An analysis of protein synthesis patterns during early embryogenesis of the urodele - Ambystoma mexicanum

Abstract

Changes in protein synthesis during early Ambystoma mexicanum (axolotl) embryogenesis were monitored using two-dimensional (2-D) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. No change in synthesis patterns during progesterone-induced oocyte maturation was detected. In oocytes matured in vivo (unfertilized eggs), however, the synthesis of several oogenetic proteins ceased, only to be resumed later in development. At fertilization, one novel non-oogenetic protein was found. A cleavage-specific protein was also detected. Dramatic changes in protein synthesis patterns were detected at gastrulation in axolotl embryos. About 10% of the proteins synthesized at earlier stages ceased synthesis at gastrulation. Another 10% of the proteins synthesized during gastrulation were novel. A gastrulation-specific protein was also detected. After gastrulation additional novel non-oogenetic proteins were synthesized for most stages examined. A pronounced increase in the number of novel proteins synthesized was observed at the onset of neurulation and during neural fold fusion. Some of those proteins were specific to dorsal or axial structure tissue (AST) and some were specific to ventral or non-axial structure tissue (NAST). Actin and tubulin synthesis was also monitored during axolotl development. While the cytoplasmic gamma- and beta-actins were synthesized at all stages, muscle-specific alpha-actin synthesis began at the head-process stage (stage 23/25).