Open AccessExploring Modular Glycolipids Involved in Nematode Chemical Communication
Author(s) -
Stephan H. von Reuß
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
chimia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.387
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 2673-2424
pISSN - 0009-4293
DOI - 10.2533/chimia.2018.297
Subject(s) - modular design , nematode , biology , primary (astronomy) , computational biology , organism , glycolipid , peroxisome , chemical communication , secondary metabolism , microbiology and biotechnology , ecology , biosynthesis , biochemistry , genetics , computer science , receptor , gene , pheromone , physics , astronomy , operating system
Chemical communication in nematodes has been known for over half a century, but the underlying molecular basis remained largely elusive. Recent advances in analytical techniques facilitated the characterization of a modular glycolipid library based on the dideoxysugar L-ascarylose, which modulates behavior and development in the model organism C. elegans. Ascaroside signaling is highly conserved in nematodes and represents a key factor in nematode chemical ecology. Ascaroside biosynthesis depends on the co-option of the peroxisomal ?-oxidation cycle and in addition integrates a large diversity of additional building blocks derived from various primary metabolic pathways to give rise to species-specific modular assemblies, thus, transcending the concept of strictly segregated primary versus secondary metabolism.