The yolk polypeptides of a free-living rhabditid nematode

1. 1. The yolk proteins of hermaphrodite Dolichorhabditis sp. (Nematode, Rhabditida) are composed of at least three polypeptides: VT1, VT2 and VT3 with molecular masses of 175.2, 107 and 82 kDa respectively. 2. 2. All three yolk polypeptides make up at least one native protein complex which can be resolved by PAGE. 3. 3. The yolk proteins are glycosylated and can be isolated by chromatography in Con A-Sepharose. 4. 4. Partial chymotryptic hydrolysis shows that VT2 in different from its C. elegans homologue, YP115. 5. 5. The main polypeptides synthesized by whole animals are the yolk components which are actively secreted in the incubation medium.