2. Behavioral Biology TALKS - Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft

the genome. We confirmed the presence of the inverted terminal repeats of piggyBac
and the characteristic TTAA sequence of the insertion site suggesting precise
transposition events. Our results showed an efficient method of stable gene transfer
in a hymenopteran insect. We are currently testing different honeybee specific
promoters that will allow us to manipulate genes in a particular tissue or
developmental stage. Our method offers new opportunities to study the interesting
social phenotypes of the honeybee by stable genetic manipulation.
�29 Inga Nissen A 704 / 15:00
Molecular control of sex determination in honeybees
Authors: Inga Nissen, Martin Beye
Affiliation: 1 Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Institute for Evolutionary Genetics
Molecular analysis of the diversity of sex determination systems can contribute in our
understanding of how and why pathways and gene functions evolved. Sex in the
honey bee (Apis mellifera) is determined by heterozygosity of the complementary sex
determiner (csd) gene. This sex-specific signal is realized by a cascade of genes that
involves the feminizer (fem) and the highly conserved Am-doublesex (Am-dsx) gene,
which is found across the order of insects. We have previously reported that Csd
proteins control the female-specific processing of the fem transcript encoding the
Fem protein, while Fem proteins are required to promote female specific Am-dsx
splicing. However, it is still unknown whether Fem proteins are direct regulators of
Am-dsx pre-mRNA splicing and how this process is molecularly regulated. To analyze
the molecular control of female and male Am-dsx splice regulation, we developed an
in vivo splice assay in Sf21-cells. To mimic sex-specific Am-dsx splicing we constructed
an Am-dsx-minigene and co-expressed beside Fem proteins, the RNA-binding protein
Am-Tra2 as potential co-factor of Am-dsx splice regulation. Analysis of Am-dsx
splicing products showed that both proteins are direct regulators of alternative Amdsx-minigene
splicing. Fem and Am-Tra2 proteins activate the splice donor site of the
female exon that requires an evolved exonic splice enhancer sequence upstream of
the splice donor site. Our study showed that the molecular control of sex-specific dsx
splicing substantially diverged compared to Drosophila melanogaster.
�30 Monika Hassel A 704 / 15:15
MAPK signaling is necessary for the final phase of bud detachment and correlates
with Sprouty expression
Author(s): Monika Hassel 1 , Christian Hasse 1 , Ellen Lange 1 , Ashwini Suryawanshi 1 ,
Affiliation: 1 Spezielle Zoologie, Morphology and Evolution of Invertebrates, Philipps
University Marburg
Signaling by the Hydra FGFR Kringelchen is essential for the establishment of the
boundary between parent and bud (1), where it likely acts upstream of Notch (2).
Overexpression of the full length FGFR variant in Hydra.induces autotomy of the body
column and indicates a role of FGFR signaling in tissue separation.
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