Progesterone Action: Regulation of Avidin Biosynthesis by Hen Oviductin Vivoandin Vitro

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Abstract
The role of progesterone in regulating avidin synthesis in the magnum of the chick oviduct was studied both in vivo and in vitro. In estrogen pretreated animals after a single injection of progesterone in oil, avidin became measureable at 10 hr. and oviduct avidin content reached a maximum by 20 hr. Oviduct ovalbumin and lysozyme content were not affected. Although estrogen alone could not stimulate avidin synthesis, it acted synergistically with progesterone to produce a doubling of the induced level. Incubation of oviduct magnum minces pretreated with estrogen and progesterone resulted in a linear increase of avidin content for 72 hr. Added avidin was stable in vitro, declining only 10%/day. Avidin induction was inhibited by cycloheximide. Actinomycin D inhibited avidin biosynthesis by 50% or more under conditions where total protein synthesis was unaffected. The data suggest that progesterone acts in the hen oviduct to induce the synthesis of new avidin molecules.