fied plant GLTP.

Johan Edqvist is also involved in a research project • Research grants to Cornelia Spetea Wiklund (as principle inves- es. The main areas of research is feeding and learning in relation to
concerning the genetics of land race crops, seed bank propagation tigator) from VR and FORMAS adaptation capacity, and social behaviour in the same perspective,
and agricultural history, working with a 19th century seed collection • Senior research position from VR to Cornelia Spetea Wiklund. using the fowl as a model species. Here, the behaviour of the red
belonging to the Swedish Museum of Cultural History. junglefowl (ancestor of all domestic chickens) and a selected White
The group headed by Stefan Thor, are focused on studying the Leghorn strain is compared. Using molecular genetics technology,
embryonic development of the nervous system, using Drosophila genomic regions of importance for the behavioural differences are
melanogaster as a model system. Neurons differ from each other identified, and candidate genes are selected. By utilising genetic
in many ways, including in the morphology of their axons and Division of Zoology crossing strategies, specific genetic strains can be created for further
dendrites and in the type of neurotransmitters they express. These Head of division: Assoc. prof. Jordi Altimiras studies of the gene effects.
and other properties will together govern each neuron’s unique role
within the nervous system. We are addressing how a specific class STAFF.
of Drosophila neurons, the apterous neurons (ap-neurons), is gener- • Professors:
ated and specified during embryonic development. Although the Mats Amundin (adjunct professor)
ap-neurons constitute a small subset of neurons, these neurons have Per Jensen
Fig. 2. Working model of nucleotide transport and me-
tabolism in the thylakoid membrane.
diverse morphologies, as well as diverse neuropeptide (FMRFa) and Sverre Sjölander
transmitter-receptor (Dop-R) expression. Ongoing studies in the lab Matthias Laska
• Solute transporters in the thylakoid membrane. As compared to are addressing how ap-neurons are generated and how these highly
transporters in other plant membrane systems, the field of thy- specific combinatorial codes themselves are activated. • Associate professor:
lakoid transporters is largely unexplored. Our in silico analyses Jordi Altimiras
have indicated the existence of approx. fifteen solute transporters 3. Highlights. The Photosynthesis group has identified and charac-
in the Arabidopsis thylakoid membrane. Main goal of this project terized the first chloroplast member of ATP/ADP carrier family in • Assistant professors:
is to study the location, function and physiological role in thyla- the Arabidopsis thylakoid membrane, and proposed to be involved in Lars Höglund
koid biogenesis and turnover of three types of solute transporters the biogenesis and turnover of photosynthetic complexes. Important Thomas Östholm
from Arabidopsis: (i) the ATP/ADP carrier, (ii) two phosphate progress has been made in elucidating the role of GTP binding to
transporters, and (iii) one K+-channel using the strategy illus- the PsbO subunit of PSII complex, as well as in understanding the • Junior lecturer:
trated in Fig. 3. functional differences between the two PsbO isoforms in Arabidop- Eva Mattson
sis. These results have been published in 3 original research articles
Junglefowl chicks hatched in our facility are used for be-
(J. Biol. Chem., Plant J. and Biochim Biophys Acta). The LTP group • Guest lecturer: havioural and physiological studies
has identified and characterized the first plant GLTP. Significant Christer Blomqvist
progress has been made in finding the biological function for plant Research in the Sensory and Behavioral Physiology Group focuses
SCP-2. • Post doc: on odor structure-activity relationships, that is, on determining the
Richard Kirkden properties of stimulus molecules that are critical for the interaction
4. Cooperation. with an olfactory receptor and thus for the odor quality they evoke. A
Individual external collaborations: • PhD-students: second research topic concerns correlations between chemosensory
• Cornelia Spetea Wiklund – Bengt L. Persson (Kalmar Annelie Andersson performance and ecological niches. With both topics, a comparative
­University), Benoit Schoefs (Université de Bourgogne, Dijon), Jennie Håkansson approach including human subjects and a variety of mammalian
Eva-Mari Aro (Turku University), Iwona Adamska (Konstanz Anna-Carin Karlsson animal models is employed.
University), David Kramer (Washington State University), and Christina Lindqvist Research in the Animal Biology Group focuses on the study of
Fig. 3. Strategy in functional characterization of putative thylakoid solute transporters.
Eric Beers (Virginia Tech). Isa Lindgren communication in marine mammals. At Kolmårdens Djurpark,
• Johan Edqvist- Tiina Salminen (Åbo Akademi University), ­Peter Daniel Nätt adjunct professor Mats Amundin is exploring a new dolphin-human
The research in the group headed by Johan Edqvist (Lipid Transfer Mattjus (Åbo Akademi University), Tuomo Glumoff (Oulu Anna Wirén interface, called ELVIS (Echolocation Visualization and Interface
Protein (LTP) group), is focused on function, structure and evolution ­University) Bing Song Zheng (Zhejiang Forestry University) System) in cooperation with the Electrical Measurement department
of three classes of lipid transporting proteins, the non-specific lipid Matti Leino (Swedish Museum of Cultural History). • Administrative staff: at Lund University. ELVIS uses a hydrophone matrix to measure the
transfer protein (ns-LTP), sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP-2) and glycoli- Kerstin Johansson (Administrator) pressure variations in the sonar beam click sounds of dolphins so it
pid transfer protein (GLTP). The LTP-group is engaged in a system- Collaborations within LIU: Ingevald Abrahamsson (Engineer) can be configured as an acoustically operated “touch screen”. When
atic classification of evolutionary relationships and gene expression • Cornelia Spetea Wiklund - Alexander Vener and Fredrik Elinder the dolphin aims its sonar beam at a symbol and increases the sonar
patterns among the members of the large plant specific ns-LTP gene (IKE Cellbiology), Bengt Persson (IFM Bioinformatics). RESEARCH AND PHD TRAINING. The research activities of the division sound pressure above a set level, a reward signal is played and the
family in order to identify the function of the enigmatic, extracel- • Johan Edqvist- Maria Sunnerhagen (IFM Molecular involve the study of fundamental and applied aspects of animal biol- dolphin receives the fish chosen. A second area of work involves the
lular ns-LTPs. SCP-2 is an intracellular, small, basic protein domain ­Biotechnology) ogy, animal physiology and animal behaviour with special emphasis census of harbour porpoises in the Baltic Sea using Porpoise Click
that in vitro enhances the transfer of lipids between membranes. It on birds and mammals. The division includes four research groups: Loggers (PCL). A preliminary census was carried out between July
is expressed in bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. The LTP-group 5. External activities. The Photosynthesis group has participated the Applied Ethology Group (ApE) led by professor Per Jensen, the 2006 and September 2007 in Southern Swedish waters in coopera-
has recently published the first evidence hat plants express SCP-2. with three posters and one invited talk at the 14th International Sensory and Behavioral Physiology Group led by professor Matthias tion with the Swedish Board of Fisheries.
Biology

