Immunological evidence for the presence in sea urchin embryos of a cell adhesion protein similar to mouse uvomorulin (E-cadherin).
A tryptic fragment (88 kDa), obtained from external digestion of sea urchin embryos carried out in the presence of calcium, shows immunological cross-reactivity with polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies (DECMA-1) against mouse teratocarcinoma uvomorulin. Fab fragments obtained from anti-mouse terato-carcinoma uvomorulin mono- and polyclonal antibodies, and from polyclonal antibodies against the partially purified 88-kDa tryptic fragment, decompact early sea urchin embryos and block reaggregation of dissociated sea urchin blastula cells. These data indicate the presence of an uvomorulin-like protein in sea urchin embryos and suggest an important role for this protein in embryonic development.
Ghersi
G
G
Department of Cellular and Developmental Biology, Palermo, Italy.
Vittorelli
M L
ML
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000737:chemistry; D015820:Cadherins / Q000276:immunology; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012617:Sea Urchins / Q000032:analysis / Q000196:embryology*
D000906:Antibodies; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015820:Cadherins; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; D010446:Peptide Fragments