''Pomacea maculata'' perivitellin-1 (PmPV1) is the most abundant perivitellin found in the

perivitelline fluid The perivitelline fluid is an extracellular fluid found in the eggs of most gastropods and constitutes the main source of nutrition and defense for their embryos. It replaces the egg yolk of other animals, which in snail eggs is reduced to non-nutri ...

from ''

Pomacea maculata ''Pomacea maculata'' is a species of large freshwater snail with an operculum, an aquatic gastropod mollusk in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails. Common name of its synonymous name ''Pomacea insularum'' is the island applesnail. Toge ...

'' snail eggs. This glyco-lipo-caroteno protein is an approx. 294 kDa multimer of a combination of multiple copies of six different ~30 kDa subunits. PmPV1 account >60% of the total

proteins Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...

found in the ''

'' eggs. PmPV1 is an orthologous of ovorubin and

scalarin Scalarin (PsSC) is the most abundant perivitellin of the perivitelline fluid from ''Pomacea scalaris'' eggs. This glyco-lipo-caroteno protein is an approx. 380 kDa multimer combining multiple copies of six different 24-35 kDa subunits. As part o ...

, sharing most of the structural features with the former protein and cross-reacting with anti- ovorubin

polyclonal antibodies Polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) are antibodies that are secreted by different B cell lineages within the body (whereas monoclonal antibodies come from a single cell lineage). They are a collection of immunoglobulin molecules that react against a ...

. Like ovorubin and

, PmPV1 is highly glycosylated (~13% w/w) and carries

carotenoid Carotenoids (), also called tetraterpenoids, are yellow, orange, and red organic compound, organic pigments that are produced by plants and algae, as well as several bacteria, and Fungus, fungi. Carotenoids give the characteristic color to pumpki ...

pigments, indicating that this perivitellin would probably have the

antioxidant Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to industrial products, such as fuels and lubricant ...

, photoprotective, aposematic and water retention functions described for its orthologous. PmPV1 is a

kinetically stable In chemistry and physics, metastability denotes an intermediate energetic state within a dynamical system other than the system's state of least energy. A ball resting in a hollow on a slope is a simple example of metastability. If the ball i ...

protein that, like most other studied

perivitellins Perivitellins are egg proteins found in the perivitelline fluid of many gastropods. They are multifunctional complexes providing the developing embryo with nutrition, protection from the environment, and defense against predators. Despite the cent ...

from ''

Pomacea ''Pomacea'' is a genus of freshwater snails with gills and an operculum, aquatic gastropod mollusks in the family Ampullariidae, the apple snails. The genus is native to the Americas; most species in this genus are restricted to South America. ...

'' snails, is highly stable in a wide range of pH values and withstands gastrointestinal digestion, characteristics associated with an antinutritive defense system that deters predation by lowering the nutritional value of the eggs. Remarkably, and in agreement with this antinutritive activity, PmPV1 withstands ''in vivo'' digestion, being recovered structurally unaltered from mice feces after trespassing the whole digestive system.

References

Proteins {{Protein-stub