UCLA Chemistry and Biochemistry
Home Biochemistry  Inorganic    Organic     Physical  

Cathy Clarke, Ph.D.

Website:

Cathy Clarke's Home Page.

Work Email Address:

cathy@chem.ucla.edu

Laboratory Address:

Young Hall 5073
Young Hall 2107

Office Address:

Young Hall 5072B

Work Phone Number:

1 (310) 825-0668
1 (310) 825-0771
1 (310) 825-7327
Professor
Biochemistry
Member
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (BMB) Graduate Program

A Short Biography:

Professor Clarke received B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from UCLA in 1979 & 1985. She worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University & joined the faculty in the Department of Medicine at UCLA in 1988. She joined the faculty in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry in 1993.

Prof. Clarke accepts graduate students through the Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (BMB) Graduate Program & the UCLA ACCESS Ph.D. Program.

Awards and Honors:

Career Development Award, UCLA Ellison Medical Foundation Senior Scholar Award Genetics Training Grant Fellowship, UCLA President's Undergraduate Fellow, UCLA University Graduate Fellowship, UCLA

Research Interest:

The Clarke lab studies the biosynthesis and functional roles of coenzyme Q (ubiquinone or Q). Q functions in mitochondrial respiratory electron transport and as a lipid soluble antioxidant. We are using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (bakers yeast) to elucidate the biosynthetic metabolism of Q. Our experimental approach employs a combination of molecular genetics, lipid chemistry and biochemistry to delineate the steps responsible for Q biosynthesis. We also utilize the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model to study the role of Q in aging. Worm mutants with a Q biosynthetic defect have an extended life span, as do normal worms fed a "Q-less" diet. We are probing the mechanisms responsible for the life span extension. We are also using yeast and C. elegans to study the uptake and trafficking of dietary Q. Based on the strong conservation of Q biosynthesis and function, our findings are directly relevant to human Q metabolism.


Detailed Biography:

Professor Clarke has been a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry since 1993. Dr. Clarke completed her undergraduate and graduate studies at UCLA. Her Ph.D. studies focused on the regulation of cholesterol metabolism. She was a post-doctoral fellow at Princeton University. She returned to UCLA in the Department of Medicine and studied polyisoprene and non-sterol metabolism, and then initiated studies on coenzyme Q biosynthesis using the yeast model. In 1993 she joined the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Molecular Biology Institute. She was promoted to full professor in 2002, and has served as General Chemistry Advisor and Biochemistry Graduate Student Advisor. The focus of her current research is determining how cells synthesize coenzyme Q, and utilizing yeast and nematode models to understand mechanisms of its inter- and intra-cellular transport, and elucidating functional roles.

Publications:

