| Dunja Lamatsch | |||||||||
|
|
|
 |
|||||||
|
|||||||||
2008–present 2006–2007 2005–2006 2001–2004 1997–2001 1995–1996 |
|||||||||
| Research | |||||||||
| The paradox of sex remains the queen of problems in evolutionary biology. | |||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
 |
|||||||||
| Staff | |||||||||
Mag. Maria Pichler (Technical Assistance) Lisa Strasser (Bachelor Student, University of Salzburg) |
|||||||||
| Projects | |||||||||
Giant sperm from Matzke-Karasz (2005)EROS in Ostracods: Evolution of Reproduction with Oversized Spermatozoa in Ostracods Recent cypridoidean ostracods (Podocopa) are living mainly in fresh or brackish water environments. They reproduce with filamentous giant sperm, reaching up to ten times the body length of the animal. A common origin of their reproduction with giant sperm is well supported by fossil evidence from the lower Cretaceous, speaking for an evolutionary success of this reproductive mode. Considering the energetic costs related to production, transport and storage of giant sperm, the ques-tion about the advantages stands to reason. Hypotheses that have been put forward for other groups with giant sperm (e.g. copulatory plug, female cryptic choice or zygote nutrition) must be seen as ap-proximations, which are each applicable for at least a few of the regarding taxa. However, none of the existing hypotheses can be satisfactorily assigned to the situation on ostracods. The present project outline features two hypotheses, of which one, hypothesis B, has been developed in consideration of the special anatomy of ostracods. The hypotheses are: (A) male freshwater ostra-cods developed giant sperm in order to fill the female receptacles and thus to prevent other males in-seminating the female (aim: optimization of fertilization success) and (B) giant sperm help female freshwater ostracods to reduce the sperm transfer rate per time unit (aim: diversification of paterni-ties). A lower sperm transfer rate not only reduces the absolute sperm number per completed insemi-nation; female ostracods potentially have the opportunity to interrupt copulation by closing their valves. A low sperm transfer rate thus allows for an improved control of the number of sperms trans-ferred by actively determining the copulation duration. Evolution of extraordinary long female sperm ducts and a complex female reproductive system may have caused a selective pressure on males towards the evolution of giant sperm. | |||||||||
 Mosquito fish, Gambusia affinis
Quantifying Individual Fitness with Trojan Sex Chromosomes: an Ultimate Conservation Tool With an alarming decline in biodiversity, conservation biologists have been facing two pressing tasks: 1) protecting and recovering the populations of endangered species, and 2) controlling invasive pest species which threaten native biota. These two tasks usually require different theoretical and/or methodological frameworks. Recently, the introduction of individuals, carrying ‘Trojan’ sex chromosomes (i.e. hormone-treated individuals whose sex has been reversed from their genotype), into wild populations has been proposed as a potential way of not only exterminating invasive pest species but also of saving endangered species. However, the ecology of individuals carrying Trojan sex chromosomes (i.e. sex-reversed individuals) and their offspring is virtually unknown. Thus, empirical work on the use of Trojan sex chromosomes is urgently required. We will conduct the first comprehensive investigation quantifying the fitness of sex-reversed individuals and their offspring, using an invasive fish species. We will use three different approaches: morphological, endocrinological and behavioural measurements. This work will extend our knowledge of the intricate relationships among genes, hormones and phenotypic characters. Importantly, it will explore the feasibility of introducing Trojan individuals into wild populations for conservation proposes. Therefore, our project will ensure that New Zealand remains a front runner in the field of conservation biology. | |||||||||
Gynogenesis as a dispersal strategy The Prussian carp, Carassius gibelio, was introduced to Europe from East Asia, probably as a triploid all-female gynogenetic lineage whose clonal reproduction relies on sperm from related species inducing the asexual egg development. Since its introduction, the Prussian carp invaded most of European fresh water systems and started developing diploid and tetraploid forms, males and sexual modes of reproduction. The mechanism of the observed changes is not well understood. Distribution patterns suggest that the Prussian carp is invasive and displaces its sexual sperm-donor, the European crucian carp (C. carassius). We investigate the parasite community, ploidy and genetic structure of several European populations of successfully spreading gynogenetic Prussian carp, as well as of their sperm donor, the indigenous Crucian carp. Crossing experiments will give insights into the mechanism of gynogenesis.
