Interspecific and Intraspecific Variations of Muscle Protein in the Japanese Crucian Carp-II

Starch-gel Electrophoretic Pattern

Abstract

Muscle protein patterns of Japanese and European crucian carp were investigated by the starch-gel electrophoretic method.The pattern was affected by the factors such as the quality of starch, the starch-concentration of gel, and pH of both gel- and electrode-buffer.The favorable condition was determined for obtaining the patterns which will clearly demonstrate inter- and intra-specific variations.Under the most favorable condition, the patterns of crucian carp collected from the selected localities from taxonomical point of view were classified into 4 types; Type I represented by four subspecies of Carassius buergeri, Type II represented by C.langsdorfii, Type III represented by C.cuvieri, and Type IV represented by C.carassius from Europe.Type I was further divided into three subtypes controlled by two codominant alleles A and B.The frequency of allele A of Carassius buergeri varied between 0-1.00.Type II was also divided into four subtypes which were not considered to share the same gene pool.Type II-1 was dominant in the lake Kasumigaura, and Type II-2 was dominant in the waters of western Japan.The pattern of Carassius carassius (Type IV) had some similarity with that of C.buergeri buergeri (Type I).