SERUM-PROTEINS OF RHINOCEROSES - INTER-SPECIFIC AND INTRA-SPECIFIC VARIATION

1. 1. Serum proteins of Ceratotherium simum cottoni Lydekker (C.s. cottoni), Diceros bicornis L. (D. bicornis) and Rhinoceros unicornis L. (R. unicornis) were studied by ID PAGE, 2D agarose-PAGE, immunoblotting and inhibitions of trypsin and chymotrypsin. 2. 2. In all species studied albumin, transferrin, α1β glycoprotein, vitamin D binding protein (GC), α2HS glycoprotein, haptoglobin, haemopexin, ceruloplasmin, esterase and protease inhibitors were found. 3. 3. ID PAGE and 2D agarose-PAGE patterns of serum proteins of rhinoceroses were found to be species-specific. 4. 4. In C. s. cottoni intra-specific variation was observed in vitamin D binding protein (GC), protease inhibitors AC and ATC2 and haptoglobin. Less well defined variation was also detected in protease inhibitor ATCl, a postalbumin (PSA) and an esterase (ES3). © 1990.