Biology
A functional analysis suggests a role for SCP-2 in fatty acid degra- Photosynthesis Congress (Glasgow, U.K.) and one poster at the VII Laska, the Animal Biology Group led by adjunct professor Mats Research in the Cardiovascular Development Lab is concerned
dation. GLTP is a ubiquitous, basic (pI 9), soluble protein of 23-24 European Symposium of the Protein Society, Stockholm. Amundin and the Cardiovascular Development Lab (CADE) led by with studying the genetic and physiological mechanisms of cardiac
kDa that enhances the in vitro transfer of glycosphingolipids (GSLs) associate professor Jordi Altimiras. growth and adrenergic regulation in a fast-growing chicken strain
between membranes. GLTPs are specific for GSLs with sugar resi- 6. Special events. Research in ethology studies the genetic basis of behavioural prone to develop cardiac failure and hypertension. Because these
dues attached via β-linkages to the lipid hydrocarbon backbone, such • Cornelia Spetea Wiklund was recruited in molecular genetics, changes due to domestication. Particular interest is paid to side-ef- processes are altered by prenatal stress, the ultimate goal of the stud-
as glucosylceramide and galactosylceramide. We have started the and moved together with her research group from Health Uni- fects on behaviour and welfare of increased selection for production, ies is to manipulate the cardiovascular phenotype and potentially
characterization of A. thaliana AtGLTP1, which is the first identi- versity. and to conservation aspects of captivity-induced behavioural chang- alleviate or delay the onset of dysfunction.

42 IF M Ac ti v it y R e p o r t 2007 IF M Ac ti v it y R e p o r t 2007 43
 Matthias Laska was able to demonstrate that the olfactory sensitiv- PhD student Isa Lindgren spent 3 months studying the vascular
ity of some nonhuman primate species to putrefaction-associated pharmacology of femoral and chorioallantoic arteries from chickens
odorants is at least as high as that of species such as mice and rats incubated under chronic prenatal stress.
suggesting that the behavioral relevance of odorants rather than the
relative size of olfactory brain structures determines a species´ ol- EXTERNAL ACTIVITIES. Members of the division have been heavily in-
factory sensitivity (Journal of Experimental Biology 210: 4169). volved in external lecturing and committee advicing. The group has
Finally, Mats Amundin and colleagues from the University of Ha- been visible several times on national TV, radio and in several news-
waii and the Russian Academy of Sciences reported in the Journal paper articles on various subjects relating to the research conducted.
of experimental Biology (210:1116) the first ever investigation of polar
bear hearing. Recordings of auditory evoked potential via small nee-
dle electrodes in the skin of the head showed a maximal sensitivity
between 11.2 and 22.5 kHz. Technical limitations prevented meas-
urements at higher frequencies, so the upper hearing limit is yet to
be found.

