Isolation and partial characterization of immunoglobulin from cod ( Gadus morhua L.)

Serum immunoglobulins (CS-Ig) from cod ( Gadus morhua L.) were prepared by precipitation with ammonium sulphate and molecular sieving. The molecular weight estimated from molecular sieving and electrophoresis was 851 kD for the whole molecule and 81 and 27.5 kD for the two subunits. This suggests a tetrameric structure of the molecule. The isoelectric point of CS-Ig was determined to approximately pH 5.0. The amino acid composition and absorbancy at 280 nm are very similar to published data of IgM from other fish species as well as from several mammals. CS-Ig has a natural binding capacity to a number of antigens used for immunization. Assays of antibody activity of fractionated cod serum indicates that CS-Ig does not exist as a monomeric molecule. As the characteristics of CS-Ig are very similar to those found in other fish species, we believe that CS-Ig is an IgM-like molecule.