Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40804495›Full record

ArticleCommunications biology2025

Biosynthesis of modular signaling molecules requires functional diversification of carboxylesterases in Pristionchus pacificus.

Pei Zhang, Penghieng Theam, Wenya Xu, Shudan Ye, Hanh Witte, Tingwei Liu, Ralf J Sommer, Chuanfu Dong

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Communications biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Pei Zhang *Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 519087, Zhuhai, China.
Penghieng Theam *Department for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Max Planck Ring 9, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Wenya Xu *Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 519087, Zhuhai, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-9306-2739
Shudan YeDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 519087, Zhuhai, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8361-9498
Hanh WitteDepartment for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Max Planck Ring 9, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Tingwei LiuDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 519087, Zhuhai, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-8099-8329
Ralf J SommerDepartment for Integrative Evolutionary Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, Max Planck Ring 9, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. ralf.sommer@tuebingen.mpg.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1503-7749
Chuanfu DongDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Beijing Normal University, 519087, Zhuhai, China. cdong@bnu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3043-7257

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 22107011National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 22407016National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 22477010
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The entomophilic roundworm Pristionchus pacificus produces a group of complex ascaroside pheromones (e.g., ubas#1), which are built with various intermediates originating from primary metabolic pathways. However, the exact biosynthetic pathways resulting in the production of these modular pheromones remain enigmatic. Here, the application of a workflow combing bioinformatic tools, CRISPR engineering and chemical analysis supports the discovery of three new carboxylesterases Ppa-UAR-5, Ppa-UAR-6 and Ppa-UAR-12 from P. pacificus. Ppa-UAR-5 links two simple ascarosides oscr#9 and ascr#12 to the 2'-position of ubas#3 to furnish the biosynthesis of ubas#1 and ubas#2, whereas Ppa-UAR-12 links two ascr#1 at the 4'-position to synthesize dasc#1. Finally, Ppa-UAR-6 is essential for the biosynthesis of npar#1-3 and part#9. The expression patterns of Ppa-uar-6 and Ppa-uar-12 in intestinal and epidermal cells further suggest pheromone biosynthesis is tissue-specific. These findings support the notion that the expansion and subsequent diversification of carboxylesterases in P. pacificus generates complex modular signaling pheromones.

Indexed as

Carboxylic Ester HydrolasesMothsPheromonesAnimalsBiosynthetic PathwaysSignal TransductionCarboxylic Ester HydrolasesPheromones

Identifiers

PMID40804495
PMCPMC12350714

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.