Proteomic identification of proteins relevant to ovarian development in the red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii

In this study, the two-dimensional gel electrophoresis patterns of total proteins from previtellogenic (stage III) and vitellogenic (stage IV) ovaries of Procambarus clarkii were compared for the first time. A total of 52 significantly differentially expressed protein spots (up/down-regulated ≥ 2 fold) were excised for further analysis using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-tandem time of flight mass spectrometry. There were 29 spots successfully identified, including 22 unique proteins. Compared with stage III ovaries, 13 proteins in the stage IV ovaries were down-regulated (e.g., tropomysin, 70 kD heat shock protein, protein disulfide-isomerase A6, glutathione S transferase D1, arginine kinase, and Na+/K+-ATPase) and 9 were up-regulated (e.g., peritrophin, cyclin B, elongation factor 2, transketolase, checkpoint kinase 1, and I-connectin). The results indicated the potential of cellular proteomic studies for the identification of proteins functionally involved in the ovarian development of P. clarkii.

► 2-DE maps of proteins from pre- and vitellogenic P. clarkii ovaries were compared.
► 22 significantly differentially expressed proteins were identified.
► 13 proteins were down-regulated and 9 were up-regulated in the vitellogenic ovaries.