Fish species identification by thin layer isoelectric focusing
Lundstrom, R.C.
Journal - Association of Official Analytical Chemists 62(3): 624-629
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-5756
PMID: 39058
Accession: 038940371
Conventional electrophoretic techniques generally lack the resolution and reproducibility needed for the reliable identification of fish species. Variations in stabilizing media composition, sample application technique, separation time, applied voltage or current, and the analyst's skill all affect the protein pattern. Thin layer polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing (TLIEF), a high resolution protein separation technique, has been applied to the identification of fish species. Sarcoplasmic proteins are separated according to their isoelectric points in a stable, reproducible pH gradient. Protein patterns for 12 species of fish are compared in 4.0% polyacrylamide gels with pH 4.0--6.0 and pH 3.5--10 gradients. Similar patterns are shown in commercially prepared 5.0% polyacrylamide gels with pH 4.0--6.5 and pH 3.5--9.5 gradients (LKB PAG plates). The protein patterns are reproducible in each pH gradient and also correlate well between user-prepared and commercially prepared gels. The inherent high resolution and excellent reproducibility of TLIEF should allow the positive identification of fish species without the costly procedure of using known species as standards.