Areas of expertise

• Structural Biology (Incl. Macromolecular Modelling) 060112
• Characterisation Of Biological Macromolecules 030403
• Medical Biochemistry: Proteins And Peptides (Incl. Medical Proteomics) 110106
• Receptors And Membrane Biology 060110
• Enzymes 060107
• Medicinal And Biomolecular Chemistry 0304
• Biochemistry And Cell Biology 0601
• Pharmacology And Pharmaceutical Sciences 1115

Publications

• Sundararaj, S, Ravindran, A & Casarotto, M 2021, 'AHNAK: The quiet giant in calcium homeostasis', Cell Calcium, vol. 96.
• Chiou, P, Ohms, S, Board, P et al. 2021, 'The antiviral drug efavirenz in breast cancer stem cell therapy', Cancers, vol. 13, no. 24.
• Sundararaj, S, Seneviratne, S, Williams, S et al. 2021, 'Structural determinants of the IRF4/DNA homodimeric complex', Nucleic Acids Research, vol. 49, no. 4, pp. 2255-2265.
• Tummala, D, Rooke, M, Dahlstrom, J et al. 2021, 'Glutathione transferase Omega 1 confers protection against azoxymethane-induced colorectal tumour formation', Carcinogenesis, vol. 42, no. 6, pp. 853-863.
• Chiou, P, Ohms, S, Board, P et al. 2020, 'Efavirenz as a potential drug for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancers', Clinical and Translational Oncology, vol. 23, pp. 353-363.
• Xie, Y, Tummala, P, Oakley, A et al. 2020, 'Development of Benzenesulfonamide Derivatives as Potent Glutathione Transferase Omega-1 Inhibitors', Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 63, no. 6, pp. 2894-2914.
• Hughes, M, Hughes, M, Hooftman, A et al 2019, 'Glutathione Transferase Omega-1 Regulates NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation through NEK7 Deglutathionylation', Cell Reports, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 151-161.
• Hughes, M, Hughes, M, Hooftman, A et al 2019, 'Glutathione Transferase Omega-1 Regulates NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation through NEK7 Deglutathionylation', Cell Reports, vol. 29, no. 1, pp. 151-161.
• Sundararaj, S, Shishmarev, D, Lin, Y et al. 2018, '1H, 13C and 15N backbone NMR chemical shift assignments of the C-terminal P4 domain of Ahnak', Biomolecular NMR Assignments, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 253-257pp.
• Perez, C, Eltit, J, Lopez, J et al 2018, 'Functional and structural characterization of a novel malignant hyperthermia-susceptible variant of DHPR-β1a subunit (CACNB1)', American Journal of Physiology - Cell Physiology, vol. 314, no. 3, pp. 323-333pp.
• Xie, Y, Dahlin, J, Oakley, A et al 2018, 'Reviewing Hit Discovery Literature for Difficult Targets: Glutathione Transferase Omega-1 as an Example', Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, vol. 61, no. 17, pp. 7448-7470pp.
• Robinson, K, Easton, C, Dulhunty, A et al. 2018, 'Exploiting Peptidomimetics to Synthesize Compounds That Activate Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channels', ChemMedChem, vol. 13, no. 18, pp. 1957-1971pp.
• Dulhunty, A, Beard, N & Casarotto, M 2018, 'Recent advances in understanding the ryanodine receptor calcium release channels and their role in calcium signalling [version 1; peer review: 4 approved]', F1000 Research, vol. 7, pp. -.
• Dulhunty, A, Wei-LaPierre, L, Casarotto, M et al 2017, 'Core skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor calcium release complex', Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, vol. 44, no. 1, pp. 3-12pp.
• Norris, N, Joseph, S, Aditya, S et al 2017, 'Structural and biophysical analyses of the skeletal dihydropyridine receptor β subunit β1a reveal critical roles of domain interactions for stability', Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 292, no. 20, pp. 8401-8411pp.
• Dulhunty, A, Board, P, Beard, N et al 2017, 'Physiology and Pharmacology of Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channels', Advances in Pharmacology, vol. 79, pp. 287-324.
• Richardson, S, Steele, G, Gallant, P et al. 2017, 'Association of FK506 binding proteins with RyR channels - effect of CLIC2 binding on sub-conductance opening and FKBP binding', Journal of Cell Science, vol. 130, no. 20, pp. 3588-3600.
• Menon, D, Innes, A, Oakley, A et al 2017, 'GSTO1-1 plays a pro-inflammatory role in models of inflammation, colitis and obesity', Scientific Reports, vol. 7, no. 1, pp. 15pp.
• Menon, D, Innes, A, Oakley, A et al 2017, 'GSTO1-1 plays a pro-inflammatory role in models of inflammation, colitis and obesity', https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29259211
• Rosenberg, M, Weaver, L & Casarotto, M 2016, 'Probing interactions of Vpu from HIV-1 with amiloride-based compounds', Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Biomembranes, vol. 1858, no. 4, pp. 733-739.
• Li, J, Hardy, K, Phetsouphanh, C et al 2016, 'Nuclear PKC-θ facilitates rapid transcriptional responses in human memory CD4+ T cells through p65 and H2B phosphorylation', Journal of Cell Science, vol. 129, no. 12, pp. 2448-2461.
• Hewawasam, R, Liu, D, Casarotto, M et al 2016, 'The GSTM2 C-Terminal domain depresses contractility and Ca2+ transients in neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes', PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science), vol. 11, no. 9, pp. e0162415-e0162415.
• Rebbeck, R, van Zyl, H, Groom, L et al 2015, 'Regions of ryanodine receptors that influence activation by the dihydropyridine receptor β1a subunit', Skeletal Muscle, vol. 5, no. 23, pp. 1-15.
• Rebbeck, R, van Zyl, H, Groom, L et al 2015, 'Regions of ryanodine receptors that influence activation by the dihydropyridine receptor β1a subunit', Skeletal Muscle, vol. 5, no. 23, pp. 1-15.
• Samarasinghe, S, Liu, D, Tummala, D et al. 2015, 'Glutathione transferase M2 variants inhibit ryanodine receptor function in adult mouse cardiomyocytes', Biochemical Pharmacology, vol. 97, no. 3, pp. 269-280.
• Rebbeck, R, Karunasekara, Y, Board, P et al 2014, 'Skeletal muscle excitation-contraction coupling: Who are the dancing partners?', The International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 28-38.
• Ellyard, J, Jerjen, R, Martin, J et al. 2014, 'Identification of a Pathogenic Variant in TREX1 in Early-Onset Cerebral Systemic Lupus Erythematosus by Whole-Exome Sequencing', Arthritis & Rheumatism, vol. 66, no. 12, pp. 3382-3386.
• Karunasekara, Y, Karunasekara, Y, Rebbeck, R et al 2012, 'An alpha-helical C-terminal tail segment of the skeletal L-type Ca2+ channel beta(1a) subunit activates ryanodine receptor type 1 via a hydrophobic surface', FASEB Journal, vol. 26, no. 12, pp. 5049-5059.
• Sutcliffe, E, Li, J, Zafar, A et al 2012, 'Chromatinized protein kinase CΘ: Can it escape the clutches of NF-κB?', Frontiers in Immunology, vol. 3, no. AUG, pp. 1-13.
• Liu, D, Hewawasam, R, Karunasekara, Y et al 2012, 'The inhibitory glutathione transferase M2-2 binding site is located in divergent region 3 of the cardiac ryanodine receptor', Biochemical Pharmacology, vol. 83, no. 11, pp. 1523-1529.
• Seymour, V, Curmi, J, Howitt, S et al. 2012, 'Selective modulation of different GABA(A) receptor isoforms by diazepam and etomidate in hippocampal neurons', The International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, vol. 44, no. 9, pp. 1491-1500.
• Karunasekara, Y, Karunasekara, Y, Rebbeck, R et al 2012, 'An alpha-helical C-terminal tail segment of the skeletal L-type Ca2+ channel beta(1a) subunit activates ryanodine receptor type 1 via a hydrophobic surface', FASEB Journal, vol. 26, no. 12, pp. 5049-5059.
