Dhordeins

Dhordeins are a fictional family of signaling molecules described in speculative biology and science fiction world-building. In these narratives, Dhordeins are small secreted proteins or peptides that mediate intercellular communication in imagined organisms or engineered communities. The term is used across various works to explore how cells coordinate behavior, develop structures, or respond to environmental cues through chemical signaling.

In common depictive threads, Dhordeins are portrayed as relatively small proteins, often in the 6–12 kilodalton range, with a tendency to form stable disulfide-bonded structures. Many depictions feature a conserved Dhordein motif that supports receptor binding and oligomerization. They are typically secreted by specialized cells and can diffuse through extracellular spaces or be transported by scaffolds present in the fictional organism’s tissue.

Proposed function centers on initiating signaling cascades in neighboring cells. When a Dhordein molecule binds a corresponding Dhordein receptor, it is imagined to trigger kinase activity, transcriptional changes, or other downstream responses that coordinate development, stress responses, or colony-level behaviors. In some stories, Dhordeins participate in pattern formation or temporal regulation of processes by varying their concentration and diffusion range.

In the context of science communication, Dhordeins are used as a pedagogical construct to discuss concepts such as signaling specificity, diffusion, receptor–ligand interactions, and the distinction between real biological signaling systems and fictional models. They are not recognized as real molecules in contemporary biology, but serve as a tool for exploration and storytelling. See also: quorum sensing, peptide signaling, synthetic biology.