Bert Hobmayer


Address:
Institute of Zoology
University of Innsbruck
Technikerstr. 25
6020 Innsbruck
Austria

Room: 7/14
Phone:
+43 512 507-6165
E-mail:
bert.hobmayer@uibk.ac.at

Bert Hobmayer

Professor of Zoology, Head of the Institute of Zoology

 

Current Research

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My research is focused on major transitions in life's history that have resulted in the immense diversification of animal body plans. From the first cell colonies representing the most ancestral multicellular animals, so far unresolved evolutionary events led to the development of organized tissue layers, nervous and muscle systems, germ layers, and body axes.

To elucidate how the complex body organization of bilaterians evolved from simpler, more radially symmetric ancestors more than 650 million years ago, we study the cnidarian polyps Hydra and Nematostella and the basal bilaterian flatworms Isodiametra and Macrostomum. Our studies include ultrastructural, cellular, and developmental genetic levels. To better understand body plan evolution, our goals are

1.  to study the role of canonical Wnt and Bmp/Chordin signalling in axis formation and regeneration,
2.  to analyze non-canonical Wnt signalling and actin dynamics during tissue evagination,
3.  to elucidate the origin of Cadherin-Catenin-based cell adhesion and its contribution to the establishment of true epithelia.

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For more details see:

 

Curriculum vitae

1987 Dipl.Biol., Institute of Zoology, University of Munich
1991 Dr.rer.nat., Institute of Zoology, University of Munich
1991 - 1993 Humboldt and JSPS fellow at the National Institute of Genetics, Mishima, Japan
1993 Assistant Professsor, Institute of Zoology, University of Frankfurt
1997 Assistant Professsor, Institute of Zoology, University of Darmstadt
2002 Assistant Professsor, Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck
2004 Venia docendi for Developmental Biology and Zoology, University of Innsbruck
since 2006 Head of the Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck
2009 Full professorship, Institute of Zoology, University of Innsbruck

 

Projects

  • Wnt and Bmp-Chordin signalling in basal bilaterians and the evolution of bilaterian body axes, FWF P19232, 2006-2009
  • Molecular analysis of the actin cytoskeleton in shape generating processes, TWF 0404/185, 2005-2006
  • Structure and function of the Hydra cadherin-catenin cell adhesion complex and the evolution of metazoan epithelia, FWF P16685, 2003-2007
  • Funktion of the ß-Catenin-complex in cell adhesion and pattern formation in Hydra, DFG Ho1621/3-1, 2001-2004
  • Axis formation in the Cnidaria, DFG Ho1088/2-3, 2001-2003

 

Publications 2012

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • Ambrosone, A.; Marchesano,, V.; Tino, A.; Hobmayer, B.; Tortiglione, C. (2012): Hymyc1 Downregulation Promotes Stem Cell Proliferation in Hydra vulgaris.
    In: PLoS One 7/1, p. e30660. (Weblink) (DOI)



Publications 2011

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Meeting-Abstracts)
  • Hobmayer, B. (2011): A Wnt/SFRP signalling system acts in specification of the ancestral eumetazoan body axis.
    In: Zitteliana. An International Journal of Palaeontology and Geobiology. Series B 30, p. 25. (Weblink)



Publications 2010

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • Chapman, J.A.; Kirkness, E.F.; Simakov, O.; Hampson, S.E.; Mitros, T.; Weinmaier, T.; Rattei, T.; Balasubramanian, P.G.; Borman, J.; Busam, D.; Disbennett, K.; Pfannkoch, C.; Sumin, N.; Sutton, G.G.; Viswanathan, L.D.; Walenz, B.; Goodstein, D.M.; Hellsten, U.; Kawashima, T.; Prochnik, S.E.; Putnam, N.H.; Shu, S.; Blumberg, B.; Dana, C.E.; Gee, L.; Kibler, D.F.; Law, L.; Lindgens, D.; Martinez, D.E.; Peng, J.; Wigge, P.A.; Bertulat, B.; Guder, C.; Nakamura, Y.; Ozbek, S.; Watanabe, H.; Khalturin, K.; Hemmrich, G.; Franke, A.; Augustin, R.; Fraune, S.; Hayakawa, E.; Hayakawa, S.; Hirose, M.; Hwang, J.S.; Ikeo, K.; Nishimiya-Fujisawa, C.; Ogura, A.; Takahashi, T.; Steinmetz, P.R.; Zhang, X.; Aufschnaiter, R.; Eder, M.K.; Gorny, A.K.; Salvenmoser, W.; Heimberg, A.M.; Wheeler, B.M.; Peterson, K.J.; Böttger, A.; Tischler, P.; Wolf, A.; Gojobori, T.; Remington, K.A.; Strausberg, R.L.; Venter, J.C.; Technau, U.; Hobmayer, B.; Bosch, T.C.; Holstein, T.W.; Fujisawa, T.; Bode, H.R.; David, C.N.; Rokhsar, D.S.; Steele, R.E. (2010): The dynamic genome of Hydra.
    In: NATURE 464, pp. 592 - 596. (DOI)

  • Hartl, M; Mitterstiller, A; Valovka, T; Breuker, K; Hobmayer, B; Bister, K (2010): Stem cell-specific activation of an ancestral myc protooncogene with conserved basic functions in the early metazoan Hydra.
    In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107, pp. 4051 - 4056.

