INVESTIGATIONS ON THE PROTEIN-COMPOSITION OF THE LICHEN PSEUDEVERNIA-FURFURACEA (L) ZOPF VAR CERATEA (ACH) HAWKSW FROM DIFFERENT ALTITUDES

The protein composition of the fruticose lichen Pseudevernia furfurace a var. ceratea was investigated by SDS-PAGE, immunoblotting, and two-d imensional gel electrophoresis. Minor differences of protein composito n were observed between the individuals of a habitat, but they were ne gligible in comparison to the variations between different habitats. T he altitude of the habitat exerted an influence upon total protein con tent, in a study comparing heights above sea level between 50 m and 18 00 m. Using SDS-PAGE it could be shown that increasing altitude result ed in a decreased amount of the 17 kD, 29 kD, 48 kD, 64 kD, and 73 kD proteins. Only the band at 14 kD was stronger at 1800 m than at lower sites. Immunoblotting likewise revealed a dependence of protein compos ition on altitude, although the rabbit antisera showed only poor immun ological activity against the lichen proteins. A band at 66 kD was ide ntified by antibodies in Lichens found at 1000 m, 750 m, 300 m, and 50 m but not at 1100 m, 1400 m, or 1800 m. A classification of habitats into one group situated above 1000 m and another situated below 1000 m could be concluded from the results of two-dimensional gel electropho resis. Although there was qualitative and quantitative variation betwe en individual proteins, the statistical presence of the protein spots permitted the division into one class with the habitats at 1800 m, 140 0 m, 1100 m, and 1000 m and a second class consisting of those at 750 m, 300 m, and 50 m.