Identification of immunodominant polypeptides of the freshwater fish lice Argulus siamensis (Wilson) - preliminary findings

Abstract

Successful development of immunoprophylaxis against freshwater fish lice Argulus siamensis (Wilson) depends on theproper identification of protective antigens. The present study was undertaken to determine the immunodominant polypeptidesof the freshwater fish lice A. siamensis, which causes a major disease problem in freshwater aquaculture. Several polypeptidebands ranging from 130.55 to 16.22 kDa were detected in freshwater fish lice homogenates by SDS-PAGE and two polypeptidebands of 75.78 kDa and 79.6 kDa were found as immunodominant polypeptides in western blotting using hyperimmune seraraised in rabbit. This preliminary observation opened up avenues to look into these protein fractions as possible candidateantigens for immunoprophylaxis development against this dreaded ectoparasitic infection in fish.