Education
Ph.D in Biological Chemistry, Dept. of BBCM, University of Trieste, Italy, 2003
Current Position
Post-doctoral position in Biochemistry, Dept. of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy
Publications (since 2010)
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Benincasa, M., Lagatolla, C., Dolzani, L., Milan, A., Pacor, S., Liut, G., Tossi, A., Cescutti, P. and Rizzo, R. (2016). Biofilms from Klebsiella pneumoniae: Matrix Polysaccharide Structure and Interactions with Antimicrobial Peptides. Microorganisms 4(3).
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Paulsen, V. S., Mardirossian, M., Blencke, H. M., Benincasa, M., Runti, G., Nepa, M., Haug, T., Stensvag, K. and Scocchi, M. (2016). Inner membrane proteins YgdD and SbmA are required for the complete susceptibility of E. coli to the proline-rich antimicrobial peptide arasin 1(1-25). Microbiology.
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Scocchi, M., Mardirossian, M., Runti, G. and Benincasa, M. (2016). Non-Membrane Permeabilizing Modes of Action of Antimicrobial Peptides on Bacteria. Curr Top Med Chem 16(1): 76-88.
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Xhindoli, D., Pacor, S., Benincasa, M., Scocchi, M., Gennaro, R. and Tossi, A. (2016). The human cathelicidin LL-37--A pore-forming antibacterial peptide and host-cell modulator. Biochim Biophys Acta 1858(3): 546-566.
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Benincasa, M., Francescon, M., Fregonese, M., Gennaro, R., Pengo, P., Rossi, P., Paolo Scrimin, P. and Tecilla, P. (2015). Helical peptide–polyamine and –polyether conjugates as synthetic ionophores. Bioorg Med Chem 23: 7386-7393.
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Gerdol, M., Puillandre, N., De Moro, G., Guarnaccia, C., Lucafo, M., Benincasa, M., Zlatev, V., Manfrin, C., Torboli, V., Giulianini, P. G., Sava, G., Venier, P. and Pallavicini, A. (2015). Identification and Characterization of a Novel Family of Cysteine-Rich Peptides (MgCRP-I) from Mytilus galloprovincialis. Genome Biol Evol 7(8): 2203-2219.
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Bociek, K., Ferluga, S., Mardirossian, M., Benincasa, M., Tossi, A., Gennaro, R. and Scocchi, M. (2015). Lipopolysaccharide Phosphorylation by the WaaY Kinase Affects the Susceptibility of Escherichia coli to the Human Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37. J Biol Chem 290(32): 19933-19941.
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Benincasa, M., Zahariev, S., Pelillo, C., Milan, A., Gennaro, R. and Scocchi, M. (2015). PEGylation of the peptide Bac7(1-35) reduces renal clearance while retaining antibacterial activity and bacterial cell penetration capacity. Eur J Med Chem 95: 210-219.
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Guida, F., Benincasa, M., Zahariev, S., Scocchi, M., Berti, F., Gennaro, R. and Tossi, A. (2015). Effect of size and N-terminal residue characteristics on bacterial cell penetration and antibacterial activity of the proline-rich peptide Bac7. J Med Chem 58(3): 1195-1204.
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Simunic, J., Petrov, D., Bouceba, T., Kamech, N., Benincasa, M. and Juretic, D. (2014). Trichoplaxin - a new membrane-active antimicrobial peptide from placozoan cDNA. Biochim Biophys Acta 1838(5): 1430-1438.
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Pelillo, C., Benincasa, M., Scocchi, M., Gennaro, R., Tossi, A. and Pacor, S. (2014). Cellular internalization and cytotoxicity of the antimicrobial proline-rich peptide Bac7(1-35) in monocytes/macrophages, and its activity against phagocytosed Salmonella typhimurium. Protein Pept Lett 21(4): 382-390.
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Runti, G., Lopez Ruiz Mdel, C., Stoilova, T., Hussain, R., Jennions, M., Choudhury, H. G., Benincasa, M., Gennaro, R., Beis, K. and Scocchi, M. (2013). Functional characterization of SbmA, a bacterial inner membrane transporter required for importing the antimicrobial peptide Bac7(1-35). J Bacteriol 195(23): 5343-5351.
