MORAES LAB
Mitochondrial Biology & Gene Editing

PUBLICATIONS

Recent publications (2018–2025)

Selected recent publications from the Moraes Laboratory. For the most complete, up-to-date list, see PubMed: Moraes CT (2018–2025) on PubMed .

2025

  • Barrera-Paez JD, et al. Correcting a pathogenic mitochondrial DNA mutation by compensatory base editing. Sci. Transl. Med.. 2025. PubMed
  • Barrera-Paez JD, Moraes CT. mtDNA base editing: Mind the gap. Mol Cell. 2025. PubMed

2024

  • Moraes CT. Tools for editing the mammalian mitochondrial genome. Human Molecular Genetics. 2024. PubMed
  • Walker BR, Theard LM, Pinto M, Rodriguez-Silva M, Bacman SR, Moraes CT. Restoration of defective oxidative phosphorylation to a subset of neurons prevents mitochondrial encephalopathy. EMBO Mol Med. 2024. PubMed
  • Bacman SR, et al. mitoTALEN reduces the mutant mtDNA load in neurons. Molecular Therapy – Nucleic Acids. 2024. PubMed
  • Gonzalez CD, Moraes CT, et al. Absence of both MGME1 and POLG EXO abolishes mtDNA replication; insights into mtDNA maintenance. J Biol Chem. 2024. PubMed

2023

  • Shoop WK, Lape J, Trum M, Powell A, Sevigny E, Mischler A, Bacman SR, Fontanesi F, Smith J, Jantz D, Gorsuch CL, Moraes CT. Efficient elimination of MELAS-associated m.3243G mutant mitochondrial DNA by an engineered mitoARCUS nuclease. Nat Metab. 2023. PubMed

2022

  • Shoop WK, Gorsuch CL, Bacman SR, Moraes CT. Precise and simultaneous quantification of mitochondrial DNA heteroplasmy and copy number by digital PCR. J Biol Chem. 2022. PubMed

2021

  • Arguello T, Peralta S, Antonicka H, Gaidosh G, Diaz F, Tu Y-T, Garcia S, Shiekhattar R, Barrientos A, Moraes CT. ATAD3A has a scaffolding role regulating mitochondria inner membrane structure and protein assembly. Cell Rep. 2021. PubMed
  • Zekonyte U, Bacman SR, Smith J, Shoop W, Pereira CV, Tomberlin G, Stewart J, Jantz D, Moraes CT. Mitochondrial targeted meganuclease as a platform to eliminate mutant mtDNA in vivo. Nat Commun. 2021. PubMed

2020

  • Peralta S, Pinto M, Arguello T, Garcia S, Diaz F, Moraes CT. Metformin delays neurological symptom onset in a mouse model of neuronal complex I deficiency. JCI Insight. 2020. PubMed
  • Pereira CV, Peralta S, Arguello T, Bacman SR, Diaz F, Moraes CT. Myopathy reversion in mice after restauration of mitochondrial complex I. EMBO Molecular Medicine. 2020. PubMed
  • Zekonyte U, Bacman SR, Moraes CT. DNA-editing enzymes as potential treatments for heteroplasmic mtDNA diseases. Journal of Internal Medicine. 2020. PubMed

2019

  • Lima PLV, Pereira CV, Nissanka N, Arguello T, Gavini G, Maranduba CMDC, Diaz F, Moraes CT. Photobiomodulation enhancement of cell proliferation at 660 nm does not require cytochrome c oxidase. Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B. 2019. PubMed

2018

  • Bacman SR, et al. MitoTALEN reduces mutant mtDNA load and restores tRNA(Ala) levels in a mouse model of heteroplasmic mtDNA mutation. Nature Medicine. 2018. PubMed
  • Nissanka N, Moraes CT. Mitochondrial DNA damage and reactive oxygen species in neurodegenerative disease. FEBS Letters. 2018. PubMed
  • Garcia S, et al. Overexpression of PGC-1α in aging muscle enhances a subset of young-like molecular patterns. Aging Cell. 2018. PubMed
  • Pereira CV, Bacman SR, Arguello T, Zekonyte U, Williams SL, Edgell DR, Moraes CT. mitoTev-TALE: a monomeric DNA editing enzyme to reduce mutant mitochondrial DNA levels. EMBO Molecular Medicine. 2018. PubMed
  • Nissanka N, Bacman SR, Plastini MJ, Moraes CT. The mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma degrades linear DNA fragments precluding the formation of deletions. Nature Communications. 2018. PubMed