报告题目：1．promises and pitfalls of the emerging discipline of molecular ethology
2．characterization of neuropeptide processing enzymes using differential peptidomics
报告摘要：
1．promises and pitfalls of the emerging discipline of molecular ethology
regulation of behavior is polygenic, however the molecular tools presently available allows to dissect complex behavior and to look for specific genes involved in the regulation of a particular behavioral changes. our main model organism is the grasshopper schistocerca gregaria. as observed in other related grasshoppers schistocerca displays polymorphism and appears in a solitary and a gregary phase. the latter giving rise to hopper bands and swarming adults. using the candidate gene approach we tested whether a gene regulating food seeking behavior in drosophila as well as in social insects is involved in phase polymorphism in locusts.
2．characterization of neuropeptide processing enzymes using differential peptidomics
in most organisms neuropeptides are encoded as part of a larger precursor protein. following removal of the signal peptide, furin-like prohormone convertase enzymes cleave the precursor at dibasic cleaving sites. the carboxyterminal dibasic extensions of the resulting peptides are subsequently removed by carboxypeptidases. eventually when a glycine residue is present at the c-terminus a peptidyl-glycine amidating monooxygenease enzyme might convert the peptide into its amidated form. in c.elegans 4 prohomone convertases (kpc-1-4) are described. only a knock-out ofkpc2/egl3 affects peptide processing. egl3 mutants and egl21 mutants show the same phenotype and have compromised egg laying. egl21 gene was predicted to be a carboxypeptidase. using differential peptidomics we confirmed this assumption.
报告人： dr. roger huybrechts 教授
dr. roger huybrechts ：比利时天主教鲁汶大学终身教授，于1977年在鲁汶大学获得动物学生物学硕士，1982年获得动物学理学博士。 dr. huybrechts自1985年得到鲁汶大学教职，2001年升为副教授，2003年被提为教授。2003年至今是鲁汶大学理学院副院长；2006年至今还担任比利时皇家动物学协会主席。二十多年来，dr.huybrechts一直从事昆虫生理生化和分子生物学的研究，主要研究昆虫生殖的内分泌调节，重组蛋白在昆虫细胞的表达，昆虫基质金属蛋白酶遗传和功能保守性和分子水平昆虫行为学研究等。已在peptides, mol biol，j. neurosci和j. insect physiol等国际科学期刊上发表了30多篇学术论文和综述，在昆虫生理生化和分子生物学方面的研究有很深的造诣。
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(基础医学与生物科学学院)
