title: Small molecule signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: Whereas the C. elegans genome was sequenced many years ago, the role of small molecule signals in its biology is still poorly understood. A recent publication reports the identification of two steroidal signaling molecules that regulate C. elegans reproductive development and dauer diapause via the nuclear receptor DAF-12. The two compounds, named dafachronic acids, represent the first endogenous ligands identified for any of the 284 nuclear receptors in C. elegans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. Frank_Schroeder@hms.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Frank C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Schroeder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins