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Chemical structure of the morphogen differentiation inducing factor from Dictyostelium discoideum

Nature volume 328, pages 811–814 (1987)Cite this article

Abstract

Morphogens are signal molecules presumed to exist in embryos and to be involved in establishing the spatial pattern of cells during development. Differentiation inducing factor (DIF) has the properties of a morphogen required for producing the prestalk/prespore pattern in the aggregate formed by cells of the slime mould Dictyostelium in response to starvation. DIF-1, the major bioactive species after purification, has now been identified using a combined microchemical, spectroscopic and synthetic approach. The structure is defined as 1-(3,5-dichloro-2,6-dihydroxy-4-methoxy-phenyl)-1-hexanone, and represents a new class of effector molecule. The availability of relatively large quantities of synthetic and isotopically labelled materials should now allow progress towards a detailed understanding of the pattern-forming processes in Dictyostelium development.

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Author notes

  1. Graham W. Taylor

    Present address: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0HS, UK

Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Imperial College, London, SW7 2AZ, UK

    Howard R. Morris & Mark S. Masento

  2. Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Clare Hall Laboratories, South Mimms, Hertfordshire, EN6 3LD, UK

    Keith A. Jermyn

  3. MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 2QH, UK

    Robert R. Kay

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  1. Howard R. Morris
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  2. Graham W. Taylor
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  4. Keith A. Jermyn
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  5. Robert R. Kay
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Morris, H., Taylor, G., Masento, M. et al. Chemical structure of the morphogen differentiation inducing factor from Dictyostelium discoideum. Nature 328, 811–814 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1038/328811a0

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