Proteins of calcified endoskeleton: II Partial amino acid sequences of endoskeletal proteins and the characterization of proteinaceous organic matrix of spicules from the alcyonarian, Synularia polydactyla

Abstract

Calcified organic substances in the skeleton contain a protein-polysaccharide complex taking a key role in the regulation of bio-calcification. However, information concerning the matrix proteins in alcyonarian and their effect on calcification process is still unknown. For this reason, we have studied the organic matrix of endoskeletal spicules from the alcyonarian coral, Synularia polydactyla, to analyze the proteins with their sequences and investigate the functional properties by a molecular approach. The separated spicules from the colony were identified by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The soluble organic matrix comprised 0.04% of spicule weight. By recording decline of pH in the experimental design, the inhibitory effect of the matrix on CaCO3 precipitation was revealed. Prior to electrophoresis, our analysis of proteins extracted from the soluble organic matrix of the spicules revealed an abundance of proteins in molecular weight. The sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis of the preparations showed seven bands of proteins with an apparent molecular mass of 109, 83, 70, 63, 41, 30 and 22 kDa. The proteins were electrophoresed on Tricine-SDS-PAGE after electro-elution treatment, and then transferred to polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes and their N-termini were sequenced. Two bands of proteins of about 70 and 63 kDa successfully underwent N-terminal amino acid sequencing. For the detection of calcium binding proteins, a Ca2+ overlay analysis was conducted on the extract by 45Ca autoradiography. The 109 and 63 kDa calcium binding proteins were found to be radioactive. Periodic acid schiff staining indicated that 83 and 63 kDa proteins were glycosylated. An assay for carbonic anhydrase, which is thought to play an important role in the process of calcification revealed low level of the activity. These findings suggest that the endoskeletal spicules of alcyonarian corals have protein-rich organic matrices, which might be related to the calcification process.