Change in Component Proteins of the Egg Envelope (Chorion) of Rainbow Trout during Hardening: (Fish Egg Envelope/Chorion/Chorion Proteins/Chorion Hardening/Egg Activation).

Abstract

Egg envelope (chorion) of unfertilized eggs of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, consists of 4 major protein components whose molecular weights are approximately 110 K, 64 K, 56 K and 50 K. On hardening of the chorion after activation, 64 K, 56 K and 50 K components disappeared, some components higher than 160 K were newly formed and the solubility of the chorion in 1 N NaOH or 12 M urea-2% SDS-1% 2-mercaptoethanol (Sample Buffer) decreased. This implies that probable formation of covalent crosslinks between the constituents occurs during the hardening. Hardening occurred also in the chorion isolated from the unfertilized eggs. The conversion of the 64 K, 56 K and 50 K components into the higher molecular weight intermediates was Ca2+ -dependent, accelerated by 2-mercaptoethanol and inhibited by a high temperature (60°C). Optimum pH of this hardening system was acidic, i.e., 5.0 to 6.0. Cadaverine inhibited the change in solubility of chorion in NaOH or Sample Buffer, while it could not inhibit the disappearance of the 64 K, 56 K and 50 K components and the new formation of the higher molecular weight intermediates. This observation indicates existence of two processes in chorion hardening, which are tentatively named cadaverine-insensitive and cadaverine-sensitive processes.