Dokument-ID Dokumenttyp Verfasser/Autoren Herausgeber Haupttitel Abstract Auflage Verlagsort Verlag Erscheinungsjahr Seitenzahl Schriftenreihe Titel Schriftenreihe Bandzahl ISBN Quelle der Hochschulschrift Konferenzname Quelle:Titel Quelle:Jahrgang Quelle:Heftnummer Quelle:Erste Seite Quelle:Letzte Seite URN DOI Abteilungen OPUS4-20251 Wissenschaftlicher Artikel Dechaud, Corentin; Volff, Jean-Nicolas; Schartl, Manfred; Naville, Magali Sex and the TEs: transposable elements in sexual development and function in animals Transposable elements are endogenous DNA sequences able to integrate into and multiply within genomes. They constitute a major source of genetic innovations, as they can not only rearrange genomes but also spread ready-to-use regulatory sequences able to modify host gene expression, and even can give birth to new host genes. As their evolutionary success depends on their vertical transmission, transposable elements are intrinsically linked to reproduction. In organisms with sexual reproduction, this implies that transposable elements have to manifest their transpositional activity in germ cells or their progenitors. The control of sexual development and function can be very versatile, and several studies have demonstrated the implication of transposable elements in the evolution of sex. In this review, we report the functional and evolutionary relationships between transposable elements and sexual reproduction in animals. In particular, we highlight how transposable elements can influence expression of sexual development genes, and how, reciprocally, they are tightly controlled in gonads. We also review how transposable elements contribute to the organization, expression and evolution of sexual development genes and sex chromosomes. This underscores the intricate co-evolution between host functions and transposable elements, which regularly shift from a parasitic to a domesticated status useful to the host. 2019 42 Mobile DNA 10 urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-202510 10.1186/s13100-019-0185-0 Theodor-Boveri-Institut für Biowissenschaften OPUS4-14602 Wissenschaftlicher Artikel Kneitz, Susanne; Mishra, Rasmi R.; Chalopin, Domitille; Postlethwait, John; Warren, Wesley C.; Walther, Ronald B.; Schartl, Manfred Germ cell and tumor associated piRNAs in the medaka and \(Xiphophorus\) melanoma models Background A growing number of studies report an abnormal expression of Piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) and the piRNA processing enzyme Piwi in many cancers. Whether this finding is an epiphenomenon of the chaotic molecular biology of the fast dividing, neoplastically transformed cells or is functionally relevant to tumorigenesisis is difficult to discern at present. To better understand the role of piRNAs in cancer development small laboratory fish models can make a valuable contribution. However, little is known about piRNAs in somatic and neoplastic tissues of fish. Results To identify piRNA clusters that might be involved in melanoma pathogenesis, we use several transgenic lines of medaka, and platyfish/swordtail hybrids, which develop various types of melanoma. In these tumors Piwi, is expressed at different levels, depending on tumor type. To quantify piRNA levels, whole piRNA populations of testes and melanomas of different histotypes were sequenced. Because no reference piRNA cluster set for medaka or Xiphophorus was yet available we developed a software pipeline to detect piRNA clusters in our samples and clusters were selected that were enriched in one or more samples. We found several loci to be overexpressed or down-regulated in different melanoma subtypes as compared to hyperpigmented skin. Furthermore, cluster analysis revealed a clear distinction between testes, low-grade and high-grade malignant melanoma in medaka. Conclusions Our data imply that dysregulation of piRNA expression may be associated with development of melanoma. Our results also reinforce the importance of fish as a suitable model system to study the role of piRNAs in tumorigenesis. 2016 BMC Genomics 17 357 urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-146028 10.1186/s12864-016-2697-z Theodor-Boveri-Institut für Biowissenschaften