Egg jelly layers of Xenopus laevis are unique in ultrastructure and sugar distribution

Jelly coats surrounding the eggs of the South African clawed toad, Xenopus laevis, consist of three transparent, gelatinous layers: the innermost layer (J1), the middle layer (J2), and the outer layer (J3). The distribution of N‐acetylglucosamine within these jelly coats, as probed with FITC‐conjugated wheat germ agglutinin (WGA‐FITC), and the matrix ultrastructure of each layer, as visualized in platinum replicas produced by the quick‐freeze, deep‐etch, and rotary‐shadowing technique, suggests that each layer has a unique fiber and glycoprotein composition. J1 extends nearly 200 μm from the egg surface and exhibits no WGA‐FITC staining. Stereo images of platinum replicas indicates that J1 consists of a tightly knit network of 5–10 nm fibers decorated with 10–20 nm particulate components. In contrast, J2 is a relatively thin layer, extending only 25–40 μm from the outer aspect of J1. When visualized by confocal microscopy, J2 displays a multilayered WGA‐FITC staining pattern. The ultrastructure of J2 consists of sheets of fine fibers that run parallel to one another and that can be identified by their ability to bind WGA‐colloidal gold. The fibers of each sheet run at an oblique angle to fibers in neighboring layers. J3 extends 100 μm or more from J2. The WGA‐FITC staining pattern shows high intensity in its outer region and less intensity in regions closer to J2. Like J1, the J3 ultrastructure consists of a network of 5–10 nm fibers, decorated with 10–20 nm particulate components. The results of these studies add to a growing body of information that suggests the jelly coats surrounding the eggs of many animals consist of a fibrous glycoprotein superstructure that acts as a scaffold to which globular glycoproteins are bound. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.