An unusual lysosome compartment involved in vitellogenin endocytosis by Xenopus oocytes

We have investigated the lysosomal compartment of Xenopus oocytes to determine the possible role of this organelle in the endocytic pathway of the yolk protein precursor, vitellogenin. Oocytes have lysosome-like organelles of unusual enzymatic composition at all stages of their development, and the amount of hydrolase activity increases steadily throughout oogenesis. These unusual lysosomes appear to be located primarily in a peripheral zone of oocyte cytoplasm. At least two distinct populations of lysosomal organelles can be identified after sucrose density gradient fractionation of vitellogenic oocytes. Most enzyme activity resides in a compartment of large size and high density that appears to be a subpopulation of yolk platelets that are less dense than most platelets within the cell. The appearance of this high density peak of lysosomal enzyme activity coincides with the time of onset of vitellogenin endocytosis during oocyte development. The data suggest that endocytic vesicles that contain vitellogenin fuse with modified lysosomes shortly after their internalization by the oocyte. Pulse-chase experiments with radiolabeled vitellogenin suggest that the ligand passes through the low density platelet compartment en route to the heavy platelets. The accumulation of yolk proteins apparently results from a failure of these molecules to undergo complete digestion after their entry into an unusual lysosomal compartment. The yolk platelets that these proteins finally enter for prolonged storage appear to be a postlysosomal organelle.     

PROTEIN UPTAKE IN THE OOCYTES OF THE CECROPIA MOTH

The formation of yolk spheres in the oocyte of the cecropia moth, Hyalophora cecropia (L.), is known immunologically to result largely from uptake of a sex-limited blood protein. Recent electron microscope analyses of insect and other animal oocytes have demonstrated fine structural configurations consistent with uptake of proteins by pinocytosis. An electron microscope analysis of the cecropia ovary confirms the presence of similar structural modifications. With the exception of two apparently amorphous layers, the basement lamella on the outer surface of the follicular epithelium and the vitelline membrane on the inner, there is free access of blood to the oocyte surface between follicle cells. Dense material is found in the interfollicular cell space and adsorbed to the outer surface of the much folded oocyte membrane. Pits in the oocyte membrane and vesicles immediately under it are lined with the same dense material not unlike the yolk spheres in appearance. Introduction of ferritin into the blood of a developing cecropia moth and its localization adsorbed to the surface of the oocyte, and within the vesicles and yolk spheres of the oocyte cortex, is experimental evidence that the structural modifications of the oocyte cortex represent stages in the pinocytosis of blood proteins which arrive at the oocyte surface largely by an intercellular route. Small tubules attached to the yolk spheres are provisionally interpreted as a manifestation of oocyte-synthesized protein being contributed to the yolk spheres.     

Purification and characterization of a cortical secretory vesicle membrane fraction

A membrane fraction has been prepared by sucrose density gradient fractionation of purified cortical secretory vesicles from the eggs of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. The purified cortical vesicle membrane fraction has a phospholipid to protein ratio of 1.76 and exhibits a morphology typical of biological membranes as seen by electron microscopy. The protein composition of the purified membranes was analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and shown to be distinct from that of eggs, cell surface complex, cortical vesicles, fertilization product, and yolk platelets. Alkaline extraction (pH 11.0) of peripheral membrane proteins increased the phospholipid to protein ratio to 2.55 and removed several polypeptides. Immunoblot analysis of the isolated cortical vesicle membrane fraction revealed low levels of contamination with two major cortical vesicle content proteins. Fractions enriched in egg plasma membranes and yolk platelet membranes also have been isolated and compared with the cortical vesicle membranes by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The protein compositions of the three membrane fractions were found to contain very little overlap, indicating that the cortical vesicle membrane preparation is relatively free of contamination from these likely noncortical vesicle sources of membrane. Both the plasma membrane and cortical vesicle membrane samples were found by immunoblotting to contain actin.     

Developmental studies of vitellogenesis in a dipteran insect, Chironomus thummi.

