Seminal Plasma Proteins of a Line of Chickens Selected for Fertility of Frozen-Thawed Semen and the Control Line

Abstract

The seminal plasma from individual ejaculates of 13 males of a line of chickens selected for increased duration of fertility of frozen-thawed semen for 7 generations and 12 males of the control line were analyzed for proteins. The mean +/- SE total seminal plasma protein of the selected and control lines were 8.74 +/- .55 micrograms and 7.52 +/- .92 micrograms/microliter seminal plasma (P greater than .05). Crossed immunoelectrophoretic analysis of the seminal plasma generated, in general, 11 precipitant peaks in both lines. The protein corresponding to peak 11 of the electrophoretic pattern was significantly (P less than .01) higher in the selected line than in the control line, the mean +/- SE being 1.80 +/- .21 and .85 +/- .19 micrograms/microliter seminal plasma.