Identification of hypocalcin (teleocalcin) isolated from trout Stannius corpuscles

We have isolated and purified a glycoprotein from the corpuscles of Stannius (CS) of trout, which we consider hypocalcin (also called teleocalcin), the major hypocalcemic hormone of fish. This product is present in relatively large amounts in the CS of several species (i.e., European eel, tilapia, goldfish, and carp). Hypocalcin is typically released from the CS in response to an experimentally induced increase of the blood calcium concentration. Ultrastructural observations show that after this treatment the type 1 cells, reportedly the hypocalcin-producing cell type of the CS, are almost completely degranulated. The isolated glycoprotein has an apparent molecular weight of 54 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This molecule appears susceptible to breakdown and is recovered upon concanavalin-A affinity chromatography as a 41 kDa product. Reducing agents such as mercaptoethanol or dithiothreitol employed, e.g., during standard electrophoretic techniques or during amino acid sequence analysis, allow only the recovery of 28 or 18 kDa products. Evidence is given that the 54 and 41 kDa products are dimer molecules, with the 28 and 18 kDa products as their respective monomeric constituents. The sequence of the first 33 N-terminal amino acids of these products and the composition of the sugar component are presented.