ARS | Publication request: Concentration dependent differential activity of signalling molecules in Caenorhabditis elegans

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: May 26, 2009
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Caenorhabditis elegans employs specific glycosides of the dideoxysugar ascarylose (the ‘ascarosides’) for monitoring population density/ dauer formation and finding mates. A synergistic blend of three ascarosides, called ascr#2, ascr#3 and ascr#4 acts as a dauer pheromone at a high concentration nanoMolar-microMolar(nM-µM) but the same ascarosides attracts males at a lower concentration picoMolar (pM) and thus functions as a mating signal. The ascaroside blends produced by adult and young adult worms were similar but differed significantly from that of the larval stages. Furthermore, all four larval stages (L1-L4) produce similar ascaroside mixtures. We also found that the absolute amounts of ascarosides produced and their relative ratios depended on whether nematode secretions were collected in the presence or absence of bacteria. Possible explanations for the observed differences will be discussed.