• Zhao, X, Zhao, X, Jie, Y et al 2012, 'Design and synthesis of pinanamine derivatives as anti-influenza A M2 ion channel inhibitors', Antiviral Research, vol. 96, pp. 91-99.
• Zhao, X, Zhao, X, Jie, Y et al 2012, 'Design and synthesis of pinanamine derivatives as anti-influenza A M2 ion channel inhibitors', Antiviral Research, vol. 96, pp. 91-99.
• Zhou, H, Brock, J, Casarotto, M et al 2011, 'Novel folding and stability defects cause a deficiency of human glutathione transferase omega 1', Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 286, no. 6, pp. 4271-4279.
• Morris, M, Liu, D, Weaver, L et al 2011, 'A structural basis for cellular uptake of GST-fold proteins', PLoS ONE (Public Library of Science), vol. 6, no. 3, pp. e17864-e17864.
• Dulhunty, A, Hewawasam, R, Liu, D et al 2011, 'Regulation of the cardiac muscle ryanodine receptor by glutathione transferases', Drug Metabolism Reviews, vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 236-252.
• Rebbeck, R, Karunasekara, Y, Gallant, E et al 2011, 'The β1a subunit of the skeletal DHPR binds to skeletal RyR1 and activates the channel via its 35-residue C-terminal tail', Biophysical Journal, vol. 100, no. 4, pp. 922-930.
• Dulhunty, A, Casarotto, M & Beard, N 2011, 'The Ryanodine Receptor: A pivotal Ca²⁺ Regulatory Protein and Potential Therapeutic Drug Target', Current Drug Targets, vol. 12, no. 5, pp. 709-723.
• Tae, H, Cui, Y, Karunasekara, Y et al. 2011, 'Cyclization of the intrinsically disordered α_1S dihydropyridine receptor II-III loop enhances secondary structure and in vitro function', Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 286, no. 25, pp. 22589-22599.
• Tae, H, Wei, L, van Zyl, H et al 2011, 'The elusive role of the SPRY2 domain in RyR1', Channels, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 148-160.
• Peralvarez-Marin, A, Tae, H, Board, P et al. 2011, '3D Mapping of the SPRY2 domain of ryanodine receptor 1 by single-particle cryo-EM', PLOS ONE (Public Library of Science), vol. 6, no. 10, pp. e25813-e25813.
• Rosenberg, M & Casarotto, M 2010, 'Coexistence of two adamantane binding sites in the influenza A M2 ion channel', PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 107, no. 31, pp. 13866-13871.
• Hewawasam, R, Liu, D, Casarotto, M et al 2010, 'The structure of the C-terminal helical bundle in glutathione transferase M2-2 determines its ability to inhibit the cardiac ryanodine receptor', Biochemical Pharmacology, vol. 80, no. 3, pp. 381-388.
• Liu, D, Hewawasam, R, Pace, S et al. 2009, 'Dissection of the inhibition of cardiac ryanodine receptors by human glutathione transferase GSTM2-2', Biochemical Pharmacology, vol. 77, no. 7, pp. 1181-1193.
• Kimura, T, Lueck, J, Harvey, P et al. 2009, 'Alternative splicing of RyR1 alters the efficacy of skeletal EC coupling', Cell Calcium, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 264-274.
• Morris, M, Craig, S, Sutherland, T et al 2009, 'Transport of glutathione transferase-fold structured proteins into living cells', Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Biomembranes, vol. 1788, no. 1, pp. 676-685.
• Karunasekara, Y, Dulhunty, A & Casarotto, M 2009, 'The voltage-gated calcium-channel beta subunit: more than just an accessory', European Biophysics Journal, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 79-81.
• Tae, H, Casarotto, M & Dulhunty, A 2009, 'Ubiquitous SPRY domains and their role in the skeletal type ryanodine receptor', European Biophysics Journal, vol. 39, no. 1, pp. 51-59.
• Tae, H, Norris, N, Cui, Y et al. 2009, 'Molecular recognition of the disordered dihydropyridine receptor II-III loop by a conserved spry domain of the type 1 ryanodine receptor', Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, vol. 36, no. 3, pp. 346-349.
