Abstract
Vitellogenin (VTG) is an egg yolk-precursor protein that serves as a nutrient source for developing embryos in oviparous vertebrates. The hormonal control of this protein has been studied in a variety of taxa, but details about the dynamics of this protein remain to be elucidated in sea turtle species. To investigate the dynamics of VTG in a multi-clutch species under natural conditions, 38 adult Loggerhead females entrained in the Florida Power and Light St. Lucie Nuclear Plant intake canal in Hutchinson Island, Florida were sampled from May–August of 2014. Blood samples were drawn to measure testosterone, estradiol 17β, and vitellogenin (T, E2, and VTG, respectively) using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Ultrasound imaging of the gonads was used to determine ovarian status and to measure ovarian follicle and oviductal egg size. Results showed that VTG concentration increased from May (8.27 mg mL−1) to June (15.37 mg mL−1) and declined into July and August (9.44 mg mL−1); this decline corresponded wi...
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