Vitellogenesis of developing oocytes of a Dipteran insect Chironomus thummi has been investigated. The onset of yolk deposition is marked by the differentiation of the oolemma including the formation of microvilli and endocytosis. These changes are accompanied by the appearance of small electron dense granules, similar in density to the yolk platelets, arising through the sequential accumulation of material into the matrices of the multivesicular bodies (MVBs). These latter structures are produced in the previtellogenic oocytes of the pharate pupae and early pharate adults. Often the limiting membrane of the MVBs bears bristle coats resembling those of the coated vesicles of pinocytotic origin, suggesting that it is through the fusion with the pinocytotic vesicles that the accumulation of dense material in the MVBs results. That the Mvbs transform into structures resembling yolk granules is supported by statistical analysis which indicates that the decrease in the number of electron-dense MVBs coincides with the increase in the occurrence of small dense yolk granules. In the late pharate adult stage the yolk granules are considerably larger than those of earlier stages. It is during this period that at least one type of electron-dense granule occurs at the oocyte follicle cell border, and that these apparently contribute to the formation of the vitelline envelope. The results of the present study indicate that preformed oocytic elements, the MVBs, play a strategic role in the formation and arrangement of the yolk granules in Chironomus. Since these structures account for the bulk of the ooplasm, it appears that the MVBs are at least partly responsible for the correct ordering of the cytoplasmic constituents of the oocytes, which is critical for the proper development and differentiation of the embryo.     

Yolk formation in Isohypsibius (Eutardigrada)

Summary In Isohypsibius granulifer, yolk is autosynthesized. The Golgi apparatus is mainly responsible for the formation of yolk, which consists of irregular platelets with heterogeneous contents and a diameter of about 1 m. Dense globules, 300 nm in diameter, are visible among yolk platelets. These develop in the vesicles of the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The genesis of these vesicles is associated with the outer membrane of the nuclear envelope, which forms blebs intensively during previtellogenesis and early vitellogenesis. The developing oocytes are assisted by nurse cells, to which they are jointed by cytoplasmic bridges. For every oocyte, there are a number nurse cells, which are sister cells of the oocyte. In addition to rRNA, nurse cells transfer to the oocyte lipids, platelets of yolk formed in their cytoplasm, mitochondria and cortical granules.     

Isolation and partial characterization of Borrelia burgdorferi inner and outer membranes by using isopycnic centrifugation.

In order to characterize the protein composition of the outer membrane of Borrelia burgdorferi, we have isolated inner and outer membranes by using discontinuous sucrose density step gradients. Outer and inner membrane fractions isolated by this method contained less than 1 and 2%, respectively, of the total lactate dehydrogenase activity (soluble marker) in cell lysate. More importantly, the purified outer membranes contained less than 4% contamination by the C subunit of F1/F0 ATPase (inner membrane marker). Very little flagellin protein was present in the outer membrane sample. This indicated that the outer membranes were relatively free of contamination by cytoplasmic, inner membrane or flagellar components. The outer membrane fractions (rho = 1.19 g/cm3) contained 0.15 mg (dry weight) of protein per mg. Inner membrane samples (rho = 1.12 g/cm3) contained 0.60 mg (dry weight) of protein per mg. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy revealed that the outer membrane vesicles contained about 1,700 intramembranous particles per micron 2 while inner membrane densities for inner and outer membranes. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and nonequilibrium pH gel electrophoresis-SDS-PAGE analyses of inner and outer membrane samples revealed several proteins unique to the inner membrane and 20 proteins that localized specifically to the outer membrane. This analysis clearly shows that the inner and outer membranes isolated by this technique are unique structures.     

