GAINESVILLE, Fla. If worms could talk, they might tell potential suitors, "I like the way you wriggle," complete with that telltale come slither look. But worms send their valentines via signals known as pheromones, a complex chemical code researchers are now cracking, according to a study published Wednesday (July 23) in the journal Nature.
Scientists from the University of Florida, Cornell University, the California Institute of Technology and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have discovered the first mating pheromone in one of science's most well-studied research subjects, the tiny worm Caenorhabditis elegans. But perhaps even more interesting is what the newly discovered pheromone also directs worms to do hibernate.
At lower levels, the pheromone signals the male C. elegans to mate with its partner. But when the worm population grows and the food supply dwindles, the chemical signal increases and the cue changes from mate to hibernate. This discovery could help researchers find ways to combat more harmful worms that destroy crops and provide clues for scientists studying similar parasite worms, said Arthur Edison, Ph.D., a UF associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the College of Medicine and one of the study's senior authors.
"Even though it's the same compound, it affects different behaviors," said Fatma Kaplan, Ph.D., a postdoctoral associate in Edison's lab and one of the study's lead authors. "It's two different life traits converging."
In 2002, Cal Tech researcher Paul Sternberg, Ph.D., discovered that male C. elegans were attracted to a signal the opposite sex was sending out, but scientists weren't sure exactly what it was.
"C. elegans is one of the best-studied organisms on earth," Edison said. "The entire cell lineage of the animal is known from fertilized egg to adult animal. Every single cell division had been mapped out. But until now,
'/>"/>
| Contact: April Frawley Birdwell afrawley@ufl.edu 352-273-5810 University of Florida Source:Eurekalert |
Related biology news :
1. National Science Foundation funds research addressing enduring questions of life
2. How to stop regaining weight? Thats the real question
3. Answer to troublesome question of why some genetic assoc. studies have failed replication attempts
4. A fossilized giant rhino bone questions the isolation of Anatolia, 25 million years ago
5. Simple screening questionnaire for kidney disease outperforms current clinical practice guidelines
6. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory to play central role addressing key questions in plant biology
7. UA-led research team awarded $50 million to solve plant biologys grand challenge questions
8. Computer-based tool aids research, helps thwart questionable publication practices
9. Sticky questions tackled in gecko research
10. New research on structure of bones raises questions for treatment of osteoporosis
11. TAU scientists probe deep questions aboard EcoOceans environmental research ship
| Copyright © 2003-2012 Bio-Medicine. All rights reserved. ABOUT | CONTACT US | DISCLAIMER | PRIVACY POLICY | TERMS AND CONDITIONS |  |