Butcher Research Group – Discovering novel nematode natural products and exploring their role in chemical communication

We’ve moved

In May 2017, we moved into our beautiful new lab space on the third floor of the Chemistry and Chemical Biology Building.

Shou Q., Feng L., et al.

Check out our paper in Nature Chemical Biology that describes “nemamide,” the first polyketide-nonribosomal peptide natural product discovered in an animal species (doi: 10.1038/nchembio.2144).

Feng, et al.

Our new paper came out in Nature Communications on the many genes that contribute to nemamide biosynthesis (doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-24682-9). Congrats Likui, Matt, and Ying!

Check out our paper in PNAS that describes the structural basis for the substrate specificity of the acyl-CoA oxidases, enzymes that play an important role in C. elegans pheromone biosynthesis (doi: 10.1073/pnas.1608262113).

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Natural Product Discovery

We are using new techniques in comparative metabolomics, activity-guided fractionation, and NMR spectroscopy to identify the chemical structures of new pheromones and hormones from nematodes.

Natural Product Biosynthesis

We are using CRISPR-Cas9, RNAi, comparative metabolomics, stable-isotope labeling, enzyme assays, and X-ray crystallography to discover how nematodes biosynthesize hormones and pheromones.

Natural Product Mechanism

We are using chemical probes, transgenic worm strains, and biological assays to investigate how hormones and pheromones affect the development and behavior of nematodes.