Biochemical and immunocytochemical analysis of vitellogenesis in the olive fruit fly Dacus (bactrocera) oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Synthesis and selective accumulation of the major yolk proteins in the developing oocytes of the species Dacus oleae (Diptera: Tephritidae) was studied biochemically and by immunoelectron microscopy. In the hemolymph of adult females, two yolk proteins precursors (or vitellogenins) have been detected. They each exhibit a similar molecular weight and isoelectric point to their respective mature yolk proteins (or vitellins), while electrophoretic analysis of their synthetic profile shows that their levels in the hemolymph increase rapidly during development. Immunogold electron microscopy of ovarian sections, revealed that the hemolymph vitellogenins reach the oocyte through enlarged inter-follicular spaces and demonstrated vitellogenin synthesis by the follicle cells of the vitellogenic follicles. The newly synthesized vitellogenins follow a distinct secretory pathway into these cells as compared to other components being synthesized at the same time (e.g. the vitelline envelope proteins), since they were found in secretory vesicles that appeared to be differentiated from those destined to participate in the vitelline envelope. The vitellogenin-containing vesicles exocytose their contents directionally into the follicle cell/vitelline envelope boundary, and subsequently the vitellogenins diffuse among the gaps of the forming vitelline envelope and reach the oocyte plasma membrane. Their internalization by the oocyte includes the formation of an endocytic complex consisting of coated pits, coated vesicles, endosomes, transitional yolk bodies, and finally mature yolk bodies, in which the storage of the vitellins and other yolk proteins occur. These results are discussed in relation to data obtained from other Dipteran species.     

Membranes during yolk-platelet development in oocytes of the toad Bufo marinus

Summary Oocytes of the toad Bufo marinus have been studied by means of thin section and particularly freeze-fracture electron microscopy to characterize the cytoplasmic membranes around the yolk organelle, and the storage of yolk material in precursors and platelets. This appears to be a previously unknown type of yolk-platelet formation. During yolk-organelle development from the primordial precursor to the bi-partite fully grown yolk platelet, numerous lipoid droplets are attached to the periphery of the platelet, indicating an intense uptake of lipids. As is typical for amphibians, the fully grown yolk platelet has a crystalline internum covered by a dense osmiophilic externum, and the whole organelle is enveloped by a plasma membrane that shows no direct connection or fusion with endocytotic vesicles. The yolk membrane exhibits few intramembraneous particles (IMPs) at the core areas and some more where it borders fields of lipoid droplets. Here the IMPs show a net-like arrangement in the furrows between adjacent droplets.     

Yolk organelles and their membranes during vitellogenesis ofXenopus oocytes

Summary The yolk platelets ofXenopus laevis have been studied by thin-section and freeze-fracture electron microscopy to characterize the boundary membrane during yolk formation. Throughout vitellogenesis, large yolk platelets are in close contact with smaller nascent yolk organelles. Two types of primordial yolk platelets (I and II) have been discriminated. After membrane fusion these precursors can be completely incorporated into the main body of existing platelets, numerous yolk crystals then merge and form one uniformly stratified core. Lipid droplets are tightly attached to the membrane at all developmental stages of yolk platelets. A direct connection of endoplasmic reticulum to the membranes of yolk platelets was not observed. On freezeetching replicas, yolk-platelet membranes present fracture faces with intramembranous particles (IMP) of various sizes and a heterogeneous distribution of approximately 200–600 IMP/μm² at the E face, and 1200–2100 IMP/μm² at the P face. Again, this presentation of the membrane exhibits neither anastomoses to the endoplasmic reticulum, nor caveolae that exclude the uptake of yolk-containing vesicles into these yolk organelles. Proteinaceous yolk platelets tend to fracture along their periphery through the superficial layers.     

Ultrastructural studies of differentiation in the oocyte of the polyclad turbellarian,Prostheceraeus floridanus

