SYNTHESIS AND RELEASE OF PROTEINS HOMOLOGOUS TO EXCRETORY-SECRETORY ANTIGENS DURING EMBRYOGENESIS OF SETARIA-DIGITATA

Localization of antigens homologous to excretory-secretory proteins in developing embryos of Setaria digitata has been carried out by indire ct fluorescent antibody test, [C-14] labelling studies and Western blo tting. Indirect fluorescent antibody test.showed binding of excretory- secretory antibodies at perivitelline space. The fluorescent antibody binding was almost absent at small morulae stage and increasing in int ensity in the successive developmental stages with maximum at coiled m icrofilaria stage. Hatched microfilaria did not show the presence of a ntigens by immunofluorescence. Immunocomplex of excretory-secretory an tiserum against ''amniotic fluid'' collected from developing embryos o f Setaria digitata labelled with [C-14] amino acids showed highest rad ioactivity at coiled and tadpole stages and differed significantly fro m small morulae, big morulae and hatched microfilaria. Immunoblot anal ysis of amniotic fluid showed two proteins, 16.5 and 11 kDa, to be hig hly antigenic. The antigenic protein (11 kDa) content as seen by immun o blotting increased during embryogenesis and decreased at the stage o f hatching.