Keratin and associated proteins of the equine hoof wall

In this study, we described water-insoluble proteins extracted from the germinative regions (stratum internum and coronary band epithelium) and the cornified outer surface (stratum medium) of the equine hoof wall. Two major types of polypeptides were identified: the intermediate filaments (IF) and the IF-associated proteins. The IF, including keratins, composed a major portion of this fraction, had electrophoretic mobilities on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the range of 40 to 80 kDa, and reacted with acidic or basic keratin-specific monoclonal antibodies. Differences in the composition of keratins between germinative layers and the stratum medium were seen. Another less well-characterized group of polypeptides associated with the IF also were extracted with the water-insoluble polypeptide fraction. These associated proteins had an apparent molecular weight between 10 and 30 kDa on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and contained a higher percentage of sulfur-containing amino acids than did the IF. Water-insoluble protein fractions compared favorably with those found in other less-specialized keratinizing tissue with respect to size, immunoreactivity with monoclonal antibody, and amino acid composition.