Oocyte differentiation in the polyclad turbellarian Prostheceraeus floridanus has been examined to determine the nature of oogenesis in a primitive spiralian. The process has been divided into five stages. (1) The early oocyte: This stage is characterized by a large germinal vesicle surrounded by dense granular material associated with the nuclear pores and with mitochondria. (2) The vesicle stage: The endoplasmic reticulum is organized into sheets which often contain dense particles. Vesicles are found in clusters in the cytoplasm, some of which are revealed to be lysosomes by treatment with the Gomori acid phosphatase medium. (3) Cortical granule formation: Cortical granules are formed by the fusion of filled Golgi vasuoles which have been released from the Golgi saccules. The association between the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi suggests that protein is synthesized in the ER and transferred to the Golgi where polysaccharides are added to form nascent cortical granules. (4) Yolk synthesis: After a large number of cortical granules are synthesized, yolk bodies appear. They originate as small membrane-bound vesicles containing flocculent material which subsequently increase in size and become more compact. Connections between the forming yolk bodies and the endoplasmic reticulum indicate that yolk synthesis occurs in the ER. (5) Mature egg: In the final stage, the cortical granules move to the periphery and yolk platelets and glycogen fill the egg. At no time is there any evidence of uptake of macromolecules at the oocyte surface. Except for occasional desmosomes between early oocytes, no membrane specialization or cell associations are seen throughout oogenesis. Each oocyte develops as an independent entity, a conclusion supported by the lack of an organized ovary.     

Vitellogenin transport and yolk formation in the quail ovary

Morphological and biochemical investigations were made on the yolk formation in ovaries of the quail Coturnix japonica. Morphologically, two ways of nutrient uptake were observed in follicles. In small oocytes of white follicles, vitellogenin (VTG) was taken up through fluid-phase endocytosis which was assisted by follicular lining bodies. The lining bodies were produced in follicle cells. They adhered to the lateral cell membrane, moved along the membrane in the direction of the enclosed oocyte and were posted to the tips of the microvilli. These tips, now with lining bodies, were pinched off from the main cell body, engulfed by indented cell membranes of the oocyte, and transported to yolk spheres. In large oocytes of yellow follicles, VTG and very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) were taken up through receptor-mediated endocytosis. The VTG and VLDL particles diffused through the huge interspaces between follicle cells, and once in oocytes were transported to yolk spheres via coated vesicles. Immunohistochemistry showed that the VTG resides on or near the surface of the follicle cell membrane at the zona radiata whereas the cathepsin D resides at or near the oocytic cell membranes. Tubular and round vesicles in the cortical cytoplasm of oocytes were also stained with both antisera, suggesting that these vesicles are the sites where the VTG is enzymatically processed by cathepsin D. Upon analysis by SDS-PAGE, a profile similar to that of yolk-granule proteins was produced by incubating VTG with a quail cathepsin D of 40 kD.     

Accumulation of yolk in a caecilian (Gegeneophis ramaswamii) oocyte: A light and transmission electron microscopic study

There is a paucity of information on the female reproductive biology of the caecilian amphibians when compared with the other vertebrate groups. Hence, the accumulation of nutrient reserves in the form of yolk and formation of yolk platelets were studied in Gegeneophis ramaswamii, adopting light microscopic histological and transmission electron microscopy analysis. Previtellogenic as well as vitellogenic follicles were observed in appropriate preparations. On the basis of the source and the routes of entry, we identified four types of yolk precursor materials, precursors 1 to 4. The earliest material appearing in the oocyte consists of abundant lipid vesicles during the previtellogenic phase, i.e., much before the follicular epithelium is fully established. This is a contribution from the oocyte mitochondria, which we identified as yolk precursor material 1, and it is autosynthetic. Once the follicle cell‐oocyte interface is fully established, there is an accumulation of the principal component of the heterosynthetic yolk by sequestration from the blood through the intercellular spaces between follicle cells in a pinocytic process. This we identified as yolk precursor material 2. There was also an indication of a lipidic yolk material synthesis in the follicle cells sequestered from maternal blood through the follicle cells in an endocytic process in which the macrovilli of follicle cells and the microvilli of the oocyte play a role. This we identified as yolk precursor material 3. Contribution to the yolk of peptidic, glycosidic, and/or lipidic material synthesized in the vitellogenic oocyte was also indicated. This we identified as yolk precursor material 4. The sequential development of intercellular associations and indications of synthesis/sequestration of the yolk have been traced. Thus, we report the mechanistic details of synthesis/sequestration of the yolk materials in a caecilian. J. Morphol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Ultrastructure of the pre-implantation shark yolk sac placenta

