Abstracts - Deutsche Zoologische Gesellschaft

Plenary LecturesL PL.1 (Mo) - ENHypothalamic integration of hormonal inputsJens BrüningInstitut für Genetik, Universität zu KölnNeuropeptide Y (NPY) – and agouti-related peptide (AgRP) – as well as proopiomelanocortin(POMC)-expressing neurons in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus integrate multiple hormonaland nutrient signals to adapt energy homeostasis and peripheral glucose metabolism. The presentationwill focus on the common intracellular signaling pathways activated by these signals in definedneurons of the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus such as the activation of the Pi3 kinase andSTAT3 signaling pathway. Data from transgenic mice with either deletions or constitutive activationsof these pathways in AgRP and POMC neurons will be presented. The functional consequencesof modulating these unifying intracellular pathways and their regulation by diverse upstream activatorswill be discussed.L PL.1 (Sa) - ENThe promise of insect genomicsCornelis GrimmelikhuijzenDepartment of Biology, Cell Biology and Comparative Zoology, University of CopenhagenInsects are ecologically and economically extremely important, because most flowering plants dependon insects for their pollination. In USA is has been calculated that, if honey bee pollinationwould be absent, society would miss 30% of its food products. But insects can also be severe agriculturalpests, destroying up to 30% of our potential annual harvest, and can be vectors (intermediatepathogen carriers) for major human diseases such as malaria. In addition to their clear importance forour global economy, ecology, food supply, and health, insects are also extremely useful as laboratorymodels. Genetic studies in the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster, for example, have led to thediscovery of many molecular mechanisms underlying embryonic development (such as homeoboxgenes, Wnt signaling). These molecular mechanisms turned out to be valid not only in Drosophila,but also in all other animals including humans. Genetic and developmental studies in Drosophila,therefore, have revolutionized our understanding of animal development. During the last few years,the genomes from more than 24 insects have been sequenced or are in the process of being sequenced.Because genome sequencing technologies are currently becoming cheaper and faster, thenumber of sequenced insect genomes will certainly increase and also include other arthropods suchas myriapods, crustaceans and chelicerates. These exciting developments in arthropod research willgive us enormous amounts of new, highly useful data that we can use for our own specific researchinterests, for example for the establishment of new phylogenetic relationsships using phylogenomics.In my own research group, we are interested in the insect neuroendocrine system and specificallyin neurohormones (biogenic amines, neuropeptides, protein hormones) and their G protein-coupledreceptors (GPCRs). These signal molecules play a central role in the insect brain and in the physiologyof insects, because they occupy a high “hierarchic” position in the steering and coordinationof vital processes, such as reproduction, development, growth, behavior, feeding, and homeostasis.We have now set up an endocrine genomics (endocrinomics) program based on all insects with asequenced genome. Our findings show that (i) Drosophila is not a very good representative of allinsects; (ii) novel endocrine systems (GPCR/neurohormone couples) can be discovered in otherinsects that are absent in Drosophila; (iii) endocrine systems can be conserved, duplicated, or lost