NOVEL DITERPENOID DIACYLGLYCEROLS FROM MARINE MOLLUSKS - POTENT MORPHOGENS AND PROTEIN-KINASE-C ACTIVATORS

Five novel 1,2-sn-diacylglycerols with diterpenoid acyl moieties in th e sn-1 position were isolated and characterized, together with the cor responding 1,3-sn-diacylglycerols, from three species of dorid nudibra nchs molluscs. Their potent activity as morphogens in vivo in the Hydr a tentacle regeneration assay and their parallel activity as activator s of rat brain protein kinase C (PKC) in vitro are reported here. Our findings promote the use of these compounds as useful molecular probes for both in vivo and in vitro studies on the participation of PKC in cell development.