Inter- and intra-specific differences in serum proteins of different species and subspecies of zebras

Abstract

1. 1. Serum proteins of Equus grevyi, E. zebra harimannae, E. burchelli boemi, E. b. chapmanni and E.b, antiquorum were studied using starch-gel electrophoresis, I-D polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, inhibitions of trypsin and chymotrypsin, immunoblotting, and specific staining for esterase. 2. 2. Clear species-specific patterns were observed in albumin, transferrin, and for E. grevyi in protease inhibitor-1. Specific esterase was detected only in E. z. harimannae. 3. 3. Protein polymorphism was found in all studied species: E. grevyi—transferrin; E. z. harimannae—protease inhibitor-1; E. b. boehmi—albumin, GC, transferrin, protease inhibitor-1, protease inhibitor-T; E. b. chapmanni—albumin, GC, transferrin, protease inhibitor-1; E.b. antiquorum—GC, transferrin, protease inhibitor-1. 4. 4. Phenotype patterns of the polymorphic proteins were indicative of simple codominant inheritance. Further studies of polymorphism of protease inhibitor-2 and variability of protease inhibitor-X are needed. 5. 5. α 1 B glycoprotein in all zebra species was monomorphic. 6. 6. The main transferrin components and α 1 B glycoprotein of zebra ( E. b. boehmi) were characterized for terminal sialic acid content.