During ontogeny, the yolk sac of viviparous sharks differentiates into a yolk sac placenta which functions in gas exchange and hematrophic nutrient transport. The pre-implantation yolk sac functions in respiration and yolk absorption. In a 10.0 cm embryo, the yolk sac consists of six layers, viz. (1) somatic ectoderm; (2) somatic mesoderm; (3) extraembryonic coelom; (4) capillaries; (5) endoderm; and (6) yolk syncytium. The epithelial ectoderm is a simple cuboidal epithelium possessing the normal complement of cytoplasmic organelles. The endoplasmic cisternae are dilated and vesicular. The epithelium rests upon a basal lamina below which is a collagenous stroma that contains dense bodies of varying diameter. They have a dense marginal zone, a less dense core, and a dense center. The squamous mesoderm has many pinocytotic caveolae. The capillary endothelium is adjacent to the mesoderm and is delimited by a basal lamina. The endoderm contains yolk degradation vesicles whose contents range from pale to dense. The yolk syncytium contains many morphologically diverse yolk granules in all phases of degradation. Concentric membrane lamellae form around yolk bodies as the main yolk granules begin to be degraded. During degradation, yolk platelets exhibit a vesicular configuration.     

Plasmodium lophurae: membrane proteins of erythrocyte-free plasmodia and malaria-infected red cells

Plasma membranes of normal duckling erythrocytes were prepared by blender homogenization and nitro-en decompression. Surface membrane vesicles of red cells infected with the avian malaria Plasmodium lophurae were produced by nitrogen decompression. Membranes of erythrocyte-free malaria parasites were removed from cytoplasmic constituents by Dounce homogenization. These membranes were collected by centrifugation in a sucrose step gradient and purified on a linear sucrose gradient. Red cell membranes had a buoyant density of 1.159 g/cm3, whereas plasmodial membranes banded at 2 densities: 1.110 g/cm3 and 1.158 g/cm3. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of the isolated red cell membranes revealed 7 major protein bands with molecular weights (MW) ranging from 230, 000 to 22,000, and 3 glycoprotein bands with MW of 160,000, 88,000 and 37,000. Parasite membranes also had 7 major bands with MW ranging from 100,000 to 22,000. No glycoproteins were identifiable in these membranes. The proteins of the surface membranes from infected red cells had MW similar to those from normal red cells; however, there was some evidence of a reduction in the amount of the high MW polypeptides. The red cell membrane contained 79 nmoles sialic acid/mg membrane protein, whereas plasmodial membranes had 8 nmoles sialic acid/mg membrane protein. The sialic acid content of the surface membranes of infected red cells was significantly smaller than that of normal cells. Lactoperoxidase-glucose oxidase-catalyzed iodination of intact normal and malaria-infected erythrocytes labeled 7 surface components. Although no observable differences in iodinatable proteins were seen in these preparations, there was a striking reduction in the iodinatability of erythrocytic membranes obtained from P. lophurae-infected cells. Erythrocyte-free plasmodia bound very little radioactive iodine; the small amount of radioactivity was distributed among 3 major bands with MW of 42,000, 32,000 and 28,000. It is suggested that the alterations of the surface of the P. lophurae-infected erythrocyte do not occur by a wholesale insertion of plasmodial membrane proteins into the red cell plasma membrane, but rather that there are parasite-mediated modifications of existing membrane polypeptides.     

In vivo assembly of a biological membrane of defined size, shape, and lipid composition.

At restrictive temperature, mutant ts1 of bacteriophage PM2 makes membrane vesicles inside infected Alteromonas espejiana. A shift from restrictive to permissive temperature resulted in rapid maturation to infectious virions. The membrane vesicles were isolated from cellular membranes by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. Analysis of the unique peak at rho = 1.190 g/cm3 showed spheres of two diameters, 50 nm and 54 nm. The wild-type virus is icosahedral with an average diameter of 60 nm. Gel electrophoresis indicated the absence in the vesicles of the coat and spike proteins. sp27 and sp43, respectively, and the presence of only one viral structural protein, sp6.6. DNA was also present. The lipid in the vesicles was composed of phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine in a proportion similar to that of the wild-type virus, whose ratio is nearly the inverse of that found in the host membrane. Thus, membrane vesicles made by mutant ts1 resembled the membrane of the wild-type virus in size, shape, and lipid composition, but contained only one of the four structural proteins of the virus. This hydrophobic protein, sp6.6 may be responsible for stimulating membrane morphogenesis.     