• Cui, Y, Tae, H, Norris, N et al. 2009, 'A dihydropyridine receptor alpha(1s) loop region critical for skeletal muscle contraction is intrinsically unstructured and binds to a SPRY domain of the type 1 ryanodine receptor', The International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, vol. 41, no. 3, pp. 677-686.
• Bannister, M, Hamada, T, Murayama, T et al 2007, 'Malignant hyperthermia mutation sites in the Leu(2442)-Pro(2477) (DP4) region of RyR1 (ryanodine receptor 1) are clustered in a structurally and functionally definable area', Biochemical Journal, vol. 401, no. 1, pp. 333-9.
• Dulhunty, A, Beard, N, Pouliquin, P et al 2007, 'Agonists and antagonists of the cardiac ryanodine receptor: potential therapeutic agents?', Pharmacology and Therapeutics, vol. 113, no. 2, pp. 247-63.
• Casarotto, M, Cui, Y, Karunasekara, Y et al. 2006, 'Structural and functional characterization of interactions between the dihydropyridine receptor II-III loop and the ryanodine receptor', Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, vol. 33, no. 11, pp. 1114-17.
• Pouliquin, P, Pace, S, Curtis, S et al. 2006, 'Effects of an alpha-helical ryanodine receptor C-terminal tail peptide on ryanodine receptor activity: modulation by Homer', The International Journal of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, vol. 38, no. 10, pp. 1700-15.
• Beard, N, Casarotto, M, Wei, L et al 2005, 'Regulation of ryanodine receptors by calsequestrin: effect of high luminal Ca2+ and phosphorylation', Biophysical Journal, vol. 88, pp. 3444-3454.
• Dulhunty, A, Karunasekara, Y, Curtis, S et al 2005, 'The recombinant dihydropyridine receptor II-III loop and partly structured C region peptides modify cardiac ryanodine receptor activity', Biochemical Journal, vol. 385, pp. 803-813.
• Cui, Y, Karunasekara, Y, Harvey, P et al. 2005, 'Letter to the editor: 1H, 13C and 15N assignments for the II-III loop region of the skeletal dyhydropyridine receptor', Journal of Biomolecular NMR, vol. 32, pp. 89-90.
• Dulhunty, A, Cengia, L, Young, J et al. 2005, 'Functional implications of modifying RyR-activating peptides for membrane permeability', British Journal of Pharmacology, vol. 144, pp. 743-754.
• Dulhunty, A, Karunasekara, Y, Curtis, S et al 2005, 'Role of some unconserved residues in the C region of the skeletal DHPR II-III loop', Frontiers in Bioscience, vol. 10, pp. 1368-1381.
• Dulhunty, A, Curtis, S, Cengia, L et al 2004, 'Peptide fragments of the dihydropyridine receptor can modulate cardiac ryanodine receptor channel activity and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release', Biochemical Journal, vol. 379, no. 1, pp. 161-172.
• Dulhunty, A, Curtis, S, Watson, S et al. 2004, 'Multiple Actions of Imperatoxin A on Ryanodine Receptors - Interactions with the II-III Loop A Fragment*', Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 279, no. 12, pp. 11853-11862.
• Tetlow, N, Coggan, M, Casarotto, M et al 2004, 'Functional polymorphism of human glutathione transferase A3: effects on xenobiotic metabolism and steroid biosynthesis', Pharmacogenetics and Genomics, vol. 14, pp. 657-663.
• Casarotto, M, Green, D, Pace, S et al. 2004, 'ACTIVATING THE RYANODINE RECEPTOR WITH DIHYDROPYRIDINE RECEPTOR II-III LOOP SEGMENTS: SIZE AND CHARGE DO MATTER', Frontiers in Bioscience, vol. 9, pp. 2860-2872.
• Green, D, Pace, S, Curtis, S et al. 2003, 'The three-dimensional structural surface of two beta-sheet scorpion toxins mimics that of an alpha helical dihydropyridine receptor segment', Biochemical Journal, vol. 370, pp. 517-527.
• Haarmann, C, Green, D, Casarotto, M et al. 2003, 'The random-coil C fragment of the dihydropyridine receptor II-III loop can activate or inhibit native skeletal ryanodine receptors', Journal of Biochemistry, vol. 372, pp. 305-316.
