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An insect antifreeze protein from Anatolica polita enhances the cryoprotection of Xenopus laevis eggs and embryos.

Predrag JevtićK Wade ElliottShelby E WatkinsJonathan A SreterKatarina JovicIan B LehnerPaul W BauresJohn G TsavalasDaniel L LevyKrisztina Varga
Published in: The Journal of experimental biology (2022)
Cryoprotection is of interest in many fields of research, necessitating a greater understanding of different cryoprotective agents. Antifreeze proteins have been identified that have the ability to confer cryoprotection in certain organisms. Antifreeze proteins are an evolutionary adaptation that contributes to the freeze resistance of certain fish, insects, bacteria and plants. These proteins adsorb to an ice crystal's surface and restrict its growth within a certain temperature range. We investigated the ability of an antifreeze protein from the desert beetle Anatolica polita, ApAFP752, to confer cryoprotection in the frog Xenopus laevis. Xenopus laevis eggs and embryos microinjected with ApAFP752 exhibited reduced damage and increased survival after a freeze-thaw cycle in a concentration-dependent manner. We also demonstrate that ApAFP752 localizes to the plasma membrane in eggs and embryonic blastomeres and is not toxic for early development. These studies show the potential of an insect antifreeze protein to confer cryoprotection in amphibian eggs and embryos.
Keyphrases
  • protein protein
  • amino acid
  • cell free
  • binding protein
  • oxidative stress
  • risk assessment
  • aedes aegypti
  • mass spectrometry
  • zika virus
  • multidrug resistant
  • high resolution
  • gram negative
  • solid state