title: Microheterogeneity of rat, mouse and human alpha1-fetoprotein as revealed by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and by crossed immuno-affino-electrophoresis with different lectins.
abstract: Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and crossed immuno-affino-electrophoresis with several free lectins have been used to characterize and to compare the molecular heterogeneity of rat, mouse and human alpha1-fetoproteins. Each alpha1-fetoprotein contains a variable number of electrophoretic variants depending on the gel porosity. In SDS electrophoresis, two molecular size populations are present in rat alpha1-fetoprotein (Mr = 74 000 and 72 000) and in mouse alpha1-fetoprotein (Mr = 73 000 and 72 000) but only one is observed in human alpha1-fetoprotein (Mr = 70 000). The crossed immuno-affino-electrophoresis patterns square with affinity chromatography results and reveal a marked and characteristic heterogeneity for the three alpha1-fetoprotein species with Concanavalin A, Ricinus communis and Lens culinaris lectins. No lectin-alpha-fetoprotein interaction is apparent with Ulex, Lotus and wheat germ lectins. Since similar patterns are obtained whether with purified alpha1-fetoprotein or with unfractionated fresh fetal sera, it is likely that this heterogeneity is not a consequence of artefactual molecular modifications arising during the purification procedure.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003208:Concanavalin A; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D006801:Humans; D007123:Immunoelectrophoresis, Two-Dimensional; D037102:Lectins; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D051381:Rats; D013045:Species Specificity; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins
chemical_list: D037102:Lectins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D003208:Concanavalin A