Lation [5] and artificial vagina [7]. Even so, higher proportion of ejaculates obtained by way

Lation [5] and artificial vagina [7]. Even so, higher proportion of ejaculates obtained by way of rectal massage represented a sperm-rich fraction with minimal seminal plasma contribution and might not represent a `true ejaculate’. Fantastic motility ejaculates were characterized by bigger volume and lower sperm concentration, thus indicating better top quality ejaculates with greater percentages of sperm motility have been diluted with larger Gli Gene ID amounts of seminal plasma. Thus, even though the rectal massage approach is practical and represents a somewhat safe selection for semen collection from captive managed bull elephants, an alternative approach that mimics natural ejaculatory PARP4 MedChemExpress responses including contributions in the accessory sex glands may perhaps be warranted to enhance semen collection efficiencies in elephants. As observed herein and within a preceding study [3], a higher proportion of ejaculates obtained through the rectal massage techniqueFigure two. One-dimensional gel electrophoresis of Asian elephant seminal plasma proteins. Every column represents protein profiles from seminal plasma samples obtained from diverse ejaculates. E1, E2, and E3 denote individual Asian elephant bulls. G1, G2, G3, G4, G5, and G6 denote seminal plasma samples obtained from ejaculates exhibiting fantastic motility ( 65 tMOT). P1, P2, P3, P4, and P5 denote seminal plasma samples obtained from ejaculates exhibiting poor motility (#10 tMOT). MW: molecular weight marker. Band A was detected in 85 of seminal plasma samples from superior motility ejaculates (a representative gel is shown). Within this figure, protein bands have been visualized with Coomassie staining. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0071033.gPLOS A single | plosone.orgLactotransferrin in Elephant Seminal PlasmaFigure 3. Protein separation and peptide mass sequencing of Asian elephant seminal plasma. Seminal plasma proteins were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Chosen spots have been excised and submitted for mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF) for protein identification by de novo sequencing of MALDI-PSD tandem mass spectra. Panel A: 2D gel of seminal plasma proteins from an ejaculate exhibiting great sperm motility ( 65 tMOT). Precisely the same sample from Panel A can also be shown in Figure 2, Lane G5. Cored spots from within the train of this protein (circled; corresponding with band A in Figure two) have been submitted for mass spectrometric evaluation. Panel B: Example of a 2D gel of seminal plasma proteins from an ejaculate exhibiting poor sperm motility (#10 tMOT). Panel C: Mass spectrum benefits from MALDI-TOF. Panel D: Peptide mass sequencing identified the cored proteins as getting homology to lactotransferrin (i = isoleucine or leucine). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0071033.gPLOS One particular | plosone.orgLactotransferrin in Elephant Seminal PlasmaFigure four. Amino acid sequence of predicted African elephant (Loxodonta africana) lactotransferrin determined in the 29 Mammals sequencing project (broadinstitute.org). Alignment of tryptic peptide sequences determined by MALDI-PSD sequencing of SPITC derivitized peptides shown italicized. Residues marked as “i” represent either isoleucine (I) or leucine (L), that are isobaric. Asparagine 546 has probably been deamidated to its corresponding aspartic acid. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0071033.gconsistently contained spermatozoa with poor motility. On the other hand, good quality ejaculates have also been obtained using the same rectal massage technique [3,4]. This suggests that possibly other things, including seasonality and/or circulatin.