EFFECT OF REPRODUCTIVE TOXICANTS ON LIPOVITELLIN IN FEMALE BLUE CRABS, CALLINECTES-SAPIDUS

Changes in the concentration of lipovitellin, a lipoprotein that is th e major protein in mature oocytes of crustaceans, were determined duri ng ovarian development in female blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus. To t est the effects of reproductive toxins on vitellogenesis, crabs were f ed food containing cadmium or injected with the juvenile hormone antag onist, precocene II. Monoclonal antibodies prepared against one of the lipovitellin peptides (peptide A-107 kDa) were used in an enzyme link ed immunosorbent assay to determine lipovitellin concentrations. Recen tly molted female crabs fed food containing cadmium (0.02 mg/g) for 18 days had oocytes with the same lipovitellin concentration as controls , but after 24 days the oocytes in cadmium treated crabs had significa ntly lower lipoprotein contents than controls (30 +/- 4 ng/oocyte-cadm ium treated; 45 +/- 4 ng/oocyte-control). Precocene II-treated crabs h ad significantly lower lipovitellin concentrations after 18 and 24 day s. Diameters of oocytes were the same in both treated and control crab s. The results suggest that some pollutants may affect reproduction by acting during secondary vitellogenesis, i.e., period when there is a large increase in lipovitellin synthesis. Since lipovitellins serve ma ny of the nutritional needs of recently emerged crab embryos, poor lar val survival may occur as a result of lower lipovitellin content.