• Dulhunty, A, Haarmann, C, Green, D et al 2002, 'Interactions between dihydropyridine receptors and ryanodine receptors in striated muscle', Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, vol. 79, pp. 45-75.
• Zuegg, J, Webb, D, Foster, P et al. 2001, 'Structural model of human IL-13 defines the spatial interactions with the IL-13Rα/IL-4Rα receptor', Immunology and Cell Biology, vol. 79, pp. 332-339.
• Casarotto, M & Craik, D 2001, 'Ring Flexibility within Tricyclic Antidepressant Drugs', Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, vol. 90, no. 6, pp. 713-721.
• Casarotto, M, Green, D, Pace, S et al. 2001, 'Structural Determinants for Activation or Inhibition of Ryanodine Receptors by Basis Residues in the Dihydropyridine Receptor II-III Loop', Biophysical Journal, vol. 80, pp. 2715-2726.
• Casarotto, M, Gibson, F, Pace, S et al. 2000, 'A Structural Requirement for Activation of Skeletal Ryanodine Receptors by Peptides of the Dihydropyridine Receptor II-III Loop', Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 275, pp. 11631-11637.
• Flanagan, J, Chelvanayagam, G, Casarotto, M et al. 2000, 'A MUTAGENIC ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF Trp-115 IN THE HUMAN THETA CLASS GLUTATHIONE TRANSFERASE GSTT2-2', Clinical Chemistry and Enzymology Communications, vol. 8, pp. 261-269.
• Casarotto, M, Basran, J, Badii, R et al. 1999, 'Direct Measurement of the pKa of Aspartic Acid 26 in Lactobacillus casei Dihydrofolate Reductase: Implications for the Catalytic Mechanism', Biochemistry, vol. 38, no. 25, pp. 8038-8044.
• Dulhunty, A, Laver, D, Gallant, E et al. 1999, 'Activation and Inhibition of Skeletal RyR Channels by a Part of the Skeletal DHPR II-III Loop: Effects of DHPR Ser 687 and FKBP12', Biophysical Journal, vol. 77, pp. 189-203.

Projects and Grants

Grants information is drawn from ARIES. To add or update Projects or Grants information please contact your College Research Office.

• Pursuing IRF4 as a therapeutic opportunity for lymphoid malignancies (Secondary Investigator)
• Enhanced high-field nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (Secondary Investigator)
• NHMRC 2021 Equipment Grant - Exoid (Izon Biosciences) - Linked to ARIES ID 39296 (Secondary Investigator)
• Small molecule Inhibitors of glutathione transferase omega 1-1(GSTO1-1) for the treatment of inflammatory disease (Secondary Investigator)
• Developing animal models with an RYR-1 mutation and clinical phenotype for the purpose of evaluating cell and modecular mechanisms of RYR-1 disease (Secondary Investigator)
• UV/Vis Spectrophotometer (see 34173) (Primary Investigator)
• Decrypting the Excitation Contraction coupling machinery in skeletal muscle (Primary Investigator)
• Glutathione transferase Omega 1 as a novel target for sepsis and other inflammatory disorders (Secondary Investigator)
• FPLC GE-Healthcare (See 30857) (Primary Investigator)
• Wyatt QELS-Quasi-Elastic Light Scattering Accessory (See 27887) (Primary Investigator)
• Epigenetic regulation by lysine specific demethylases in human breast cancer stem cells (Secondary Investigator)
• Direct Detect [Millipore] (See 26118) (Primary Investigator)
• DHPR a-B subunit interaction in skeletal muscle excitation contraction coupling and sarcopenia (Secondary Investigator)
• DHPR β subunit binding to a variably spliced region of RyR1: a role in EC coupling and myotonic dystrophy (Secondary Investigator)
• New cardiac ryanodine receptor inhibitors for the treatment of heart failure (Secondary Investigator)
• Glutathione transferase-derived compounds as therapeutic agents (Secondary Investigator)
• Communication between calcium ion channels in skeletal muscle excitation-contraction coupling (Secondary Investigator)