CV Science

Patrick Pierre Lestienne Director of Research INSERM

Course and current status

PhD and Doctorat ès Sciences Naturelles. University Louis Pasteur. Strasbourg.

Education

-1974. First degree honors, Master’s degree, honors. Biochemistry. University Louis Pasteur. Strasbourg, France

-1975. Diplôme d’Etudes Approfondies of Biochemistry, honors. ULP. Strasbourg

-1976. Doctorate of third Cycle in Biochemistry. ULP. Strasbourg

-1979. Research Fellow INSERM (Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale)

-1980. Doctorate d’état ès-Sciences Naturelles, honors. ULP. Strasbourg

-1981. Associate Researcher INSERM

-1988. Director of Research INSERM

 

Appointments

1974-1976. Laboratory of Plant Physiology. Botanical Institute. ULP. Strasbourg “Studies on the aminoacylation of plant viral RNA”. Dir. J.H. Duranton

1976-1980. Laboratory of Enzymology. Faculty of Pharmacy. ULP. Strasbourg “Studies on the enzymatic properties of Pancreatic and Leukocyte Elastases”. Dir. J.G. Bieth

1980-1983. Laboratory of Biochemistry. Polytechnic School. Palaiseau “Studies on the regulation of the in vitro expression of bacterial genes involved in translation”. Dir. S. Blanquet

1983-1985. Department of Pathology. Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA. USA. Studies on the in vitro replication of the human mitochondrial DNA”. Dir. D. A. Clayton

1985-1986. Department of Cellular Differenciation. Pasteur’s Institute. Paris “Cloning the human mitochondrial DNA”. Dir. P. Brachet

1986-1998. Unit 298 INSERM. Angers “Studies on the human mitochondrial DNA in neuromuscular diseases”.

1998-2002. EMI 99.29 INSERM. Bordeaux “Mitochondrial Genetics”

2002-2007. Bergonié Institute. Bordeaux “Genetic instability and triple helix DNA”

2007-Present. U 1053 INSERM. Bordeaux “Studies of Pontin and Reptin overproduced in cancers”

Scientific summary

Molecular basis of the normal and pathological structure and functions of Nucleic acids-enzymes interactions.

-PhD and Doctorat ès-sciences. Studies on the aminoacylation of plant viral RNA. Enzymatic properties, and inhibition of porcine and human leukocyte elastases by modified peptides. Inhibition of leukocyte elastase by polynucleotides.

-Post doctorat. Studies, in vitro, on the regulation of expression of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases of E. coli. First evidences for a post-trancriptional autoregulation of Threonyl-tRNA synthetase.

-Post doctoral studies on the replication of the human mitochondrial DNA in vitro. First characterization of a subunit of the human mitochondrial DNA polymerase.

-Post doctoral period at the Pasteur's institute to clone the human mitochondrial DNA

-First evidences for the occurence of human mitochondrial DNA deletions in patients presenting metabolic myopathies.

-New concept for DNA rearrangements based on the distributivity of DNA polymerases. Reinitiation of DNA synthesis from primers forming a triple helix, on double-stranded DNA.

-Studies on Pontin and Reptin (RuVBL1 and RuVBL2), ATP dependent DNA helicases overproduced in cancers. First evidences for the finding of potent inhibitors, from in silico screening, and enzymatic assay of the ATPase activity

Accomplishments

-Evidences that a mitochondrial Valyl-tRNA Synthetase is able to aminoacylate the RNA of the VMA. (1976)

-Evidences for a new class of synthetic reversible and irreversible inhibitors of elastases. Inhibition of Leukocyte Elastase by polynucleotides. Activation by hydrophobic solvents and ionic strength. (1980)

-Evidences for an autogeneous translational control of the expression of the E. coli Threonyl-tRNA Synthetase. (1983)

-Characterization of the processive subunit of the human mitochondrial DNA polymerase gamma. (1985)

-First evidence for the occurrence of heteroplasmic mitochondrial DNA deletions in Kearns-Sayre Syndrome. (1988)

-Manager of the network INSERM “Molecular Biology and Pathology of Human Mitochondria”. 25 Teams/Laboratories (1990-1995)

-President of the French Group of Bioenergetics. (1993-1995)

-Invited speaker at the Nobel Symposium on Mitochondrial Diseases (1994) Saltjöbaden. Sweden.

-Editor of Collective books: “Mitochondrial Diseases: Models and Methods” 27 Chap. 400 P. Springer-Verlag (1999). Co-Editor “Les maladies Mitochondriales” Annales de l’Institut Pasteur (2001).

-Included in the “Who’s Who in the world” (1999)

-Proposal of a new model to account for the occurrence of DNA rearrangements based on the distributivity of DNA polymerases and the formation of a triple-stranded DNA in the catalytic centre of DNA polymerases. (2002)

-“Man of the year” awarded by the American Biographical Institute (2003)

“Leading scientists of the world” awarded by the International Biographical Centre, Cambridge, UK (2005) (2007).

« The world medal of freedom » awarded by the “American Biographical Institute” (2006).

-Elected member of the Specialized Scientific Commissions INSERM “Metablolism, Nutrition and Toxicology”, and “Molecular Basis of the Development and Oncogenesis, Genetic, and Epi-genetics aspects” (2003-2007)

-“Outstanding scientists of the 21th Century” awarded by the International Biographical Centre”, Cambridge, UK (2007).

-Elected member of the board INSERM (2008-2012)

-Finding of potent inhibitors of Pontin and Reptin, RuvB-like helicases overproduced in cancers. (2012)

-First evidences for a chaperone activity of Reptin and Pontin (2014)