Preliminary analysis of hemocyanins in hemolymph plasma of Baikal endemic amphipods

Two-dimensional electrophoresis of plasma hemolymph proteins of several endemic Baikal amphipod species showed that, as expected, hemocyanin is the main major protein in plasma of these species. Isoforms of hemocyanins form on the gels maximum 24 separate spots with slightly different molecular weight and vary by their isoelectric points. Analysis of transcript sequences of hemocyanin of Baikal amphipod Eulimnogammarus verrucosus revealed a broad heterogeneity of hemocyanin isoforms, which were divided into 2 distinct groups on their amino acid sequence and have different calculated molecular weight and isoelectric points. The β-type of hemocyanin has been described for percarid crustaceans for the first time.