Carolina Svärd studied diving metabolic rates of endangered Steller sea lions Eume-
topias jubatus in Vancouver, Canada under the supervision of Dr.Andreas Fahlman

COOPERATION. The Applied Ethology Group is involved in a large

cooperative project with researchers from Uppsala University, SLU,
KTH and Karolinska institutet, aiming at studying different aspects
of the functional genomics of fowl. In total about 15 PhD-students,
Prof.Mats Amundin and Joanna Stenback deploy Porpoise Click Loggers in the
Baltic Sea to estimate the population of harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena
5 postdocs and 6 principal investigators are involved. This is con-
ducted within the framework of the so called Center for Functional
The extensive research on chicken physiology and behaviour is Genetics, where Per Jensen is vice chairman.
largely possible because of the excellent facilities for research in
domestic chickens inaugurated in 2006 (the chicken hatchery “Kru-
ijt” on campus and the chicken house “Wood-Gush” at Vretagym-
nasiet).

HIGHLIGHTS. Research funding for the division increased substan-

tially in 2007 with support from VR and FORMAS, Carl Tryggers
Stiftelse för Vetenskaplig Forskning and Crafoordska Stiftelsen to
The first study of auditory sensitivity in polar bears was carried out in Kolmården
different research groups for new and continuing research projects. Animal Park by Prof.Mats Amundin and colleagues from the USA and Russia
In November, Per Jensen organized a new avenue of the BRAIN
seminars with the topic of Conservation Biology in focus. November The Division also hosted a few external master projects from the
was also the time chosen by Jennie Håkansson to present her PhD International Master Program in Applied Biology. To name a few,
thesis entitled “Behavioural aspects of conservation breeding: Red Caroline Svärd studied the diving physiology of Steller sea lions at
junglefowl (Gallus gallus) as a case study“. Elsbeth McPhee, from the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada under the
Cornell University acted as opponent to the dissertation. supervision of Dr.Andreas Fahlman. Paolo Di Giminiani studied
A few of the articles published by the Division in 2007 deserve to the behaviour and welfare of laboratory mice at the University of
be mentioned. A scientific article from the ApE group published in Porto in Portugal under the supervision of Dr.Anna Olsson. Sofie
A spider monkey Ateles geoffroyi overlooks the team members of the chemosensory
PLoS ONE (PLoS ONE 10.1371/journal.pone.0000364) attracted a lot Sernekvist studied behaviour and human attachment of dogs at performance stuy in 2007. From left to right: Oskar Persson, Prof.Matthias Laska,
of media attention. In collaboration with researchers from SLU and Eötvös University in Hungary, under the supervision of Dr. Ádám Josefin Suorra, BSc Rosa M.Rivas Bautista and Dra.Laura T.Hernandez Salazar
KTH, Christina Lindqvist, Daniel Nätt and Per Jensen showed that Miklósi and Dr. Márta Gácsi.
chickens raised under chronic stress developed impaired learning The Sensory and Behavioral Physiology Group has a long-standing
abilities, which was associated with altered gene expression patterns collaboration with the Instituto de Neuro-Etologia of the Universidad
in the brain. In the offspring of the stressed domestic chickens, a Veracruzana in Xalapa, Mexico. Josefin Suorra and Oskar Persson,
similar behaviour and gene expression difference was seen , show- two students enrolled in the Master´s program “Applied Ethology”
ing that the acquired stress response in some sense was inherited. performed the experimental part of their thesis work in Mexico and
Biology

Biology
The authors speculate that the effect could be important when popu- collected data on chemosensory performance of spider monkeys.
lations adapt rapidly to stressful life conditions. Albin Gräns and Mats Amundin is collaborating with Sea World San Diego, the
Jordi Altimiras demonstrated that chicken embryos respond to egg USNavy, Lund Tekniska Högskola, the Swedish Board of Fisheries,
cooling with increased body movements but not increased vocaliza- Aarhus university, Loughborough university, the Swedish Environ-
tions (Physiology & Behaviour, 91:229). They speculate that such mental Protection Agency, and the Finish Ministry of Environment.
information could be used by the incubating hen to increase heat The CADE Lab is actively collaborating with Dr.Eduardo Villamor
supply to the eggs. In collaboration with colleagues from Mexico, from the Neonatology Unit at Maastricht University Hospital where

44 IF M Ac ti v it y R e p o r t 2007 IF M Ac ti v it y R e p o r t 2007 45