| Title: | Small-molecule pheromones that control dauer development in Caenorhabditis elegans |
| Author(s): | Butcher RA; Fujita M; Schroeder FC; Clardy J; |
| Address: | "Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, 240 Longwood Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1552-4450 (Print) 1552-4450 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "In response to high population density or low food supply, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans enters an alternative larval stage, known as the dauer, that can withstand adverse conditions for prolonged periods. C. elegans senses its population density through a small-molecule signal, traditionally called the dauer pheromone, that it secretes into its surroundings. Here we show that the dauer pheromone consists of several structurally related ascarosides-derivatives of the dideoxysugar ascarylose-and that two of these ascarosides (1 and 2) are roughly two orders of magnitude more potent at inducing dauer formation than a previously reported dauer pheromone component (3) and constitute a physiologically relevant signal. The identification of dauer pheromone components 1 and 2 will facilitate the identification of target receptors and downstream signaling proteins" |
| Keywords: | Animal Communication Animals Caenorhabditis elegans/*drug effects/*embryology Glycolipids/chemistry Hexoses/chemistry Larva/drug effects/growth & development Molecular Structure Pheromones/biosynthesis/pharmacology/*physiology Signal Transduction/drug eff; |
| Notes: | "MedlineButcher, Rebecca A Fujita, Masaki Schroeder, Frank C Clardy, Jon eng CA24487/CA/NCI NIH HHS/ Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2007/06/15 Nat Chem Biol. 2007 Jul; 3(7):420-2. doi: 10.1038/nchembio.2007.3. Epub 2007 Jun 10" |
