lipovitelline

CONT: The initial solubilization of yolk platelets demonstrated that the lipid was present in the soluble fraction containing lipovitellin and phosvitin. These two proteins have been resolved and the lipovitellin fraction was shown to exhibit the absorption maximum at 375 nm that characterizes DCD [dorsalizing cytoplasmic determinant]. The lipovitellin was purified and its total lipids extracted and separated on HPLC [high-performance liquid chromatography]. A lipid was found that has identical elution properties from a C18 reverse HPLC column and mass as DCD. Therefore, lipovitellin, a zinc protein known to contain 17% lipid by weight, is the oocyte storage protein for DCD.