The Daf-9

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a ba ...

encodes a

cytochrome p450 Cytochromes P450 (CYPs) are a Protein superfamily, superfamily of enzymes containing heme as a cofactor (biochemistry), cofactor that functions as monooxygenases. In mammals, these proteins oxidize steroids, fatty acids, and xenobiotics, and are ...

enzyme Enzymes () are proteins that act as biological catalysts by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as products. A ...

catalysis the generation of

dafachronic acid Dafachronic acids are steroid hormones activate the nuclear receptor Daf-12/NR1J1 in ''Caenorhabditis elegans'' and related organisms, include Δ4-dafachronic acid and Δ7-dafachronic acid. Both are generated by Daf-9 The Daf-9 gene encodes a cy ...

steroid A steroid is a biologically active organic compound with four rings arranged in a specific molecular configuration. Steroids have two principal biological functions: as important components of cell membranes that alter membrane fluidity; and a ...

hormone A hormone (from the Greek participle , "setting in motion") is a class of signaling molecules in multicellular organisms that are sent to distant organs by complex biological processes to regulate physiology and behavior. Hormones are required ...

) in the worm ''

Caenorhabditis elegans ''Caenorhabditis elegans'' () is a free-living transparent nematode about 1 mm in length that lives in temperate soil environments. It is the type species of its genus. The name is a blend of the Greek ''caeno-'' (recent), ''rhabditis'' (ro ...

'', with the CYP Symbol CYP22A1 (Cytochrome P450, family 22, member A1). After generation, dafachronic acid will binding it's

nuclear receptor In the field of molecular biology, nuclear receptors are a class of proteins responsible for sensing steroids, thyroid hormones, vitamins, and certain other molecules. These receptors work with other proteins to regulate the expression of speci ...

Daf-12 The DAF-12 (abnormal dauer formation protein 12) gene encodes the nuclear receptor of dafachronic acid (a steroid hormone) in the worm ''Caenorhabditis elegans'', with the NRNC Symbol NR1J1 as the homolog of nuclear hormone receptor HR96''Hr96'' ...

and has been implicated by

Cynthia Kenyon Cynthia Jane Kenyon (born February 21, 1954) is an American molecular biologist and biogerontologist known for her genetic dissection of aging in a widely used model organism, the roundworm ''Caenorhabditis elegans''. She is the vice president of ...

and colleagues related to the formation of

Dauer larva Dauer (German "''die Dauer''", English "the enduring", "the duration" in the meaning of "a length of time",) describes an alternative developmental stage of nematode worms, particularly rhabditids including '' Caenorhabditis elegans'', whereby the ...

References

{{Dauer larva Caenorhabditis elegans genes 22