author(s)
Balamurugan TC, Prakash Krupakaran R, P Visha, P Perumal and N Pradheep

abstract
A comparative study on serum proteins through SDS-PAGE was carried out in pregnant, estrus, anestrus and regular cyclic Murrah buffalo cows. A total of 24 healthy Murrah buffalo cows, aged 3-6 years were selected and they were splited into four groups, each group comprising of six animals (n=6) (Group - I : pregnant; Group-II: estrus; Group-III: anestrus and Group-IV: regular cyclic). Animals were vaccinated and dewormed as per the farm schedule. Blood samples were collected in heparinised vacutainer and immediately transferred to the laboratory. The blood samples were centrifuged at 3000 rpm for 15 min. Serum samples were separated and kept at -20 ºC in deep freezer until further use. The serum samples were subjected to SDS- PAGE analysis (10 % gel: discontinuous method) under non-reducing conditions. In group I, major bands observed at 240, 200, 70, 66 and 30kDa. In Group II, three prominent bands (120, 66 and 30kDa) and three minor bands (120, 70, 35 kDa) were observed. In Group III, only two prominent (200 and 66 kDa) bands were observed. In Group IV, three prominent bands (200 and 100, 66 kDa) and two minor bands (120, 75 kDa) were observed. The 70 and 30 kDa proteins were found exclusively in pregnant buffalo bows but not in other groups. It was concluded that these two proteins could be used as the biomarkers of early pregnancy detection in Murrah buffalo cows. Moreover, the anestrus group had less protein expression as compared to all other groups and the group of estrus and regular cyclic buffaloes had similar protein pattern of expression.