Padilla-López Sergio, Jiménez-Hidalgo María, Martín-Montalvo Alejandro, Clarke Catherine F, Navas Plácido, Santos-Ocaña Carlos   Genetic evidence for the requirement of the endocytic pathway in the uptake of coenzyme Q(6) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Biochimica et biophysica acta, 2009; 1788(6): 1238-48.
Cristina David, Cary Michael, Lunceford Adam, Clarke Catherine, Kenyon Cynthia   A regulated response to impaired respiration slows behavioral rates and increases lifespan in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS genetics, 2009; 5(4): e1000450.
Padilla S, Tran U C, Jiménez-Hidalgo M, López-Martín J M, Martín-Montalvo A, Clarke C F, Navas P, Santos-Ocaña C   Hydroxylation of demethoxy-Q6 constitutes a control point in yeast coenzyme Q6 biosynthesis. Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS, 2009; 66(1): 173-86.
Marbois Beth, Gin Peter, Gulmezian Melissa, Clarke Catherine F   The yeast Coq4 polypeptide organizes a mitochondrial protein complex essential for coenzyme Q biosynthesis. Biochimica et biophysica acta, 2009; 1791(1): 69-75.
Saiki R, Lunceford A., Shi Y, Marbois B, King R, Pachuski J, Kawamukai M, Gasser DL, Clarke CF   Coenzyme Q10 Supplementation Rescues Renal Disease in Pdss2kd/kd mice with mutations in Prenyldiphosphate synthase subunit 2. American Journal of Physiology. Renal Physiology, 2008; 181(6): .
Do Thai Q, Moshkani Safiehkhatoon, Castillo Patricia, Anunta Suda, Pogosyan Adelina, Cheung Annie, Marbois Beth, Faull Kym F, Ernst William, Chiang Su Ming, Fujii Gary, Clarke Catherine F, Foster Krishna, Porter Edith   Lipids including cholesteryl linoleate and cholesteryl arachidonate contribute to the inherent antibacterial activity of human nasal fluid. Journal of immunology (Baltimore, Md. : 1950), 2008; 181(6): 4177-87.
Kiebish Michael A, Han Xianlin, Cheng Hua, Lunceford Adam, Clarke Catherine F, Moon Hwi, Chuang Jeffrey H, Seyfried Thomas N   Lipidomic analysis and electron transport chain activities in C57BL/6J mouse brain mitochondria. J. Neurochem., 2008; 106(1): 299-312.
Saiki Ryoichi, Lunceford Adam L, Bixler Tarra, Dang Peter, Lee Wendy, Furukawa Satoru, Larsen Pamela L, Clarke Catherine F   Altered bacterial metabolism, not coenzyme Q content, is responsible for the lifespan extension in Caenorhabditis elegans fed an Escherichia coli diet lacking coenzyme Q. Aging Cell, 2008; 7(3): 291-304.
Peng Min, Falk Marni J, Haase Volker H, King Rhonda, Polyak Erzsebet, Selak Mary, Yudkoff Marc, Hancock Wayne W, Meade Ray, Saiki Ryoichi, Lunceford Adam L, Clarke Catherine F, L Gasser David   Primary coenzyme Q deficiency in Pdss2 mutant mice causes isolated renal disease. PLoS Genet., 2008; 4(4): e1000061.
Gulmezian Melissa, Hyman Kyle R, Marbois Beth N, Clarke Catherine F, Javor George T   The role of UbiX in Escherichia coli coenzyme Q biosynthesis. Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 2007; 467(2): 144-53.
Hsieh Edward J, Gin Peter, Gulmezian Melissa, Tran UyenPhuong C, Saiki Ryoichi, Marbois Beth N, Clarke Catherine F   Saccharomyces cerevisiae Coq9 polypeptide is a subunit of the mitochondrial coenzyme Q biosynthetic complex. Arch. Biochem. Biophys., 2007; 463(1): 19-26.
Tran UyenPhuong C, Clarke Catherine F   Endogenous synthesis of coenzyme Q in eukaryotes. Mitochondrion, 2007; 7 Suppl(1): S62-71.
Gulmezian Melissa, Zhang Haitao, Javor George T, Clarke Catherine F   Genetic evidence for an interaction of the UbiG O-methyltransferase with UbiX in Escherichia coli coenzyme Q biosynthesis. J. Bacteriol., 2006; 188(17): 6435-9.
Tran UyenPhuong C, Marbois Beth, Gin Peter, Gulmezian Melissa, Jonassen Tanya, Clarke Catherine F   Complementation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae coq7 mutants by mitochondrial targeting of the Escherichia coli UbiF polypeptide: two functions of yeast Coq7 polypeptide in coenzyme Q biosynthesis. J. Biol. Chem., 2006; 281(24): 16401-9.
Barros Mario H, Johnson Alisha, Gin Peter, Marbois Beth N, Clarke Catherine F, Tzagoloff Alexander   The Saccharomyces cerevisiae COQ10 gene encodes a START domain protein required for function of coenzyme Q in respiration. J. Biol. Chem., 2005; 280(52): 42627-35.
Johnson Alisha, Gin Peter, Marbois Beth N, Hsieh Edward J, Wu Mian, Barros Mario H, Clarke Catherine F, Tzagoloff Alexander   COQ9, a new gene required for the biosynthesis of coenzyme Q in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J. Biol. Chem., 2005; 280(36): 31397-404.
Marbois Beth, Gin Peter, Faull Kym F, Poon Wayne W, Lee Peter T, Strahan Jeff, Shepherd Jennifer N, Clarke Catherine F   Coq3 and Coq4 define a polypeptide complex in yeast mitochondria for the biosynthesis of coenzyme Q. J. Biol. Chem., 2005; 280(21): 20231-8.
Dyall Sabrina D, Yan Weihong, Delgadillo-Correa Maria G, Lunceford Adam, Loo Joseph A, Clarke Catherine F, Johnson Patricia J   Non-mitochondrial complex I proteins in a hydrogenosomal oxidoreductase complex. Nature, 2004; 431(7012): 1103-7.
Padilla, S., Jonassen, T., Jimenez-Hidalgo, M. J., Fernandez-Ayala, D. J. M., Lopez-Lluch, G. M., Marbois, B., Navas, P., Clarke, C. F. and Santos-Ocana, C.   Demethoxy-Q, an intermediate of coenzyme Q biosynthesis, fails to support respiration in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and lacks antioxidant activity. J. Biol. Chem., 2004; 279(25): 25995-6004.