Journal Articles (Reviews)
  • Hobmayer, B.; Philipp, I.; Aufschnaiter, R.; Eder, M.-K.; Jenewein, M. (2010): Wnts in der Achsenbildung und Morphogenese bei Hydra.
    In: BIOspektrum 7, pp. 746 - 748.



Publications 2009

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • Egger, B.; Steinke, D.; Tarui, H.; De Mulder, K.; Arendt, D.; Borgonie, G.; Funayama, N.; Gschwentner, R.; Hartenstein, V.; Hobmayer, B.; Hooge, M.; Hrouda, M.; Ishida, S.; Kobayashi, C.; Kuales, G.; Nishimura, O; Pfister, D.; Rieger, R.; Salvenmoser, W.; Smith III, J.; Technau, U.; Tyler, S.; Agata, K.; Salzburger, W.; Ladurner, P. (2009): To be or not to be a flatworm: The acoel controversy.
    In: PLoS One 4/5, p. 5502.

  • Philipp, I.; Aufschnaiter, R.; Özbek, S.; Pontasch, S.; Jenewein, M.; Watanabe, H.; Rentzsch, F.; Holstein, T.W.; Hobmayer, B. (2009): Wnt/ß-Catenin and noncanonical Wnt signalling ineract in tissue evagination in the simple eumetazoan Hydra.
    In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 106, pp. 4290 - 4295.



Publications 2008

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • Bode, H.; Lengfeld, T.; Hobmayer, B.; Holstein, T.W. (2008): Detection of expression patterns in hydra pattern formation.
    In: METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 469, pp. 69 - 84.

  • Özbek, S.; Adamczyk, P.; Meier, S.; Gross, T.; Hobmayer, E.; Grzesiek, S.; Bächinger, H.P.; Holstein, T.W. (2008): Minicollagen-15, a novel minicollagen isolated from Hydra, forms tubule structures in nematocysts.
    In: JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 376/4, pp. 1008 - 1020.



Publications 2007

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • Rentzsch, F.; Guder, C.; Vocke, D.; Hobmayer, B.; Holstein, T.W. (2007): An ancient chordin-like gene in organizer formation of Hydra.
    In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 104/9, pp. 3249 - 3254.

Journal Articles (Biographical-Items)
  • Ladurner, P.; Meyer, E.; Hobmayer, B. (2007): Nachruf auf Prof. Dr. Reinhard Rieger.
    In: Mitteilungen der Deutschen Zoologischen Gesellschaft 2007, pp. 59 - 63.

Proceedings Articles (Abstracts)
  • Hrouda, M.; Schnegg, R.; Hobmayer (2007): Molecular Analysis of the Evolution of Bilaterian Body Axes: Conserved signalling pathways in the acoel flatworm Isodiametra pulchra and the rhabditophoran flatworm Macrostomum lignano.
    In: 17. wissenschaftlichen Tagung der Gesellschaft für Entwicklungsbiologie (GfE). Book of Abstracts. Eigenverlag.



Publications 2006

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • Guder, C.; Pinho, S.; Nacak, T.; Hobmayer, B.; Niehrs, C.; Holstein, T.W. (2006): An ancient Wnt-Dickkopf antagonism in Hydra.
    In: DEVELOPMENT 133, pp. 901 - 911.

Journal Articles (Reviews)
  • Guder, C.; Philipp, I.; Lengfeld, T.; Watanabe, H.; Hobmayer, Engelbert; and Holstein, T.W. (2006): The Wnt code: cnidarians signal the way.
    In: ONCOGENE 25, pp. 7450 - 7460.

Recensions / Book Reviews

Book Reviews, Scientific (in Journals)
  • Hobmayer, B. (2006): Evolutionsbiologie.
    In: Berichte des Naturwissenschaftlich-Medizinischen Vereins in Innsbruck 93, pp. 259 - 260.



Publications 2005

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • KUSSEROW, A.; PANG, K.; STURM, C.; HROUDA, M.; LENTFER, J.; SCHMIDT, HA.; TECHNAU, U.; HAESELER, A.; HOBMAYER, B.; MARTINDALE, MQ.; HOLSTEIN, TW. (2005): Unexpected complexity of Wnt gene family in a sea anemone.
    In: NATURE 433, pp. 156 - 160.

  • PHILIPP, I.; HOLSTEIN, TW.; HOBMAYER, B. (2005): HvJNK, a Hydra member of the c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase gene family, is expressed during nematocyte differentiation.
    In: GENE EXPRESSION PATTERNS 5/3, pp. 397 - 402.

  • RENTZSCH, F.; HOBMAYER, B.; HOLSTEIN, TW. (2005): Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Has a Proapoptotic Function in Hydra Gametogenesis.
    In: DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 278/1, pp. 1 - 12.

