Mammalian lenses contain multiple gamma-crystallin gene products, which are differentially synthesized during lens development. We now report the isolation and characterization of multiple gamma-crystallins from lenses of adult spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias) aged about 20-30 years. About 50% of total lens protein solubilized in 50 mM phosphate, pH 7.0; about 25% of this soluble fraction consists of gamma-crystallins as determined by gel filtration. These gamma-crystallins appear homogeneous with respect to molecular weight (approximately equal to 20,000) on SDS-polyacrylamide gels, but their isoelectric points range from below pH 6 to above 10. Preparative cation-exchange chromatography on SP-Sephadex at pH 4.8 resolves four major subfractions, while anion-exchange on DEAE-cellulose at pH 9.5 resolves seven subfractions. Although these procedures separate basic from acidic polypeptides, most of these gamma-crystallin subfractions still consist of polypeptide mixtures, as determined by ion-exchange HPLC and isoelectric focusing. Analytical cation-exchange HPLC on SynChropak CM300 at pH 6.0 resolves at least 10 different gamma-crystallin components. Amino acid compositions of all the subfractions are similar, yet distinct in the sense that three subclasses can be distinguished. Sulfhydryl residues range from three to six per chain, most of which are buried. The large heterogeneity of gamma-crystallins in adult lens may result from different gene products in combination with post-translational modification.