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Histochemical and structural characterization of egg extra‐cellular matrix in bufonid toads, B ufo bufo and B ufotes balearicus : Molecular diversity versus morphological uniformity
Author(s) -
Mentino Donatella,
Mastrodonato Maria,
Rossi Roberta,
Scillitani Giovanni
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
microscopy research and technique
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.536
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1097-0029
pISSN - 1059-910X
DOI - 10.1002/jemt.22414
Subject(s) - bufo , mannose , biology , matrix (chemical analysis) , molecular mass , glycoprotein , lectin , ultrastructure , chemistry , biochemistry , botany , toad , chromatography , ecology , enzyme
The extra‐cellular matrix of fertilized eggs in the bufonid toads Bufo bufo and Bufotes balearicus was studied to clear the relationships between structural and molecular diversity. Histochemical (PAS, AB pH 2.5 and pH 1.0, Beta‐elimination PAS) and lectin‐histochemical (Con A, WGA, Succinyl‐WGA, PNA, RCA‐1, DBA, SBA, AAA, UEA‐I, LTA) techniques were used and the observations were made under light and electron microscopy. Both species present a fertilization envelope (FE) and two jelly layers (J 1 and J 2 ). The fibers of J 2 are shared among the eggs of a clutch in a jelly ribbon. The FE of both species presents neutral glycoproteins, mostly N ‐linked. In B. bufo there are also residuals of mannose and/or glucose and N ‐acetylglucosamine. In the FE fibers run parallel to egg's surface or are in bundles or looser hanks with no clear orientation. The J 1 layer of both species presents sialosulfoglycoproteins, mostly O ‐linked, with lactosaminylated, galactosaminylated, glycosaminylated, and fucosylated residuals. A lower amount of galactosaminylated residuals is observed in B. balearicus in respect to B. bufo , whereas the opposite is seen in the amount of fucosylated residuals. The J 2 layer is similar in composition to J 1 but in B. balearicus there are no glucosaminylated residuals. J layers present fibers and granules that reduce towards J 2 . Several microorganisms, in particular blue algae, are observed in the J 2 layer of both species. In respect to other species, B. bufo and B. balearicus have a lower number of jelly layers, but a comparable number of glycan types. Microsc. Res. Tech. 77:910–917, 2014 . © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.