Inhaltspezifische Aktionen

Denise Klinkenbuß

PhD student

Department of Zoology and Developmental Biology
Justus-Liebig University Giessen
Heinrich-Buff-Ring 38 CVH
D-35392 Giessen
Phone: +49 (0) 641 99-35782
E-mail

 

Fields of interest

  • Ecdysteroid biosynthesis pathway in spiders
  • Functions of Halloween genes in embryogenesis and juvenile development

 

Research

Molting is a key process in the lifecycle of all ecdysozoans. The renewal of the external skeletal structures accommodates a variety of exterior and interior stimuli, e.g. growth and metamorphosis. In arthropods, molting is controlled by ecdysteroid hormones and the Halloween genes constitute integral components of the ecdysteroid biosynthesis pathway.

My focus is to elucidate the mRNA and protein expression of Halloween genes in the common house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum for a greater understanding of evolutionary processes of gene networks and secretory tissues in non-insect organisms. Another research direction of mine is to shed light on the black box of gene function during embryogenesis and juvenile development, a topic that remains insufficiently investigated even in insect model organisms.

Scientific Career

  • since 2020: PhD student at the Department of General Zoology and Developmental Biology at Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany
    Topic: Identification of key players of the ecdysteroid pathway and detection of ecdysteroid-synthesizing tissues in tardigrades, onychophorans and chelicerates: Insights into the evolution of molting in Panarthropoda (DFG project in collaboration with Prof. Dr. Georg Mayer, Kassel University)
  • 2017-2019: Master of Science with a focus on Ecology, Evolution and Nature Conservation at Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany
    Thesis: Performance of innovative 3D morphometric methods for classification of closely related fossil bivalve species (family Dreissenidae)
  • 2014-2017: Bachelor of Science in Biology with a focus on botany, zoology and developmental biology, at Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Germany
    Thesis: Einflüsse von Alter und Nahrungsmenge auf das Lernverhalten des Gekkonidae Lepidodactylus lugubris - Eine Untersuchung durch belohnungsgesteuerte Konditionierung

 

Publications

Research Gate | Google Scholar | ORCiD

  • Klinkenbuß D., Metz O., Reichert J., Hauffe T., Neubauer T.A., Wesselingh F.P. & Wilke T. (2020): Performance of 3D morphometric methods in the machine learning assisted classification of closely related fossil bivalve species of the genus Dreissena, Malacologia 63(1), 95-105. DOI: 10.4002/040.063.0109.
  • Lattuada M., Albrecht C., Wesselingh F. P., Klinkenbuß D., Vinarski M. V., Kijashko P., Raes N. & Wilke T. (2020): Endemic Caspian Sea mollusks in hotspot and non-hotspot areas differentially affected by anthropogenic pressures. Journal of Great Lakes Research 46(5), DOI: 10.1016/j.jglr.2019.12.007.
  • Klinkenbuß D., Metz O., Reichert J., Hauffe T., Neubauer T.A., Wesselingh F.P. & Wilke T. (2020): 3D models for fossil and subfossil Dreissenidae shells from the Caspian Sea. PANGAEA, DOI: 10.1594/PANGAEA.914822. (dataset).

Conference Contributions:

  • Klinkenbuß D. (2023). How to boo-st your genetics... A deep dive into Halloween gene functions on the example of shadow in embryonic and juvenile development (Parasteatoda tepidariorum). Spider Retreat, Mücke (Hesse), Co-organization and oral presentation.
  • Klinkenbuß D. (2023). Into the shadows: Functional genetics of the spider molting gene cascade (Parasteatoda tepidariorum). The Fifth Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance Research Conference and Workshop (GIGA V), Cartagena (CO), oral presentation and poster.
  • Klinkenbuß D. (2023). Into the shadows: Molting in the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum). 115th Meeting of the German Zoological Society 2023, Kassel, poster.
  • Klinkenbuß D., Prpic-Schäper N.-M. (2023). Into the shadows... Expression and function of the Halloween genes in Parasteatoda. ‘Spider Fest’ Satellite Symposium of 115th Meeting of the German Zoological Society 2023, Kassel, oral presentation.
  • Klinkenbuß D. (2023). Spooky, scary... Halloween genes: Molting in Parasteatoda. Spider Genomics, Development and Evolution, Durham University, oral presentation.

 

Latest update: March 4, 2024