  • RIEGER, RM.; LADURNER, P.; HOBMAYER, B. (2005): A Clue to the Origin of the Bilateria?
    In: Science 307/5708, pp. 353 - 355.



Publications 2004

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Contributions to Books/Anthologies (Original Papers)
  • Technau, U.; Hobmayer, B.; Rentzsch, F.; Holstein, T.W. (2004): Small freshwater polyp Hydra as a model for axis formation in higher organisms.
    In: Deutsch, A.; Howard, J.; Falcke, M.; Zimmermann, W. (eds.): Function and Regulation of Cellular Systems. Experiments and Models. Dordrecht, Heidelberg, London, New York, Berlin: Springer (= Mathematics and Biosciences in Interaction), ISBN 3-7643-6925-6.

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • HOBMAYER, B.; RENTZSCH, F.; TECHNAU, U.; HOLSTEIN, TW. (2004): Signaling molecules in the Hydra head organizer and the evolution of axis formation.
    In: Gravitational and Space Biology Bulletin 7/2, pp. 107 - 113.



Publications 2003

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Reviews)
  • HOLSTEIN, TW.; HOBMAYER, E.; TECHNAU, U. (2003): Cnidarians: An Evolutionarily Conserved Model System For Regeneration?
    In: DEVELOPMENTAL DYNAMICS 226, pp. 257 - 267.

Proceedings Articles (Full Papers)
  • HOLSTEIN, TW.; HOBMAYER, B.; TECHNAU, U. (2003): De novo formation of the Hydra head organizer.
    In: Beck, F. et. al. (Eds.): Nonlinear Dynamics and the Spatiotemporal Principles of Biology. Leopoldina-Symposium vom 13.-15. Mai 2002. Stuttgart: Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft (= Nova Acta Leopoldina 88/332), ISBN 3-8047-2077-3, pp. 353 - 366.



Publications 2001

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • Hobmayer, B.; Rentzsch, F.; and Holstein, T.W. (2001): Identification and expression of HySmad1, a member of the R-Smad family of TGFbeta signal transducers, in the diploblastic metazoan Hydra.
    In: DEVELOPMENT GENES AND EVOLUTION 211, pp. 597 - 602.

  • Hobmayer, B.; Snyder, P.; Alt, D.; Happel, C.M.; Holstein, T.W. (2001): Quantitative analysis of epithelial cell aggregation in the diploblastic metazoan Hydra reveals a switch from homotypic to heterotypic interactions.
    In: CELL AND TISSUE RESEARCH 304, pp. 147 - 157.



Publications 2000

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • Hobmayer, B.; Rentzsch, F.; Kuhn, K.; Happel, C.M.; Laue, C.; Snyder, P.; Rothbächer, U.; Holstein, T.W. (2000): Wnt signaling molecules act in axis formation in the diploblastic metazoan Hydra.
    In: NATURE 407, pp. 186 - 189.



Publications 1999

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • Cikala, M.; Wilm, B.; Hobmayer, E.; Böttger, A.; and David, C.N. (1999): Identification of caspases and apoptosis in the simple metazoan Hydra.
    In: CURRENT BIOLOGY 9, pp. 959 - 962.



Publications 1997

Contributions to Scientific Books and Journals

Journal Articles (Original Papers)
  • Hobmayer, B.; Holstein, T.W.; and David, C.N. (1997): Stimulation of tentacle and bud formation by the neuropeptide Head Activator in Hydra magnipapillata.
    In: DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 183, pp. 1 - 8.

 

selected previous Publications

  • Holstein, T.W. and Hobmayer, E. (1996). Die Evolution entwicklungsbiologischer Prozesse.
    In: Forschung Frankfurt 3/1996, 22-36.
  • Hobmayer, E., Hatta, M., Fischer, R., Fujisawa, T., Holstein, T.W., and Sugiyama, T. (1996). Identification of a Hydra homologue of the ?-catenin/plakoglobin/armadillo gene family.
    In: Gene 172: 155-159.
  • Holstein, T.W., Hobmayer, E., and David, C.N. (1991). Pattern of epithelial cell cycling in Hydra.
    In: Dev. Biol. 148: 602-611.
  • Hobmayer, E. and David, C.N. (1990). Differentiation of a nerve cell-battery cell complex in Hydra.
    In: In Evolution of the First Nervous Systems (Anderson, P., Ed.), pp. 71-80. Plenum Press, New York.
  • Hobmayer, E., Holstein, T.W., and David, C.N. (1990). Tentacle morphogenesis in Hydra. I. The role of head activator.
    In: Development 109: 887-895.
  • Hobmayer, E., Holstein, T.W., and David, C.N. (1990). Tentacle morphogenesis in Hydra. II. Formation of a complex between a sensory nerve cell and a battery cell.
    In: Development 109: 897-904.
  • David, C.N., Bosch, T.C.G., Hobmayer, E., Holstein, T.W., and Schmidt, T. (1987). Interstitial stem cells in Hydra.
    In: In Genetic Regulation of Development (Loomis, W.F., Ed.), pp. 389-408. Alan R. Liss Inc., New York.