Isolation and characterization of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone and its subunits from snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) pituitaries

Abstract

Highly purified luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone have been isolated from extracts of snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) pituitaries. Both hormones are potent in non-mammalian gonadotropin bioassays (1.8 X NIH-LH-S1 and 30 X NIH-FSH-S1). The materials have been characterized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, amino terminal group analysis, amino acid and carbohydrate content, and, in the case of turtle luteinizing hormone, ultracentrifugation. The luteinizing hormone was shown to dissociate and subunits were prepared by the countercurrent distribution technique and characterized. Biological activity of the hormone could be regenerated by recombination of the subunits. In addition, it was shown that the snapping turtle luteinizing hormone subunits could be combined with subunits from ovine luteinizing hormone with generation of significant biological activity. Comparisons in properties of the turtle gonadotropins have been made with ovine gonadotropins, showing, in many cases, similarities in properties, suggesting structural features which have been conserved during evolution.