini, P; Maffei, M; Landsberger, N; Ratto, GM; Costa, M
CELLULAR ONCOLOGY (PRINT), 30, 2008
The N-terminal domain of ERK1 accounts for the functional differences with ERK2.
Marchi, M; D'Antoni, A; Formentini, I; Parra, R; Brambilla, R; Ratto, Gm; Costa, M
PLOS ONE, 3, 2008
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0003873
Developmental downregulation of histone posttranslational modifications regulates visual cortical plasticity.
Putignano, E; Lonetti, G; Cancedda, L; Ratto, Gm; Costa, M; Maffei, L; Pizzorusso, T
NEURON (CAMB. MASS.), 53, 2007
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2007.02.007
Spatio-temporal dynamics and localization of MeCP2 and pathological mutants in living cells.
Marchi M; Guarda A; Bergo A; Landsberger N; KilstrupNielsen C; Ratto GM; Costa M.
EPIGENETICS, 2, 2007
Dynamic regulation of ERK2 nuclear translocation and mobility in living cells.
Costa M; Marchi M; Cardarelli F; Roy A; Beltram F; Maffei L; Ratto GM
JOURNAL OF CELL SCIENCE, 119, 2006
DOI: 10.1242/jcs.03272