Yolk Protein: Structural Changes during Vitellogenesis in the Cockroach Leucophaea maderae

Abstract

Most of the yolk protein in the mature egg of Leucophaea maderae consists of one large component, whereas a second smaller protein is present during the early stages of vitellogenesis. The large protein can be converted to the smaller one and to even smaller units by mild alkaline conditions in vitro. After injection of uniformly labeled leucine-C(14) into females with developing eggs, the smaller yolk protein becomes labeled first, the label is then transferred to the large protein upon prolonged exposure.