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Biology of Reproduction, Vol 14, 222-232, Copyright © 1976 by Society for the Study of Reproduction

Further Studies on the Chemical Nature of Reptilian Gonadotropins: FSH and LH in the American Alligator and Green Sea Turtle

PAUL LICHT 1, SUSAN WALKER FARMER 1, , and HAROLD PAPKOFF 1

1 Department of Zoology, University of California, Berkeley 94720 and Hormone Research Laboratory, University of California, San Francisco 94143


Fractionation of pituitaries from the American alligator (Alligator mississipiensis) and the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) revealed the existence of two distinct types of gonadotropins in each of these reptiles. The behavior of these hormones in three chromatographic systems (Amberlite CG-50, sulfoethyl-Sephadex C-50 and DEAE-cellulose) and their activities in several nonmammalian bioasays paralleled those of FSH and LH from other tetrapod species. The hormones from each reptile were prepared in highly purified form for chemical analysis.

Results of gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 indicated two distinct forms of FSH in each reptile, but other chemical and biological data revealed little differences between these two forms. In general, chemical characterization (N-terminal amino acids, amino acid composition and carbohydrate content) revealed a marked similarity among the FSHs and LHs of the various reptiles, birds and mammals studied thus far. For example, variations in LH composition between classes is not greater than within classes or orders. The action of neuraminidase on the reptilian gonadotropins suggested that the loss of sialic acid does not correlate well with biological activity.

Note:
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The collection of pituitary glands from the alligators could not have been made without the generous assistance of the staff of the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge in Grand Cheniere, Louisiana; we especially thank Mr. Larry McNease and Ted Joanen for their cooperation in this project and for making facilities available. The sea turtle glands used here were generously supplied by Mariculture, Ltd in Grand Cayman, British West Indies. Mammalian hormone standards were generously supplied by the NIAMDD of the National Institutes of Health. Technical assistance was provided by Carol Hopkins, Daniel Gordon, Jean Knorr and Hugh Meakin. Professor C. H. Li read the manuscript and offered valuable advice throughout the project. This work was supported in part by Grant No. GB 35241X from the National Science Foundation and funds from the Committee on Research, University of California, Berkeley. H. P. was a Career Development Awardee of the NIH during the course of these studies.

Submitted on August 5, 1975
Accepted on October 28, 1975




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