title: Differential synthesis of crystallins in the developing rat eye lens.
abstract: The patterns of protein synthesis in rat lenses ranging in age from newborn to 4 months were compared. After incubation of lenses in [35S]methionine-containing medium it was possible to identify the de novo synthesized crystallins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and fluorography, in combination with peptide mapping and immunoblotting. It was found that the relative synthesis of alpha A and beta A3 stays fairly constant in rat lenses of all investigated ages. The relative synthesis of beta B2 and gamma s shows a pronounced increase with age in these post-natal lenses. A differential decrease can be observed in the relative synthesis of the other six gamma-crystallins (gamma A-gamma F). There appears to be a good correlation between the changes in relative synthesis of the various crystallins and previously reported alterations in mRNA levels, although certain mRNAs exhibit marked differences in translational efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Voorter
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: De Haard-Hoekman
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bloemendal
authors.forename: W W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: De Jong
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D003459:Crystallins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015180:Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000254:growth & development*; D008715:Methionine / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010449:Peptide Mapping; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013462:Sulfur Radioisotopes
chemical_list: D003459:Crystallins; D013462:Sulfur Radioisotopes; D008715:Methionine