Age- and function-related change in the quantity of high mobility group protein in chick oviduct.

We describe the investigation of the content of chromosomal high-mobility group 1 (HMG1) protein in three cellular fractions (cytosol, microsomal, and nuclear) of the magnum and shell gland of young and aged hen oviducts. In the magnum of the aged hen oviduct, the amount of the HMG1 protein (microgram protein/mg DNA) in the three fractions was 9.3 +/- 1.1, 0.18 +/- 0.03, and 2.4 +/- 0.4, respectively. Whereas the values were 11 +/- 1.2, 0.27 +/- 0.08, and 4.2 +/- 0.4, respectively, for the young hen. 12, 50, and 43% less were found in the aged hen magnum. In the shell gland of the functionally active hen oviduct, the protein in the three cellular fractions was 8.6 +/- 1.05, 0.42 +/- 0.06, and 3.9 +/- 0.55, respectively. In the shell gland of the functionally inactive aged hen, the values were 8 +/- 1.05, 0.28 +/- 0.09, and 0.85 +/- 0.12, and in the inactive shell gland of the young hen, they were 7.6 +/- 1.0, 0.27 +/- 0.09, and 1.75 +/- 0.22, respectively. The most significant difference was in the nuclear fraction, where the HMG1 protein in the functional hen shell gland was 123-359% higher than that of the inactive ones.