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Science 10 December 1982:
Vol. 218. no. 4577, pp. 1119 - 1120
DOI: 10.1126/science.218.4577.1119
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Articles

The Sperm Attractant of the Marine Brown Alga Ascophyllum nodosum (Phaeophyceae)

D. G. MÜLLER 1, G. GASSMANN 2, F.-J. MARNER 3, W. BOLAND 3, and L. JAENICKE 3

1 Fakultat für Biologie der Universität Konstanz, D-7750 Konstanz, Federal Republic of Germany
2 Biologische Anstalt, D-2192 Helgoland
3 Institut für Biochemie der Universitat zu Köln, D-5000 Köln, Federal Republic of Germany

Spermatozoids of the intertidal seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (Fucales, Phaeophyceae) are attracted to eggs prior to fertilization. The attractant has been isolated and its structure identified as 1(3E, 5Z, 8Z)-undecatetraene (finavarrene). The relation of finavarrene to sex hormones in other brown algae is discussed.

Submitted on June 16, 1982
Revised on September 21, 1982

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)