University of Pennsylvania: School of Veterinary Medicine

Gopa Biswas Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor

Department of Animal Biology

Qualifications

1987 M.S University of Delhi, Delhi,India, Botany
1989 M.S Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India, Biochemistry
1994 Ph.D. Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute, University of Delhi, Delhi, India, Biochemistry

Research Interests

1) Mitochondria-to-nucleus stress signaling in cells, specifically skeletal muscle cells upon the disruption of mitochondrial genetic machinery by depleting or deleting the mitochondrial DNA or during metabolic stress created by exposure to inhibitors of mitochondrial energy generating system. Other major interest is to study the signal transduction pathways that are mediated or influenced by the intracellular calcium homeostasis. Also the role of such pathways involved in mitochondrial stress signaling in apoptosis or tumor progression and metastasis.

2) Molecular mechanisms involved in the intracellular targeting of cytochrome P450s to endoplasmic reticulum or mitochondria. The main stress is on mechanisms involved in protein-protien interaction and intracellular modification of different P450s and related proteins by phosphorylation or N-terminal truncation whereby these proteins are targeted to mitochondria.

Selected Publications

Adebanjo OA, Biswas G, Moonga BS, Anandatheerthavarada HK, Sun L, Bevis PJ, Sodam BR, Lai FA, Avadhani NG, Zaidi M. Novel biochemical and functional insights into nuclear Ca(2+) transport through IP(3)Rs and RyRs in osteoblasts. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol. 2000 May;278(5):F784-91.

Biswas, G., Adebanjo, O.A., Freedman, B.D, Anandatheerthavarada, H.K., Vijayasarathy, C., Zaidi, M., Kotlikoff, M. and Avadhani, N.G. Retrograde Ca2+ signaling in C2C12 skeletal myocytes in response to mitochondrial genetic and metabolic stress: a novel mode of inter-organelle crosstalk. EMBO J. 1999 Feb 1;18(3):522-33.

Adebanjo OA, Biswas G, Moonga BS, Anandatheerthavarada HK, Sun L, Bevis PJ, Sodam BR, Lai FA, Avadhani NG, Zaidi M. A new function for CD38/ADP-ribosyl cyclase in nuclear Ca2+ homeostasis. Nat Cell Biol. 1999 Nov;1(7):409-414.

Anandatheerthavarada HK, Biswas G, Mullick J, Sepuri NB, Otvos L, Pain D, Avadhani NG. Dual targeting of cytochrome P4502B1 to endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria involves a novel signal activation by cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation at ser128. EMBO J. 1999 Oct 15;18(20):5494-504.

Sun L, Adebanjo OA, Moonga BS, Corisdeo S, Anandatheerthavarada HK, Biswas G, Arakawa T, Hakeda Y, Koval A, Sodam B, Bevis PJ, Moser AJ, Lai FA, Epstein S, Troen BR, Kumegawa M, Zaidi M. CD38/ADP-ribosyl cyclase: A new role in the regulation of osteoclastic bone resorption. J Cell Biol. 1999 Sep 6;146(5):1161-72.

Bhagwat SV, Biswas G, Anandatheerthavarada HK, Addya S, Pandak W, Avadhani NG. Dual targeting property of the N-terminal signal sequence of P4501A1. Targeting of heterologous proteins to endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. J Biol Chem. 1999 Aug 20;274(34):24014-22.

Anandatheerthavarada HK, Vijayasarathy C, Bhagwat SV, Biswas G, Mullick J, Avadhani NG. Physiological role of the N-terminal processed P4501A1 targeted to mitochondria in erythromycin metabolism and reversal of erythromycin-mediated inhibition of mitochondrial protein synthesis. J Biol Chem. 1999 Mar 5;274(10):6617-25.

Addya S, Anandatheerthavarada HK, Biswas G, Bhagwat SV, Mullick J, Avadhani NG. Targeting of NH2-terminal-processed microsomal protein to mitochondria: a novel pathway for the biogenesis of hepatic mitochondrial P450MT2. J Cell Biol. 1997 Nov 3;139(3):589-99.