GENERAL PATTERN, 35SO4-INCORPORATION AND INTRACELLULAR LOCALIZATION OF GLYCANS IN DEVELOPING SEA URCHIN (ANTHOCIDARIS) EMBRYOS

Abstract

Glycosaminoglycan (GAG) prepared from sea urchin embryos (A. crassipina) at various stages with or without pulse 35SO4-labeling was separated into various fractions by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose with a linear NaCl concentration gradient : fractions P (nonacidic) and fractions A through F (of increasing acidities). The 35SO4-radioactivity was negligible in P and A, largest in B and C and decreased in the other fractions 3 alphabetical order. During development (hatched blastulae to gastrulae) the glycans in fractions P and A decreased in amount; those in E and F increased. E contained heparin-like (AMPS[acid mucopolysaccharide]-1) and dermatanpolysulfate-like (AMPS-2) GAG in addition to a sulfated fucogalactan-like (E1) glycan. Another sulfated fucogalactin-like (F1) glycan was found in F. A sulfated polysialic acid-like (S1) glycan was found in C. An EDTA extract of gastrulae gave AMPS-2, E1 and F1. The mitochondria-rich fraction gave AMPS-1; the yolk granule-rich fraction gave S1. Most of the other still unidentified components in B, C and D appeared to be derived from glycoproteins and were mainly located in the crude yolk-mitochondrial and cytosol fractions.