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Paulsen, V. S., Blencke, H. M., Benincasa, M., Haug, T., Eksteen, J. J., Styrvold, O. B., Scocchi, M. and Stensvag, K. (2013). Structure-activity relationships of the antimicrobial peptide arasin 1 - and mode of action studies of the N-terminal, proline-rich region. PLoS One 8(1): e53326.
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Ilić, N., Novković, M., Guida, F., Xhindoli, D., Benincasa, M., Tossi, A. and Juretić, D. (2013). Selective antimicrobial activity and mode of action of adepantins, glycine-rich peptide antibiotics based on anuran antimicrobial peptide sequences. BBA-Biomembranes 1828(3): 1004-1012.
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Donati, I., Benincasa, M., Foulc, M. P., Turco, G., Toppazzini, M., Solinas, D., Spilimbergo, S., Kikic, I. and Paoletti, S. (2012). Terminal sterilization of BisGMA-TEGDMA thermoset materials and their bioactive surfaces by supercritical CO2. Biomacromolecules 13(4): 1152-1160.
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Donati, M., Di Francesco, A., Di Paolo, M., Fiani, N., Benincasa, M., Gennaro, R., Nardini, P., Foschi, C. and Cevenini, R. (2011). Activity of Cathelicidin Peptides against Simkania negevensis. Int J Pept 2011: 708710.
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Benincasa, M., Pacor, S., Wu, W., Prato, M., Bianco, A. and Gennaro, R. (2011). Antifungal activity of amphotericin B conjugated to carbon nanotubes. ACS Nano 5(1): 199-208.
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Topazzini, M., Coslovi, A., Boschelle, M., Marsich, E., Benincasa, M., Gennaro, R. and Paoletti, S. (2011). Can the interaction between LL-37 and alginate be exploited for the formulation of new biomaterials with antimicrobial properties? Carbohydr Polym 83: 578-585.
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Travan, A., Marsich, E., Donati, I., Benincasa, M., Giazzon, M., Felisari, L. and Paoletti, S. (2011). Silver-polysaccharide nanocomposite antimicrobial coatings for methacrylic thermosets. Acta Biomater 7(1): 337-346.
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Marsich, E., Travan, A., Donati, I., Di Luca, A., Benincasa, M., Crosera, M. and Paoletti, S. (2011). Biological response of hydrogels embedding gold nanoparticles. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 83(2): 331-339.
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Benincasa, M., Pelillo, C., Zorzet, S., Garrovo, C., Biffi, S., Gennaro, R. and Scocchi, M. (2010). The proline-rich peptide Bac7(1-35) reduces mortality from Salmonella typhimurium in a mouse model of infection. BMC Microbiol 10: 178.
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Donati, M., Di Francesco, A., Gennaro, R., Benincasa, M., Di Paolo, M., Shurdhi, A., Ostanello, F., Baldelli, R. and Cevenini, R. (2010). Increasing effect of a high dose of PG-1 peptide on the infectivity of Chlamydophila abortus. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol 59(2): 221-222.
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Wehmeier, S., Arnold, M. F., Marlow, V. L., Aouida, M., Myka, K., Fletcher, V., Benincasa, M., Scocchi, M., Ramatar, D. and Ferguson, G. (2010). Internalisation of a thiazole-modified peptide in Sinorhizobium meliloti occurs by BacA-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Microbiology 156: 2702-2713.
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Tomasinsig, L., Benincasa, M., Scocchi, M., Skerlavaj, B., Tossi, A., Zanetti, M. and Gennaro, R. (2010). Role of Cathelicidin Peptides in Bovine Host Defense and Healing. Probiotics Antimicrob Proteins 2(1): 12-20.
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Comegna, D., Benincasa, M., Gennaro, R., Izzo, I. and De Riccardis, F. (2010). Design, synthesis and antimicrobial properties of non-hemolytic cationic alpha-cyclopeptoids. Bioorg Med Chem 18(5): 2010-2018.