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Structure and macromolecular composition of the zebrafish egg chorion

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 September 2008

Daniele Bonsignorio
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
Lucia Perego
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
Luca Del Giacco
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
Franco Cotelli*
Affiliation:
Department of Biology, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
*
Franco Cotelli, Dipartimento di Biologia, Universit´ di Milano, via Celoria, 26, 20133 Milan, Italy. Telephone: +39 2 26604470. Fax: +39 2 26604462. e-mail: cotelli@imiucca.csi.unimi.it.

Summary

The chorion is the acellular envelope surrounding mature eggs of teleostean fish. The macromolecular composition of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) egg chorion, organised as a three-layered structure, has been analysed. SDS-PAGE analysis, under reducing conditions, of isolated and purified chorions revealed a reproducible pattern of four major polypeptides (116, 97, 50 and 43kDa) and several minor bands. Lectin binding assays showed that both the 116 kDa and 50kDa proteins were recognised by concanavalin agglutinin (Con A), Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA), Sambucus nigra bark agglutinin (SNA) and Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA 120), suggesting that these polypeptides are N-linked glycoproteins. By contrast, neither the 97 kDa nor the 43 kDa polypeptides were stained by these lectins, indicating that these polypeptides are not glycosylated. Amino acid analysis also showed significant differences in the average content of some amino acids, for example serine and proline, when compared with previous reports.

Type
Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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