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Science 16 February 1968:
Vol. 159. no. 3816, pp. 734 - 736
DOI: 10.1126/science.159.3816.734
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Articles

Alpha Tocopherol Control of Sexuality and Polymorphism in the Rotifer Asplanchna

John J. Gilbert 1 and Guy A. Thompson Jr. 2

1 Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
2 Department of Botany, University of Texas, Austin

A dietary component that initiates both the tranisition from parthenogenetic to sexual reproduction and the production of lateral, posterodorsal, and posterior outgrowths of the body wall of females was isolated from the neutral lipids of dried grass and identified as agr-tocopherol. The smallest concentrations eliciting both responses were below 100 nanograms per milliliter. Relative activities of agr-, beta3-, and ggr-tocopherol and agr-tocopheryl-quinone were roughly 100 : 100 : 20 : 0.4. The synthetic antioxidants tested were without activity.


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