An elastic protein from the cortical layer of the sea-urchin egg.
An elastic protein was isolated from the cortical layer of the fertilized eggs of two species of sea-urchin. Young's modulus of the fiber of the sea-urchin protein was approximately 1-10(7) dyne/cm2. The amino acid compositions of the elastic protein from the two species of sea-urchin eggs were very similar to that of connectin, elastic protein from vertebrate skeletal muscle. The fluorescent antibody against muscle connectin stained the cortical layer of the sea-urchin egg. It appears that the elastic protein is responsible for the elasticity of the egg cortex.
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004549:Elastin; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D010063:Ovum / Q000032:analysis* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012617:Sea Urchins
D000596:Amino Acids; D004527:Egg Proteins; D004549:Elastin