alpha-Crystallin polypeptides in developing chicken lens cells.
We provide evidence that the different cells that form the chicken lens have isoelectric variants of alpha-crystallins at early and late developmental stages. We separated the alpha A and alpha B-crystallin subclasses by sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and then further resolved each by isoelectric focusing and assays with specific anti alpha-crystallin antibodies. We found that the annular pad, cortical and nuclear fibers, as well as the epithelial cells, contain alpha A and alpha B native chains and their respective isoelectric variants. These results on adult and embryonic lenses obtained a short time after the onset of alpha-crystallin expression suggest that lens cells, having different phenotypes, are able to produce post-translational modifications of the alpha A and alpha B chains as a part of their developmental program.
de Maria
A
A
Departamento de Biología Celular, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Avda., Montevideo, Uruguay.
Arruti
C
C
D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002642:Chick Embryo / Q000378:metabolism*; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D003459:Crystallins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D007525:Isoelectric Focusing; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational
D003459:Crystallins; D010455:Peptides