Vitellogenin is a novel player in defense reactions.
The significance of the presence of vitellogenin (Vg), a female-specific protein, in male and juvenile fish is uncertain. Here we show that the Vg purified from the rosy barb Puntius conchonius possesses both antibacterial and hemagglutinating activities in vitro, and the male fish challenged with Escherichia coli synthesize Vg. These suggest that in addition to being involved in yolk protein formation, Vg is also involved in defense reactions, a novel function assigned to Vg.
Shi
Xiaodong
X
Department of Marine Biology, Ocean University of China, 5 Yushan Road, Qingdao 266003, China.
Zhang
Shicui
S
Pang
Qiuxiang
Q
D000818:Animals; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial / Q000379:methods; D003530:Cyprinidae / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D004925:Escherichia / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006386:Hemagglutination Tests / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D016958:Pseudomonas putida / Q000187:drug effects; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000187:drug effects; D014819:Vitellogenins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014819:Vitellogenins