Hsieh Edward J, Dinoso Jason B, Clarke Catherine F   A tRNA(TRP) gene mediates the suppression of cbs2-223 previously attributed to ABC1/COQ8. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun., 2004; 317(2): 648-53.
Esteves Telma C, Echtay Karim S, Jonassen Tanya, Clarke Catherine F, Brand Martin D   Ubiquinone is not required for proton conductance by uncoupling protein 1 in yeast mitochondria. The Biochemical journal, 2004; 379(Pt 2): 309-15.
Baba Suzie W, Belogrudov Grigory I, Lee Justine C, Lee Peter T, Strahan Jeff, Shepherd Jennifer N, Clarke Catherine F   Yeast Coq5 C-methyltransferase is required for stability of other polypeptides involved in coenzyme Q biosynthesis. The Journal of biological chemistry, 2004; 279(11): 10052-9.
Jonassen Tanya, Davis Diana E, Larsen Pamela L, Clarke Catherine F   Reproductive fitness and quinone content of Caenorhabditis elegans clk-1 mutants fed coenzyme Q isoforms of varying length. The Journal of biological chemistry, 2003; 278(51): 51735-42.
Gin Peter, Hsu Adam Y, Rothman Steven C, Jonassen Tanya, Lee Peter T, Tzagoloff Alexander, Clarke Catherine F   The Saccharomyces cerevisiae COQ6 gene encodes a mitochondrial flavin-dependent monooxygenase required for coenzyme Q biosynthesis. The Journal of biological chemistry, 2003; 278(28): 25308-16.
Jonassen Tanya, Marbois Beth N, Faull Kym F, Clarke Catherine F, Larsen Pamela L   Development and fertility in Caenorhabditis elegans clk-1 mutants depend upon transport of dietary coenzyme Q8 to mitochondria. The Journal of biological chemistry, 2002; 277(47): 45020-7.
Santos-Ocaña Carlos, Do Thai Q, Padilla Sergio, Navas Placido, Clarke Catherine F   Uptake of exogenous coenzyme Q and transport to mitochondria is required for bc1 complex stability in yeast coq mutants. The Journal of biological chemistry, 2002; 277(13): 10973-81.
Larsen Pamela L, Clarke Catherine F   Extension of life-span in Caenorhabditis elegans by a diet lacking coenzyme Q. Science (New York, N.Y.), 2002; 295(5552): 120-3.
Belogrudov G I, Lee P T, Jonassen T, Hsu A Y, Gin P, Clarke C F   Yeast COQ4 encodes a mitochondrial protein required for coenzyme Q synthesis. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 2001; 392(1): 48-58.
Do T Q, Hsu A Y, Jonassen T, Lee P T, Clarke C F   A defect in coenzyme Q biosynthesis is responsible for the respiratory deficiency in Saccharomyces cerevisiae abc1 mutants. The Journal of biological chemistry, 2001; 276(21): 18161-8.
Jonassen T, Larsen P L, Clarke C F   A dietary source of coenzyme Q is essential for growth of long-lived Caenorhabditis elegans clk-1 mutants. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2001; 98(2): 421-6.
Poon W W, Davis D E, Ha H T, Jonassen T, Rather P N, Clarke C F   Identification of Escherichia coli ubiB, a gene required for the first monooxygenase step in ubiquinone biosynthesis. Journal of bacteriology, 2000; 182(18): 5139-46.
Jonassen T, Clarke C F   Isolation and functional expression of human COQ3, a gene encoding a methyltransferase required for ubiquinone biosynthesis. The Journal of biological chemistry, 2000; 275(17): 12381-7.
Poon W W, Barkovich R J, Hsu A Y, Frankel A, Lee P T, Shepherd J N, Myles D C, Clarke C F   Yeast and rat Coq3 and Escherichia coli UbiG polypeptides catalyze both O-methyltransferase steps in coenzyme Q biosynthesis. The Journal of biological chemistry, 1999; 274(31): 21665-72.
Jonassen T, Proft M, Randez-Gil F, Schultz J R, Marbois B N, Entian K D, Clarke C F   Yeast Clk-1 homologue (Coq7/Cat5) is a mitochondrial protein in coenzyme Q synthesis. The Journal of biological chemistry, 1998; 273(6): 3351-7.
Barkovich R J, Shtanko A, Shepherd J A, Lee P T, Myles D C, Tzagoloff A, Clarke C F   Characterization of the COQ5 gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Evidence for a C-methyltransferase in ubiquinone biosynthesis. The Journal of biological chemistry, 1997; 272(14): 9182-8.
Poon W W, Do T Q, Marbois B N, Clarke C F   Sensitivity to treatment with polyunsaturated fatty acids is a general characteristic of the ubiquinone-deficient yeast coq mutants. Molecular aspects of medicine, 1997; 18 Suppl(5): S121-7.
Do T Q, Schultz J R, Clarke C F   Enhanced sensitivity of ubiquinone-deficient mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to products of autoxidized polyunsaturated fatty acids. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 1996; 93(15): 7534-9.
Jonassen T, Marbois B N, Kim L, Chin A, Xia Y R, Lusis A J, Clarke C F   Isolation and sequencing of the rat Coq7 gene and the mapping of mouse Coq7 to chromosome 7. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 1996; 330(2): 285-9.
Marbois B N, Clarke C F   The COQ7 gene encodes a protein in saccharomyces cerevisiae necessary for ubiquinone biosynthesis. The Journal of biological chemistry, 1996; 271(6): 2995-3004.
Poon W W, Marbois B N, Faull K F, Clarke C F   3-Hexaprenyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid forms a predominant intermediate pool in ubiquinone biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Archives of biochemistry and biophysics, 1995; 320(2): 305-14.
Clarke C F, Williams W, Teruya J H   Ubiquinone biosynthesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Isolation and sequence of COQ3, the 3,4-dihydroxy-5-hexaprenylbenzoate methyltransferase gene. The Journal of biological chemistry, 1991; 266(25): 16636-44.
UCLA Homepage  ·  UCLA Division of Physical Sciences  ·  © UC Regents  ·  General Information
Graduate Office  ·  Undergraduate Office  ·  Chair's Office