Fish species identification by thin layer agarose isoelectric focusing and densitometric scanning.

Examination of sarcoplasmic proteins of fish by thin layer polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing as a means of fish species identification is a powerful and reliable technique, but it displays a number of disadvantages. These problems include the care required when handling acrylamide monomer (a neurotoxin), the mechanical skill needed in molding the gel, the difficulties in ensuring correct gel polymerization, and the extensive destaining periods. Specially treated agarose has been used to obtain protein patterns for an interval of pH 5-8. The patterns so produced were scanned by a densitometer in the visible range after completing staining and destaining. Most of the problems associated with polyacrylamide gels have been overcome by using agarose as a support medium.