title: Molecular analysis of a major soluble egg protein in the scleractinian coral Favites chinensis.
abstract: Soluble proteins were extracted from eggs of the scleractinian coral Favites chinensis, and analyzed using SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Two major proteins, named FcEP-1 and 2, were detected, and two partial amino acid sequences of FcEP-1 were determined. A cDNA encoding FcEP-1 was identified, using reverse transcription PCR with degenerate oligonucleotide primers designed based on the amino acid sequences, and rapid amplification of cDNA ends. Upon translation of the cDNA, FcEP-1 was predicted to consist of 648 amino acids, and the protein sequence exhibited similarity to vertebrate and invertebrate vitellogenins. FcEP-1 transcripts were already present approximately 6 months before spawning, when the size of oocytes was approximately 1/60 of the mature egg, and could be detected throughout the vitellogenic period. These observations suggest that detection of FcEP-1 transcripts may be useful to monitor the vitellogenic activity in F. chinensis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Marine Biosciences, Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 1-15-1 Minamidai, Nakano, Tokyo 164-8639, Japan.
authors.forename: Shuzo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Imagawa
authors.forename: Yoshikatsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Toshiki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004527:Egg Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012313:RNA; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004527:Egg Proteins; D014819:Vitellogenins; D012313:RNA