Separation of dense, polysaccharide-containing vesicles from secreting, cultured oat cells. Characterization of a putative secretory vesicle fracton

Suspension cultured oat (Avena sativa L. cv. Garry) cells, which secrete polysaccharides into the medium, were used as starting material for analyses of Golgi-derived vesicle membranes and plasma membranes isolated during cell fractionation. Vesicles collected by a procedure employing ultrafiltration followed by ultracentrifugation into a sucrose step gradient exhibited an equilibrium density of 1.27 g cm^?3 when run on continuous sucrose gradients, a feature which is most likely attributable to the high concentration of enclosed polysaccharides. Brief sonication lowered the density of these vesicles to about 1.15 g cm^?3, as judged from the coincidence of the protein peak and the marker enzymes for Golgi [Triton-stimulated UDPase, cold-storage IDPase (EC 3.6.1.6)] and plasma membrane [vanadate-inhibited K⁺, Mg²⁺-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3)]. Sonication of these vesicles also greatly diminished the amount of detectable polysaccharide observed in a colorimetric assay for sugars. Fractionation of a plasma membrane-enriched preparation from these cells on continuous sucrose gradients showed the major protein peak and the peak activity for the plasma membrane marker at 1.17 g cm^?3, however, there was also significant overlap with a mitochondrial [cytochrome c oxidase (EC 1.9.3.1)] peak at 1.18 g cm^?3, Smaller peaks of the Golgi markers were seen at 1.14 g cm^?3. Analyses of marker enzymes for ER and mitochondria (EC 1.6.99.3) showed little contamination of the membranes of presumptive secretory vesicles from these sources, and the lack of significant vanadate-insensitive ATPase activity in the density range from 1.13–1.18 g cm^?3 in either fractionation scheme suggests that these membranes do not include material from the tonoplast. The coincidence of markers for Golgi and plasma membrane with from the tonoplast. The coincidence of markers for Golgi and plasma membrane with the membranes of sonicated, dense vesicles, at a density slightly lower than that of plasma membranes prepared from the same cells, supports the possibility that membranes en route to the plasma membrane are incompletely differentiated.     

Early ultrastructural changes of developing oocytes in the dog

Many aspects of the developmental stages of the oocyte of the dog resemble those of other mammalian species. The oocyte of the dog, however, contains large amounts of lipid yolk material. A study of the ultrastructural morphology of early growth and maturation of dog oocytes was undertaken to clarify the nature and appearance of this yolk material. The lipid yolk first appears in early primary oocytes as aggregated dense bodies that gradually fill the ooplasm as the oocyte matures. The site of the yolk's initial appearance is consistently related to a single centriole and often to the lamellae of smooth endoplasmic reticulum that surrounds groups of forming lipid yolk bodies. Dense cortical granule-like vesicles are found to lie deep within the maturing oocyte and often are enclosed within the lamellar yolk space. Granules within this space undergo changes in size, matrix configuration, and vacuolization. These changes suggest a mechanism whereby material is added to the lipid yolk bodies. Light microscope histochemistry for lipid and polysaccharide material is described.     

莫桑比克非鲫卵黄形成的电镜观察

运用透射电镜观察了莫桑比克非鲫卵母细胞的生长.根据卵母细胞的大小和内部结构特征,将其分为四个时期:卵母细胞生长早期:卵黄泡形成期:卵黄积累期:卵黄积累完成期.本文着重研究了主要卵黄成分--卵黄球的形成过程.卵黄球属外源性卵黄,由卵母细胞通过微胞饮作用吸收肝脏合成的卵黄蛋白原后形成的.在卵黄大量积累前,卵母细胞内的线粒体和多泡体聚集成团,构成卵黄核,继而线粒体大量增殖,线粒体形状发生改变,形成同心多层膜结构,为大量的卵黄物质积累提供场所.最终形成的卵黄球由被膜、卵黄结晶体和两者之间的非结晶区三部分组成.       

