Figure 1

The bulk of total protein in the early embryo is yolk protein. A. Coomassie blue stained 2D gel (pI 3–10) of 1 mg protein extracted from shield stage embryos (6 hpf) without prior removal of the yolk. Several isoforms and degradation products of the predominant yolk protein Vitellogenin were spread over large parts of the gel (three boxes). Vitellogenin was identified by mass spectrometry. B. Embryo at high stage (3 1/3 hpf). The volume of the yolk cell exceeds the volume of the cells constituting the embryo proper.