Small molecule signaling in Caenorhabditis elegans.

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.