Volume 67 (2017) Issue: 2017 No#2

Identification and partial characterization of a sex specific protein in Koi carp (Cyprinus carpio haematopterus)

Author(s): Popovski Zoran, Kwasek Karolina, Wojno Michal, Dabrowski Konrad, Wick Macdonald

Keywords:koi carp, SDS-PAGE, apolipoprotein, structure

Gender identification of fish species is carried out mainly by examining external morphological characteristics, which in general, it is very complex and not always a reliable approach. Electrophoresis of plasma proteins can be used as an alternative and useful molecular tool for a more precise sex determination. The presence of female specific proteins in the plasma is a starting point for the application of this technique. In this study, reducing discontinuous sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was applied to analyze plasma proteins of male and female koi carp (Cyprinus carpio haematopterus). Image analyses of electrophoregrams with resolved plasma proteins by SDS-PAGE showed that it is an appropriate technique to discriminate male from female samples. It is based on the presence of apolipoprotein B-100 which can be used as a suitable marker. Further amino acid characterization of apolipoprotein B-100 confirmed that it is a specific protein for female individuals.