TY - JOUR A1 - Schartl, Manfred A1 - Schlupp, Ingo A1 - Schartl, Angelika A1 - Meyer, Manfred K. A1 - Nanda, Indrajit A1 - Schmid, Michael A1 - Epplen, Jörg T. A1 - Parzefall, Jakob T1 - On the stability of dispensable constituents of the eukaryotic genome: Stability of coding sequences versus truly hypervariable sequences in a clonal vertebrate, the amazon molly, Poecilia formosa N2 - In dooal unisexual vertebrales, the genes specifying the males become dispensable. To study tbe rate of such geoes the gynogeoetic all-female fisb Poecilillfonnolll was treated with androgens. Phenotypic males were obtained that exbibited the complete set of male cbaracteristics of dosely related gooocboristic species, induding body proportions, pigmentation, the extremely complex insemination apparatus of poecilüd fish, sexual bebavior, and spermatogeoesls. Tbe apparent stabllity of such genic structures, induding those involved in androgen regulation, is contrasted by high instability of noncoding sequeaces. Frequent mutations, thelr donal transmission, and at least two truly hypervariable Iod leading to individual difl'ereaces between these othenrise donal organisms were detected by DNA fingerprinting. These observations substantiate the concept that also in "ameiotic" vertebrates certain compartments of the genome are more prooe to mutatiooal alterations than others. KW - Physiologische Chemie KW - DNA fingerprinting KW - androgen-induced masculinization KW - gynogeaesls KW - simple repeat sequences Y1 - 1991 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-61731 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Winkler, Christoph A1 - Vielkind, Jürgen R. A1 - Schartl, Manfred T1 - Transient expression of foreign DNA during embryonic and larval development of the medaka fish (Oryzias latipes) N2 - Species of small fish are becoming useful tools for studies on vertebrate development. Wehave investigated the developing embryo of the Japanese medaka for its application as a transient expression system for the in vivo analysis of gene regulation and function. The temporaland spatial expression patterns ofbacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase and galactosidase reporter genes injected in supercoiled plasmid form into the cytoplasm of one cell of the two-cell stage embryo was promoter-specific. The transient expression was found to be mosaic within the tissue and organs reflecting the unequal distribution of extrachromosomal foreign DNA and the intensive cell mixing movements that occur in fish embryogenesis. The expression data are consistent with data on DNA fate. Foreign DNA persisted during embryogenesis and was still detectable in some 3- and 9-month-old adult fish; it was found in high molecular weight form as weil as in circular plasmid conformations. The DNA was replicated during early and late embryogenesis. Our data indicate that the developing medaka embryo is a powerful in vivo assay system for studies of gene regulation and function. KW - Physiologische Chemie KW - Medaka - Genetransfer - Transient expression - DNA fate - Fish developmental biology Y1 - 1991 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-61743 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Götz, Rudolf A1 - Köster, Reinhard A1 - Winkler, Christoph A1 - Raulf, Friedrich A1 - Lottspeich, Friedrich A1 - Schartl, Manfred A1 - Thoenen, Hans T1 - Neurotrophin-6 is a new member of the nerve growth factor family N2 - DURING vertebrale development, many neurons depend for survival and differentiation on their target cells\(^{1-3}\). The best documented mediator of such a retrograde trophic action is the neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF)\(^1\). NGF and the other known members of tbe neurotrophin family, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT -3) and neurotrophin-4/5 (NT -4/5) are conserved as distinct genes over large evolutionary distances\(^{4 -6}\). Here we report the cloning of neurotrophin-6 (NT -6), a new member of this family from the teleost fish Xiphophorus. NT -6 distinguishes itself from the other known neurotrophins in that it is not found as a soluble protein in the medium of producing cells. The addition of heparin (but not chondroitin) effects the release of NT -6 from cell surface and extracellular matrix molecules. Recombinant purified NT -6 has a spectrum of actions similar to NGF on chick sympathetic and sensory neurons, albeit with a lower potency. NT -6 is expressed in tbe embryonie valvulla cerebelli; expression persists in some adult tissues. The interaction of NT-6 with heparin-binding molecuJes may modulate its action in the nervous system . KW - Physiologische Chemie Y1 - 1994 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-61544 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Malitschek, Barbara A1 - Wittbrodt, Joachim A1 - Fischer, Petra A1 - Lammers, Reiner A1 - Ullrich, Axel A1 - Schartl, Manfred T1 - Autocrine stimulation of the Xmrk receptor tyrosine kinase in Xiphophorus melanoma cells and identification of a source for the physiological ligand N2 - The melanoma·inducing gene of Xiphophorus fish encodes the Xmrk receptor tyrosine kinase. U sing a highly specific antiserum p~oduced against the recombinant receptor expressed with a baculovirus, it is shown that Xmrk is the most abundant phosphotyrosine protein in fish melanoma and thus highly activated in the tumors. Studies on a melanoma cellline revealed that these cells produce an activity that considerably stimulates receptor autophosphorylation. The stimulating activity induces receptor down-regulation and can be depleted from the melanoma cellsupernatant by the immobilized recombinant receptor protein. The fish melanoma cells can thus be considered autocrine tumor cells providing a source for future purification and characterization of the Xmrk ligand. KW - Physiologische Chemie Y1 - 1994 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-61551 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Meyer, Axel A1 - Morrissey, Jean M. A1 - Schartl, Manfred T1 - Recurrent origin of a sexually selected trait in Xiphophorus fishes inferred from a molecular phylogeny N2 - DARWIN\(^1\) believed that sexual selection accounts for the evolution of exaggerated male ornaments, such as the sword-like caudal fin extensions of male fishes of the genus Xiphophorus, that appear detrimental to survival. Swordtails continue to feature prominently in empirical work and theories of sexual selection; the pre-existing bias hypothesis has been offered as an explanation for the evolution of swords in these fishes\(^{2,3}\). Based upon a largely morphological phylogeny, this hypothesis suggests that female preference to mate with sworded males arose in ancestrally swordless species, thus pre-dating the origin of the sword itself and directly driving its evolution. Here we present a molecular phylogeny (based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences) of Xiphophorus which differs from the traditional one: it indicates that the sword originated and was lost repeatedly. Our phylogeny suggests that the ancestor of the genus is more likely to have possessed a sword than not, thus questioning the applicability of the pre-existing bias hypothesis as an explanation for the cvolution of this sexually selected trait. KW - Physiologische Chemie Y1 - 1994 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-61569 ER -