PRESENCE OF A FATTY-ACID-BINDING PROTEIN IN THE ARMADILLO HARDERIAN-GLAND

A fatty acid-binding protein from the cytosolic fraction of the armadi llo Chaetophractus villosus Harderian gland was purified to homogeneit y by a procedure based on gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate-po lyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The protein has an apparent molecula r mass of 14 kDa, N-terminal sequence analysis showed that the protein has a blocked N-terminus. For internal amino acid sequencing, the pro tein was digested in-gel and the resulting peptides were fractionated by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography and subjected to automated Edman degradation. Partial amino acid sequencing suggests that it belongs to the heart type, Moreover, it cross-reacted with an ti-serum to rat heart fatty acid-binding protein but not with rat inte stinal and liver anti-sera. A very slow cross-reaction was also found with anti-serum to rat ALBP. This is the first time that a fatty acid- binding protein has been reported in a Harderian gland. (C) 1998 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.