Faculty Details

Muscles are the most abundant tissue in the human body, and have a critical role in locomotion, energy expenditure and metabolic homeostasis. Our research program is dedicated to dissecting the cell biology and physiology of muscle, with a focus on the mechanisms underlying intracellular spatial organization, which is adapted to address the various functional demands of muscles. Mitochondria play a crucial role in signaling and energy distribution in muscle cells. However, the structure and functionality of mitochondrial networks deteriorate as muscle ages. Thus, we aim to understand the mechanisms driving the development and maintenance of mitochondrial networks in muscles, to help design strategies to improve muscle function and reverse age-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and muscle loss. Additionally, we investigate the structural, functional, and communicative aspects of mitochondria with endoplasmic reticulum in both physiological and pathophysiological conditions, such as diabetes and sarcopenia. We utilize a multidisciplinary approach, using genetic manipulation, molecular biology, 3D imaging (light and electron microscopy), and advanced metabolic imaging methods. By unraveling the complexities of mitochondrial function and its role in muscle health, we aim to contribute to the development of targeted therapies for age-related muscle disorders and metabolic diseases, ultimately improving the quality of life.

Research Keywords:  Mitochondrial Networks, Mitochondrial-Endoplasmic Reticulum Contact Sites, Transmission Electron Microscopy, High-Resolution Image, 3D Electron Microscopy, Sarcoplasmic Reticulum, Sarcopenia, Diabetes, Aging.

Prasanna Katti, currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at IISER Tirupati, India, has been instrumental in advancing our understanding of muscle biology. After completing his master’s in biotechnology from JNU, New Delhi, India, he earned a Ph.D. in Muscle Biology from the Indian Institute of Sciences, Bangalore, India.  His postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Brian Glancy at the National Institutes of Health (NIH/NHLBI), USA, further enriched his knowledge in Muscle Physiology. Throughout his career, Dr. Katti has applied novel microscopy methods to understand how muscle fibers adjust their mitochondrial quantity and organization to meet specific functional demands. His research has opened new avenues of study in muscle physiology and established inter-laboratory collaborations. He hasl mentored trainees from diverse backgrounds. His research group at IISER Tirupati, utilizing Drosophila and Mice, functional genomics, and high-resolution imaging, is at the forefront of investigating organelle design and communication in muscle physiology and pathology.

PubMed Link: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Prasanna+Katti&sort=date

Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=l-Z6cVQAAAAJ&hl=en

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prasanna-katti-79527217/

2024
C. Jenkins, B*., Neikirk, K*., Katti, P., M. Claypool, S., Kirabo, A., R. McReynolds, M., Hinton, A. Jr. Mitochondria in disease: changes in shapes and dynamics. Trends Biochem Sci. Hinton, A*., Katti, P*., Mungai, M., Hall. D., Shao, J., Koval. O, Vue, Z., Lopez, E. G., Rostami, R., Neikirk, K., Ponce, J., Streeter, J., Schickling, B., M., Bacevac, S., Grueter, C., Marshall, A. G., Beasley, H. K., Do Koo, Y., Bodine, S., Nava, N., Quintana, A., Song, Long-Sheng., Grumbach, S., Pereira. R., Glancy, B., Abel, E. D. ATF4‐dependent increase in mitochondrial‐endoplasmic reticulum tethering following OPA1 deletion in skeletal muscle. J Cell Physiol.Vue, Z*., Garza-Lopez, E*., Neikirk, K*., Katti, P*., Gomez, A., McReynolds, M. R., and Hinton, A., Jr. 3D Reconstruction of Murine Mitochondria Reveals Changes in Structure During Aging Linked to the MICOS Complex. Aging Cell. 2023
Katti, P. & Glancy, B. Rebalancing Cardiac Structure and Function With Synthetic Mitochondria-Endoplasmic Reticulum Tethers. (2023).  Circulation Research 132, 1465-1467.Neikirk, K., Lopez, E. G., Marshall, A. G., Alghanem, A., Krystofiak, E., Kula, B., Smith, N., Shao, J., Katti, P^#., and Hinton, A^#., Jr. (2023). Call to Action to Properly Utilize Electron Microscopy to Measure Organelles to Monitor Disease. Eur J Cell Biol 102: 151365.Crabtree, A, Neikirk, K, Murray, S. A, Katti, P, Damo, S. M, Vue, Z, Hinton, A., Jr. (2023). Defining Mitochondrial Cristae Morphology Changes Induced by Aging in Brown Adipose Tissue. Adv Biol (Weinh), e2300186.Katti, P^#., Love-Rutledge^#, S., Murray, S.A^#. & Hinton, A., Jr^#. Editorial: the role of mitochondrial endoplasmic reticulum contact sites in human health and disease. Front Mol Biosci 10, 1223354.Marshall AG, Neikirk K, Stephens DC, Vang L, Vue Z, Beasley HK, Crabtree A, Scudese E, Lopez EG, Shao B, Krystofiak E, Rutledge S, Davis J, Murray SA, Damo SM^#, Katti, P^#, Hinton A Jr^#. (2023). Serial Block Face-Scanning Electron Microscopy as a Burgeoning Technology. Adv Biol (Weinh), e2300139.

Katti P^#, Kim Y, Sundaresan NR, Gouspillou G, and Hinton A Jr. Editorial: Muscle Plasticity: Regulation of adaptive changes in muscles and mitochondrial dynamics. Front. Physiol. 14:1192759.

