COMPARISON OF THE PROTEIN PROFILE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM BETWEEN BISEXUAL AND PARTHENOGENETIC SPECIES OF ARTEMIA (BRANCHIOPODA, ANOSTRACA)

In the present study we investigated the differences in protein profile of the reproductive systems of two species of Iranian Artemia, i.e., Artemia urmiana and Artemia parthenogenetica. The reproductive systems (ovary and uterus filled with cysts) of adult females of Artemia were dissected and kept at -70 degrees C. These tissues were used for protein extraction and the protein solution was assayed by the Bradford test to evaluate the quantity of the protein. Proteins were next exposed to two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and the protein spots obtained from the gels were compared between the two species. Through a comparative proteomic approach, the protein profiles of the ovary and the uterus with cysts from the two species of Artemia were analysed. Among the spots obtained, 21 differentially expressed proteins were recognized. Following mass spectrometry, three of these proteins, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, the BRCA1 (breast and ovarian susceptibility protein 1) associated RING domain (BARD1) protein, and tubulin beta 3, were found to be expressed differentially between the two species. Also some other proteins, with unknown functions, were found to be over-expressed in the A. parthenogenetica gonads.