Differences in the protein composition of bovine retinal rod outer segment disk and plasma membranes isolated by a ricin-gold-dextran density perturbation method

The plasma membrane and disk membranes of bovine retinal rod outer segments (ROS) have been purified by a novel density-gradient perturbation method for analysis of their protein compositions. Purified ROS were treated with neuraminidase to expose galactose residues on plasma membrane-specific glycoproteins and labeled with ricin-gold-dextran particles. After the ROS were lysed in hypotonic buffer, the plasma membrane was dissociated from the disks by either mild trypsin digestion or prolonged exposure to low ionic strength buffer. The dense ricin-gold-dextran-labeled plasma membrane was separated from disks by sucrose gradient centrifugation. Electron microscopy was used to follow this fractionation procedure. The dense red pellet primarily consisted of inverted plasma membrane vesicles containing gold particles; the membrane fraction of density 1.13 g/cc consisted of unlabeled intact disks and vesicles. Ricin-binding studies indicated that the plasma membrane from trypsin-treated ROS was purified between 10-15-fold. The protein composition of plasma membranes and disks was significantly different as analyzed by SDS gels and Western blots labeled with lectins and monoclonal antibodies. ROS plasma membrane exhibited three major proteins of 36 (rhodopsin), 38, and 52 kD, three ricin-binding glycoproteins of 230, 160, and 110 kD, and numerous minor proteins in the range of 14-270 kD. In disk membranes rhodopsin appeared as the only major protein. A 220-kD concanavalin A-binding glycoprotein and peripherin, a rim-specific protein, were also present along with minor proteins of 43 and 57-63 kD. Radioimmune assays indicated that the ROS plasma membrane contained about half as much rhodopsin as disk membranes.     

THE ORIGIN OF PROTEIN AND FATTY YOLK IN RANA PIPIENS : II. Electron Microscopical and Cytochemical Observations of Young and Mature Oocytes

Electron microscope studies of young oocytes have demonstrated that the plate-like, hexagonally shaped yolk bodies previously observed in living cells are wholly within the substance of oocyte mitochondria and that they remain within these mitochondria while increasing in size. These bodies possess a crystalline structure consisting of what appear to be lines, with a spacing of 70 to 85 A, and appear very dense in the electron microscope. After formalin fixation such bodies give an intense positive test for protein, and when viewed in the electron microscope are only slightly less dense than after OsO₄ fixation. Evidence is presented for the origin of these crystals within a single crista. The clusters of yolk globules previously studied in living cells are seen to consist of several types of bodies, but an irregular dense droplet predominates. This dense material is apparently secreted by small spherical bodies which, the evidence suggests, originate from the breaking up of filamentous mitochondria and which possess an outer double membrane and sometimes internal cristalike membranes. When thin sections of young oocytes are immersed in xylol the dense globules of the clusters are dissolved, but the hexagonal bodies are unaffected, indicating that the globules are of a predominantly fatty nature, while the hexagonal bodies are of a predominantly protein nature. Examination of mature or almost mature oocytes has revealed that the main body of the yolk platelets is crystalline in nature and is surrounded by a thick matrix which, in light microscope study, masks the fact that the face view of the main body of the platelets is often hexagonal. The spacing within the main body is found to be 70 to 85 A. The crystal laminae of this material can be resolved quite clearly into rows of particles. Dense globules of varying sizes are found in the cytoplasm between the platelets. When thin sections of these OsO₄-fixed oocytes are immersed in xylol, the material of the globules is extracted and the crystalline material of the platelets remains unaffected, indicating the fatty nature of the globules and the protein nature of the platelets. The platelets of the mature egg resemble the hexagon bodies, previously described in young oocytes, in their protein nature, their crystalline spacing, and their hexagonal outline. This is given as strong evidence for the origin of the mature platelets by the growth of the intramitochondrial hexagon bodies. The biochemical implications of this study are discussed.