The immunological and serological properties of phosvitin

Abstract

Phosvitin containing p32 was prepared, and shown to undergo an exchange reaction with lipovitellin in 10% NaCl soln. to the extent of about 75% of that theoretically possible if all the P of the vitellin were due to phosvitin. Phosvitin was shown not to react, either in precipitin or complement fixation reactions, with antisera to artifically phosphorylated proteins or to vitellin. Phosvitin does not inhibit precipitate formation in lipovitellin-antivitellin or phosphorylated protein precipitin systems. Injn. of phosvitin, either intraven. or intraperiton., or intramusc. in the form of an alum precipitate, into male or female rabbits does not produce sera capable of reacting in precipitin or complement fixation reactions with phosvitin, lipovitellin, or artificially phosphorylated proteins. The significance of these results is discussed, in relation to the composition of vitellin and the structure of phosvitin.