Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of sheep plasma proteins: genetic polymorphism of an alphal-protease inhibitor and a post-transferrin.

Two-dimensional electrophoretic analysis of sheep plasma proteins was performed by a first-dimension separation in agarose gel (pH 5.0) followed by a second-dimension one in horizontal polyacrylamide gel (pH 9.0). This method resulted in improved and reproducible separation of many alpha- and beta-globulins. Two groups of alpha 1-globulins, designated Pi-1 and Pi-2, were found to be protease inhibitors. These two inhibitors differed from each other in protease inhibitory spectra. Genetic polymorphism was observed for the Pi-2 protein and another unidentified protein, tentatively designated as post-transferrin (Ptf). Family data supported the hypothesis that Pi-2 and Ptf types were controlled by codominant, autosomal alleles. Three Pi-2 alleles and two Ptf alleles were observed in one population of the Gotland breed of sheep. The analysis of data from 50 informative matings showed no evidence of genetic linkage between the Pi-2, Ptf and transferrin (Tf) loci in the population of sheep studied.