Proteins of the albumen and vitelline membrane of eggs of the estuarine crocodile, Crocodylus porosus

Burley, R.W.; Back, Joan F.; Wellington, J. E.; Grigg, Gordon C.

doi:10.1016/0305-0491(87)90256-2

Cited by 10 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Presumably this occurred because vitellogenesis provokes a limited energy state despite ad libitum food availability. The costs of vitellogenesis are high, requiring substantial energy and resources (Burley et al, 1987;Challenger et al, 2001;Ojanen, 1983;Williams and Ternan, 1999). In fact, many studies have shown significant increases in metabolic rate associated with vitellogenesis (Angilletta and Sears, 2000;Nilsson and Raberg, 2001).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Corticosterone modulation of reproductive and immune systems trade-offs in female tree lizards: long-term corticosterone manipulationsviainjectable gelling material

French

McLemore

Vernon

et al. 2007

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY Physiological trade-offs arise because multiple processes compete for the same limiting resources. While competition for resources has been demonstrated between reproduction and immune function, the regulation of this competition remains unclear. Corticosterone (CORT) is a likely mediator due to its dual role in mobilizing energy stores throughout the body and regulating physiological responses to stressors. We manipulated CORT concentrations and resources in pre-reproductive and reproductive female tree lizards(Urosaurus ornatus) to test the hypothesis that CORT regulates the distribution of limiting resources between the reproductive and immune systems. To manipulate circulating concentrations of CORT we utilized a novel method of hormone implantation, in which a polymeric compound is mixed with hormone and injected in liquid form into the animal. After injection, the liquid quickly gels in situ forming a slow release hormone implant. This method of hormone delivery eliminated the need for substantial wounds to the animal or repeated handling required by other methods. In this study, the hormone-treated animals had plasma CORT concentrations comparable to high physiological concentrations. We found that CORT treatment suppressed immune function, but only when animals were energetically compromised. We assessed immune function by measuring the healing rate of a cutaneous biopsy. Healing was suppressed in all CORT-treated reproductive animals and in all CORT-treated animals (pre-reproductive and reproductive) undergoing food restriction, but CORT had no effect in ad libitum non-reproductive females. The context-dependent action of CORT renders its response adjustable to changing environmental conditions and may allow for the suppression of specific functions depending on resource availability.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Corticosterone modulation of reproductive and immune systems trade-offs in female tree lizards: long-term corticosterone manipulationsviainjectable gelling material

French

McLemore

Vernon

et al. 2007

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Substantial Mr differences among the various albumen proteins were observed and certain expected proteins were absent. A similar comparison between egg albumens of estuarine crocodiles and those of laying hens showed that the major hen egg proteins, ovalbumin and ovotransferrin, were not detected in crocodile albumen (Burley et al, 1987). Ovalbumin appears to be a relatively minor protein in alligator egg albumen (Rose et al, 1990), if it is present at all.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

“…The major albumen protein identified by electrophoretic studies of alligator egg albumen (Palmer and Guillette, 1991) was 59000 Mr. In the egg albumen of crocodiles, a 59 000 Mr unidentified protein was also detected (Burley et al, 1987). These egg albumen proteins correspond to the vitellogenic oviductal protein aPl (55 000 M), found in oviductal expiant medium, as demonstrated by comparison of N-terminal amino acid sequences (L. Guillette and E.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 91%

Identification and characterization of proteins synthesized de novo and secreted by the reproductive tract of the American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis

Buhi

Alvarez²,

Binelli³

et al. 1999

Reproduction

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The objectives of this study were to identify, characterize and examine differences in proteins synthesized de novo and secreted by different regions of the reproductive tract of the American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis, during three reproductive (vitellogenic, gravid, post-clutch) and one non-reproductive state. After capture, alligators from lakes in north central Florida were anaesthetized, the reproductive tract excised aseptically, the size of any follicle determined, and different functional regions of the tract dissected out and partitioned for explant culture. Analysis of the biosynthetic activity indicated regional variations within the tract, differences among reproductive groups and region by status interactions. When oviductal regions were considered regardless of reproductive status, the greatest incorporation of [3H]Leu into secreted nondialysable macromolecules was by the anterior and posterior infundibulum and oviductal tube compared with the transition zone and the uterus. When status was included, the biosynthetic activity of the anterior and posterior portion of the tract in non-reproductive alligators was not different, whereas that of the posterior region of the reproductive group (vitellogenic, gravid, post-clutch) was significantly lower than that of the anterior region. This finding indicates that regulation of protein synthesis and secretion by the non-reproductive alligator tract is different from that in the tract of the reproductive group. Explant-conditioned media were analysed by one-dimensional and two-dimensional SDS-PAGE and fluorography. Sixteen major proteins in culture media were identified as de novo synthesized, by relative molecular weight, by isoelectric point and by differences in distribution determined for reproductive status and oviductal region. Six proteins were examined by N-terminal amino acid microsequence analysis. On the basis of a 29 amino acid sequence, the major oviductal protein, alligator protein 1 (aP1: M(r) 55,000, basic), found in the infundibulum and tube of vitellogenic alligators, was identical to the major protein isolated from alligator egg albumen. Four proteins (aP4-aP7) were sequenced and shown to be significantly related to immunoglobulin heavy chains from several species. This study demonstrated that a large number of proteins are synthesized de novo and released by the female alligator reproductive tract and that there are biosynthetic activity differences by reproductive status and region. Six proteins have been identified, several of which may be incorporated into alligator egg albumen and some of which appear to be different from proteins found in the egg albumens of other species.

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“…Neither ovalbumin nor ovotransferrin was detected in eggs of Crocodylus porosus (Burley et al, 1987), although a major protein of 59,000 molecular weight was identified and has been subsequently detected in the eggs of both alligators and turtles (Palmer, unpublished data). An a2macroglobulin-like protein has been found in the eggs of Crocodylus rhombifer (Ikai et al, 1983), C. porosus (Burley et al, 1987) and other reptiles (Palmer, unpublished data). Although avidin synthesis was observed in oviducts of the lizard Lacerta s. sicula (Botte et al, 1974; Botte and Granata, 1977), neither avidin, riboflavin-binding protein, nor thiamin-binding protein has been detected in the albumen oiA. mississippiensis (Abrams et al, 1988(Abrams et al, , 1989; White, 1990).…”

Section: Reptilian Albumen Proteinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Clearly, the study of albumen proteins of reptiles is in its infancy. There appears to be a greater diversity in composition of albumen proteins of reptiles (Burley et al, 1987;Palmer, 1988Palmer, , 1989Abrams et al, 1989; Palmer and Guillette, 1990b) than that of birds, and possibly also in the functional role of albumen in embryonic development.…”

Section: Reptilian Albumen Proteinsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional morphology and biochemistry of reptilian oviducts and eggs : implications for the evolution of reproductive modes in tetrapod vertebrates /

Palmer¹

1990

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Proteins of the albumen and vitelline membrane of eggs of the estuarine crocodile, Crocodylus porosus

Cited by 10 publications

References 9 publications

Corticosterone modulation of reproductive and immune systems trade-offs in female tree lizards: long-term corticosterone manipulationsviainjectable gelling material

Corticosterone modulation of reproductive and immune systems trade-offs in female tree lizards: long-term corticosterone manipulationsviainjectable gelling material

Identification and characterization of proteins synthesized de novo and secreted by the reproductive tract of the American alligator, Alligator mississippiensis

Functional morphology and biochemistry of reptilian oviducts and eggs : implications for the evolution of reproductive modes in tetrapod vertebrates /

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