Changing patterns of vitellin-related peptides during development of the cattle tick Boophilus microplus

The major components of protein extracts from the cattle tick Boophilus microplus eggs and larvae of various ages were characterized by molecular sieving chromatography, ion exchange chromatography and SDS-PAGE. The fractions analysed showed a changing chromatographic pattern development. A serum raised against the components of a fraction showing characteristics of vitellin strongly reacted in Western blots with the major peptides of extracts from eggs, larvae, gut and ovary. Comparison of patterns obtained by electrophoresis in non-denaturing PAGE, stained with Coomassie blue or with benzidine/hydrogen peroxide, revealed that the major proteins of these extracts are haemoproteins, possibly in different aggregation states or heterogeneous in composition.