Electrophoretic Patterns of Blood Serum Proteins from Rainbow Trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Abstract

Electrophoretic patterns on acrylamide gels of blood serum proteins from over 400 hatchery rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) subjected to different environmental stress have been examined. Stresses to which fish were subjected were: reduction of oxygen, addition of copper sulfate, addition of sodium sulfite, and different methods of capture. Comparisons of patterns were made on the basis of sex, degree of maturity, and location of blood extraction. Comparisons were also made with blood protein patterns of wild rainbow trout taken from a local stream.Patterns showed marked intraspecific differences, and revealed a characteristic band for sexually ripe females. Significant variations were found which were attributed to degree of maturity, method of sampling, repeated sampling of the same individual, and method of capture. No significance was attributed to variations related to reduction of environmental oxygen or the addition of sublethal levels of sodium sulfite. Significant pattern variations were noted with the addition of copper sulfate. Comparisons with wild rainbow trout showed significant pattern differences.