Species-specific proteins in closely-related seahorses

Abstract

Non-denatured polyacrylanlide gel shows the respective species-specific characteristics on the muscle protein of' Hippocampus kuda and N. trirnacrtiahs. Two proteins; of molecular weight 66.8 and 39.8 kDa were found exclusively in 11. kuda. These constituted about 69.8 and 16.2% respectively of its protein. In M. trintucuirtus, two other specific proteins with molecular weight of 674.3 and 50.5 kDa were recorded, which constituted 46.0 and 7.5% respectively of its protein. These species-specific proteins are important for species identification, which paves avenues for further characterization and upgrading of the available information on seahorse taxonomy.