| |||||||||
 Amazon molly
Paternal introgression in the sperm-dependent parthenogen Poecilia formosa In very rare cases, however, this exclusion mechanism fails and the male genome fertilizes the egg leading to triploid individuals. We are interested in this form of paternal introgression because polyploidization is thought to drive evolution and speciation as it provides plenty of genetic material for differentiation. This additional genetic material might be especially valuable to P. formosa that - as a clonal organism - should suffer from an overall low genotypic variability and the accumulation of deleterious mutations. We found, however, that the triploid clones of P. formosa have a low genetic variability and are most likely of monophyletic origin. We discovered a second level of paternal introgression when we recently found the first tetraploid P. formosa. Most likely it resulted from the fertilization of a triploid egg. We hypothesize that triploids could be important stepping stones to create tetraploids that (by segregation of chromosome sets) might have an important role in creating genotypic variation in the diploid lines of P. formosa. This would explain why in the field diploid P. formosa show a high clonal diversity. In addition, diploids show another type of paternal introgression: supernumerary microchromosomes which might also contribute to high clonal diversity in diploids. | |||||||||
 Non-marine ostracod, Eucypris virensFrom Sex to Asex: A case study on interactions between sexual and asexual reproduction in a non-marine ostracod Link An elevation in ploidy often accompanies the transition from sexual to asexual mode of reproduction, yet the ecological and evolutionary importance of ploidy in the maintenance of parthenogenetic populations is still not clear. We survey association of ploidy and geographic distribution of asexual and sexual European Eucypris virens and analyse its patterns in the perspective of lineage origin. This freshwater ostracod has a wide geographic distribution and was found as diploid sexual, diploid asexual and triploid asexual. There have been repeated origins of both, diploid asexual and triploid lineages, and these share sexual ancestors. As a consequence of the exceptional cryptic divergence between sexual populations, asexual lineages come in a great variety of genetic backgrounds. Northern as well as southern sites are often occupied by clones of multiple origins, there is, however, a clear dominance of triploid asexuals in northern Europe. The scarce distribution of diploid asexuals despite common ancestry with triploid asexuals thus confirm the view that wider geographic distribution of triploids is rather due to elevated ploidy, which may be of hybrid origin, than asexuality. | |||||||||
| Teaching | |||||||||
|
|||||||||
| 2008-2011 „Basic molecular laboratory techniques“ (experimental laboratory course) „Basic cytogenetic laboratory techniques“ (experimental laboratory course) 2007 Workshop on “Flow Cytometry” (Aquatic Ecology, EAWAG, Duebendorf/Switzerland) 2006 Workshop on “Basic molecular laboratory & population genetics techniques” (Lecture with exercises) (Department of Animal & Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, UK) 2001-2004 “Biochemistry for medical students” (lecture with exercises) (Physiological Chemistry I, University of Würzburg, Germany) 1997-2001 “Biochemistry for medical students” (experimental laboratory course) (Physiological Chemistry I, University of Würzburg, Germany) |
|||||||||
| Publications | |||||||||
| Submitted Sofia Adolfsson, S., Lamatsch, D.K., Paczesniak, D., Michalakis, Y., Martens, K., Schön, I., Butlin, R.K., Jokela, J. (submitted): Mitochondrial cluster-specific genome size variability among sexual and asexual lineages of the ostracod Eucypris virens species group Rylková, K., Kalous, L., Bohlen J., Lamatsch, D.K., Petrtýl, M.: Phylogeny and biogeographic history of the cyprinid fish genus Carassius (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) with focus on natural and anthropogenic arrivals in Europe 2011 Bruvo, R., Adolfsson, S., Symonova, R., Lamatsch, D.K., Schön, I., Jokela, J., Butlin, R.K., Müller, S. (2011): Few parasites, and no evidence for Wolbachia infections in a freshwater ostracod inhabiting temporary ponds. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 102: 208–216. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2010.01556.x PDF 2010 Adolfsson, S., Michalakis Y., Paczesniak, D., Bode, S.N.S., Butlin, R.K., Lamatsch, D.K., Martins, M.J.F., Schmit, O., Vandekerkhove, J., Jokela, J. (2010):Evaluation of elevated ploidy and asexual reproduction as alternative explanations for geographic parthenogenesis in Eucypris virens ostracods. Evolution. 64: 986-997. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.2009.00872.x PDF Bode, S.N.S., Adolfsson, S., Lamatsch, D.K., Martins, M.J.F., Schmit, O., Vandekerkhove, J., Mezquita, F., Namiotko, T., Rossetti, G., Schön, I., Butlin, R.K., Martens, K. (2010): Exceptional cryptic diversity and multiple origins of parthenogenesis in a freshwater ostracod. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 54: 542–552. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2009.08.022 PDF Lamatsch, D.K. , Stöck M., Fuchs R., Döbler M.,Wacker R., Parzefall J., Schlupp I., Schartl M. (2010): Morphology, testes development and behaviour of unusual triploid males in microchromosome-carrying clones of Poecilia formosa. Journal of Fish Biology 77: 1459–1487. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02766.x Abstract Sandberger, L., Feldhaar, H., Lampert, K.P., Lamatsch, D.K., Rodel, M.O. (2010) Small, specialised and highly mobile? The tree-hole breeding frog, Phrynobatrachus guineensis, lacks fine-scale population structure. African Journal of Herpetology. 59: 79-94. doi: 10.1080/04416651003788619 PDF 2009 2008 Lamatsch, D.K., Fischer, P., Geiger, M., Lampert, K.P., Schlupp, I., Schartl, M. (2008): Diploid Amazon mollies (P. formosa) show a higher fitness than triploids in clonal competition experiments, Evolutionary Ecology 23: 687-697. doi:10.1007/s10682-008-9264-2 Loewe, L. and Lamatsch, D.K. (2008): Muller´s ratchet may threaten the Amazon molly and other ancient asexuals, BMC Evolutionary biology, 8:88-108. doi:10.1186/1471-2148-8-88 Lamatsch, D.K., Lampert, K.P., Fischer, P., Schartl, M. (2008): A tetraploid Amazon molly, Poecilia formosa. Journal of Heredity 99:223-226.. doi:10.1093/jhered/esm102 2007 Nanda, I., Schlupp, I., Lamatsch, D.K., Lampert, K.P., Schmid, M., and Schartl, M. (2007): Stable inheritance of host species-derived microchromosomes in the gynogenetic fish, Poecilia formosa, Genetics 177: 917-926. doi:10.1534/genetics.107.076893 Schories, S., Lampert, P., Lamatsch, D.K., García de León, F.J., Schartl, M. (2007): Analysis of a possible independent origin of triploid P. formosa outside of the Río Purificación river system. Frontiers in Zoology 4:13. doi:10.1186/1742-9994-4-13 Janko, K., Bohlen, J., Lamatsch, D.K., Flajshans, M., Epplen, J.T., Rab, P., Kotlik, P., Slechtova, V. (2007): The gynogenetic reproduction of diploid and triploid hybrid spined loaches (Cobitis: Teleostei), and their ability to establish successful clonal lineages-on the evolution of polyploidy in asexual vertebrates. GENETICA 13: 185-194. doi:10.1007/s10709-006-9130-5 2006 Lampert, K.P., Lamatsch, D.K., Schories, S., Hopf, A, Garcia de Leon, F.J., Schartl, M. (2006): Microsatellites for the gynogenetic Amazon molly, P. formosa: useful tools for detection of mutation rate, ploidy determination and overall genetic diversity. JOURNAL OF GENETICS 85:67-71. PDF 2005
2004 2003 2002 Stöck, M., Lamatsch, D.K., Steinlein, C., Epplen, J.T., Grosse, W.R., Hock, R., Klapperstück, T., Lampert, K., Scheer, U., Schmid, M., and Schartl, M. (2002): Discovery of a bisexually reproducing all-triploid vertebrate. Nature Genetics30:325-328. doi:10.1038/ng839, PDF Lamatsch, D.K., Schmid, M., and Schartl, M. (2002): Somatic mosaic of the gynogenetic Amazon molly, P. formosa (Poeciliidae, Teleostei), Journal of Fish Biology 60:1417-1422. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2002.tb02436.x 2000 Lamatsch, D.K., Steinlein, C., Schmid, M., and Schartl, M. (2000): Non-invasive determination of genome size and ploidy level in fishes by flow cytometry: detection of triploid Poecilia formosa. Cytometry 39:91-95. Link 1998 Lamatsch, D.K., Sharbel, T.F., Martin, R., and Bock, C. (1998): A drop technique for flatworm chromosome preparation for light microscopy and high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. Chromosome Research 6:654-656. Link |
|||||||||
| Cooperation partners | |||||||||
Jukka Jokela (EAWAG, Zürich, Switzerland) Roger Butlin (University of Sheffield, UK) Shinichi Nakagawa (University of Otago, New Zealand) Manfred Schartl (University of Würzburg, Germany) Matthias Stöck (University of Lausanne, Switzerland) Laurence Loewe (Wisconsin/USA) Vladimir Trifonov (Cambridge/UK) Hugh Loxdale (University of Jena/Germany) Renate Matzke-Karasz (University of Munich, Germany) |
|||||||||
