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Photoaffinity probes for nematode pheromone receptor identification
Ying K Zhang1, Douglas K Reilly, Jingfang Yu
1Boyce Thompson Institute and Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. fs31@cornell.edu.
Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry
|November 30, 2019
Summary
Researchers synthesized photoaffinity probes for the Caenorhabditis elegans sex-pheromone ascr#8. This work advances the identification of chemical communication receptors in nematodes.
Area of Science:
- Chemical biology
- Molecular biology
- Nematology
Background:
- Pheromone receptor identification is crucial for understanding animal chemical communication.
- The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans uses ascr#8 as a sex-pheromone.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and evaluate photoaffinity probes for the ascaroside ascr#8.
- To guide the design of future probes for pheromone receptor identification.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of ascr#8 derivatives with alkyne and diazirine functionalities.
- Bioactivity assays to assess the impact of structural modifications.
- Structure-activity relationship studies.
Main Results:
- Photoaffinity probes for ascr#8 were successfully synthesized.
- Modifications to the ascr#8 sidechain were tolerated, maintaining biological activity.
- Alterations to the ascarylose moiety abolished biological activity.
Conclusions:
- The synthesized probes are valuable tools for studying ascr#8.
- This research provides a foundation for identifying pheromone receptors using photoaffinity labeling in C. elegans.
