ABNORMAL SCALE MORPHOGENESIS - RELATIONSHIP OF POLYPEPTIDE PATTERNS TO ACTION OF THE SCALELESS GENE

The polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis (PAGGE) pattern of polypeptides isolated form normal scutate scale epidermis of 1 wk old chicks was different from that of the anterior shank epidermis from 1 wk old scaleless mutant chicks. The PAGGE patterns of polypeptides isolated from normal and scaleless reticulate scale epidermis (from 1 wk old chicks) differed by only 1 band, whereas comparison of mutant''s scutate and reticulate patterns showed 3 band differences. These data are discussed in relation to the action of the scaleless gene on early morphogenesis of the 2 types of scales.