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Patterns and metamorphic changes of serum proteins in amphibia

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Summary

  1. 1.

    Serum proteins in the metamorphosing larvae and adult animals ofRana temporaria, Bombina variegata, Bufo bufo andTriturus alpestris were separated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Based on various specific staining reactions the occurrence of albumin, transferrin, glycoprotein, lipoprotein and possibly haptoglobin was identified.

  2. 2.

    In general, the electrophoretic patterns become increasingly more complex with the progress of metamorphosis. Detailed analyses revealed the appearance of various new serum proteins both at the time of metamorphosis and during adult maturation.

  3. 3.

    In all three anuran species there is a rapid increase in the total serum protein concentration as metamorphosis proceeds. The albumin fraction shows the highest increasing rate, resulting in a two- to fivefold increase of the albumin/globulin ratio with the completion of metamorphosis. During postmetamorphic growth this ratio remains constant in spite of the continuous rise of the total concentration. Similar changes of the serum protein pattern have been observed in premetamorphic larvae ofR. temporaria andB. bufo treated with thyroxine.

  4. 4.

    T. alpestris differs from the three anurans in having a much smaller increase of the total serum protein concentration and showing no change of the albumin/globulin ratio at metamorphosis. Instead, a maximum increase of protein in the gel section of relatively slow anodal-moving globulins was observed.

  5. 5.

    The metabolic and molecular aspects of the changes of serum proteins during amphibian metamorphosis are discussed.

Zusammenfassung

  1. 1.

    Mittels Polyacrylamidgel-Elektrophorese wurden die Serumproteine der metamorphosierenden Larven und adulten Tiere vonRana temporaria, Bombina variegata, Bufo bufo undTriturus alpestris aufgetrennt. Auf Grund der Ergebnisse verschiedener spezifischer Färbemethoden konnte das Vorkommen von Albumin, Transferrin, Glycoprotein, Lipoprotein und möglicherweise Haptoglobin nachgewiesen werden.

  2. 2.

    Im allgemeinen werden die elektrophoretischen Muster mit fortschreitender Metamorphose komplizierter. Eingehende Analysen bewiesen, daß neue Serumproteine während der Metamorphose und der adulten Reifung auftreten.

  3. 3.

    Bei allen drei Anurenarten nimmt die Totalkonzentration der Serumproteine im Laufe der Metamorphose rasch zu. Die Albuminfraktion zeigt die höchste Syntheserate, so daß das Verhältnis Albumin zu Globulin gegen Abschluß der Metamorphose eine zwei- bis fünffache Erhöhung aufweist. Während des adulten Wachstums bleibt dieses Verhältnis konstant trotz einer weiteren Zunahme der Totalkonzentration. Ähnliche Veränderungen des Proteinmusters konnten bei jungen Larven vonR. temporaria undB. bufo, die mit Thyroxin behandelt worden waren, festgestellt werden.

  4. 4.

    Im Gegensatz zu den drei Anuren zeigtT. alpestris eine viel geringere Zunahme der Totalkonzentration der Serumproteine und keine Veränderung des Verhältnisses Albumin zu Globulin während der Metamorphose. Andererseits konnte eine maximale Zunahme des Proteins in der Gelregion einiger Globulinfraktionen, die eine relativ langsame Anodenbeweglichkeit besitzen, beobachtet werden.

  5. 5.

    Die stoffwechselphysiologischen und molekularen Aspekte der Veränderungen des Serumproteinmusters während der Metamorphose bei Amphibien werden diskutiert.

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  1. Institute of Zoology, University of Zürich, Switzerland

    P. S. Chen

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This work was supported by grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation and the Georges und Antoine Claraz-Schenkung.

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Chen, P.S. Patterns and metamorphic changes of serum proteins in amphibia. W. Roux' Archiv f. Entwicklungsmechanik 165, 132–149 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00650142

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