Hinton, A*., Katti, P*., Christensen, T. A., Mungai, M., Shao, J., Zhang, L., Trushin, S., Alghanem, A., Jaspersen, A., Geroux, R. E., Neikirk, K., Biete, M., Lopez, E. G., Vue, Z., Beasley, H. K., Marshall, A. G., Ponce, J., Bleck, C. K. E., Hicsasmaz, I., . . . Abel, E. D. (2023). A comprehensive approach to artifact-free sample preparation and the assessment of mitochondrial morphology in tissue and cultured cells. Adv. Biology, 37140138.

Neikirk, K*., Vue, Z*., Katti, P*., Rodriguez, B. I., Omer, S., Shao, J., Christensen, T., Garza Lopez, E., Marshall, A., Palavicino-Maggio, C. B., Ponce, J., Alghanem, A. F., Vang, L., Barongan, T., Beasley, H. K., Rodman, T., Stephens, D., Mungai, M., Correia, M., Exil, V., Damo, S., Murray, S. A., Crabtree, A., Glancy, B., Pereira, R. O., Abel, E. D., Hinton, A. O., (2023). Systematic Transmission Electron Microscopy-Based Identification and 3D Reconstruction of Cellular Degradation Machinery. Adv. Biology, 2200221.

Katti, P., Hall, A. S., Parry, H. A., Ajayi, P. T., Kim, Y., Willingham, T. B., Bleck, C. K. E., Wen, H., and Glancy, B. (2022). Mitochondrial Network Configuration Influences Sarcomere and Myosin Filament Structure in Striated Muscles. Nat Commun 13: 6058.

Katti, P., Ajayi, P.T., Aponte, A., Bleck, C. K. E., & Glancy, B. (2022). Identification of evolutionarily conserved regulators of muscle mitochondrial network organization. Nat Commun 13, 6622.

2022

Ajayi, P. T*., Katti, P*., Zhang, Y., Willingham, T. B., Sun, Y., Bleck, C. K. E., & Glancy, B. (2022). Regulation of the evolutionarily conserved muscle myofibrillar matrix by cell type-dependent and independent mechanisms. Nat Commun, 13(1), 2661.

Garza-Lopez, E*., Vue, Z*., Katti, P*., Neikirk, K., Biete, M., Lam, J., Beasley, H. K., Marshall, A. G.,Rodman, T. A., Christensen, T. A., Salisbury, J. L., Vang, L., Mungai, M., AshShareef, S., Murray, S. A., Shao, J., Streeter, J., Glancy, B., Pereira, R. O., . . . Hinton, A. (2022). Protocols for Generating Surfaces and Measuring 3D Organelle Morphology Using Amira. Cells, 11(1), 65.

2021

Lam, J., Katti, P*., Biete, M., Mungai, M., AshShareef, S., Neikirk, K., Garza Lopez, E., Vue, Z., Christensen, T. A., Beasley, H. K., Rodman, T. A., Murray, S. A., Salisbury, J. L., Glancy, B., Shao, J., Pereira, R. O., Abel, E. D., & Hinton, A., Jr. (2021). A Universal Approach to Analyzing Transmission Electron Microscopy with ImageJ. Cells, 10(9).

Katti, P^#., Rai, M., Srivastava, S., D’Silva, P., & Nongthomba, U#. (2021). Marf- mediated mitochondrial fusion is imperative for the development and functioning of indirect flight muscles (IFMs) in drosophila. Exp Cell Res, 399(2), 112486.

2020

Glancy, B., Kim, Y., Katti, P., & Willingham, T. B. (2020). The Functional Impact of Mitochondrial Structure Across Subcellular Scales. Front Physiol, 11, 541040.

2019
Kim, Y., Yang, D. S., Katti, P., & Glancy, B. (2019). Protein composition of the muscle mitochondrial reticulum during postnatal development. J Physiol, 597(10), 2707-2727.

2017
Katti, P., Thimmaya, D., Madan, A., & Nongthomba, U. (2017). Overexpression of miRNA-9 Generates Muscle Hypercontraction Through Translational Repression of Troponin-T in Drosophila melanogaster Indirect Flight Muscles. G3 (Bethesda), 7(10), 3521-3531.

2016
Rai M., Katti P. and Nongthomba U. (2016). Spatiotemporal coordination of cell cycle exit, fusion, and differentiation of adult muscle precursors by Drosophila Erect wing (Ewg). Mechanisms of Development, 141: 109-18. PMID: 27039019.

2014
Rai, M., Katti, P., & Nongthomba, U. (2014). Drosophila Erect wing (Ewg) controls mitochondrial fusion during muscle growth and maintenance by regulation of the Opa1-like gene. J Cell Sci, 127(Pt 1), 191-203.

2023	Vue, Z., Vue, N., Kamalumpundi, V., Barongan, T., Shao, B., Huang, S., Vang, L., Vue, M., Vang, N., Shao, J., Coombes, C., Katti, P., Liu, K., Yoshimoro, K., Biete, M., Dai, D.-F., Phillips, M. A., Vang, C., and Behringer, R. R. (2023). Asian Americans in STEMM are not a monolith., Cell.

2022-24   Research Fellow Fellowship – NIH intramural, NIH/NHLBI, USA

2017-22   Postdoctoral Fellowship – NIH intramural, NIH/NHLBI, USA

2019        Outstanding Scientific Research Award – Mitochondrial Biology Symposium, NHLBI, USA

2016        Travel Grant (Science & Engineering Research Board, SERB) – Department of Science and Technology (DST), India

2013        Travel Grant – The Company of Biologists, UK

2011        Junior Research Fellowship, Dept. of Biotechnology, (Government of India), Research fellowship.

2010        Summer Fellowship Award – Indian Institute of Science, India

2009-11   DBT Research Fellowship, Dept. of Biotechnology, (Government of India), Student fellowship for academic excellence