Lipovitellin-phosvitin crystals with orthorhombic features: thin-section electron microscopy, gel electrophoresis, and microanalysis in teleost and amphibian yolk platelets and a comparison with other vertebrates

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1983 · J. Ultrastruct. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5320(83)90070-9· OSTI ID:6747507

Lange, R H; Richter, H P; Riehl, R; Zierold, K; Trandaburu, T; Magdowski, G

Yolk-platelet crystals in the teleosts Pelvicachromis pulcher and Noemacheilus barbatulus and the amphibians Xenopus laevis, Rana temporaria, R. esculenta, and Triturus sp. have been studied by electron diffraction and imaging using a standardized processing (glutaraldehyde-osmium tetroxide fixation, glutaraldehyde-urea embedding, thin-section staining), by X-ray microanalysis, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of their constituents. The crystal lattice is orthorhombic having. Crystal images in the three axial projections point to the presence of space group P212121 (or an approximation of it since the lipovitellin dimers cannot be fully equivalent in some cases), to differences between the phosvitins of the two teleosts, and to a highly unusual stain exclusion from large crystal constituents interpreted as representing lipovitellin dimers. Microanalysis in ultrathin cryosections and other preparations revealed K and Cl to be the prominent ions in the crystals (and in the superficial layer of the platelet). Gel electrophoresis (including data of cyclostomes) showed considerable molecular variations despite a closely similar crystal architecture, emphasizing a physiological significance of the architecture, which may have remained conserved for nearly 400 million years according to paleontologic views.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Giessen, Federal Republic of Germany
• OSTI ID: 6747507
• Journal Information: J. Ultrastruct. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Ultrastruct. Res.; (United States) Vol. 83:2; ISSN JULRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
AMPHIBIANS
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BLOOD PLATELETS
BODY FLUIDS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CRYSTALLOGRAPHY
EGGS
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
ELECTROPHORESIS
FISHES
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
IONS
MATERIALS
MICROSCOPY
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
POTASSIUM COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
VERTEBRATES
X-RAY EMISSION ANALYSIS