An apparent genetic polymorphism for a protein present in the hypothalamus of Sprague-Dawley rats

Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, an apparent genetic polymorphism was detected in the hypothalamus of a group of inbred Sprague-Dawley rats. The proteins involved in this polymorphism have a molecular weight of 57,000 daltons and isoelectric points ranging from 6.1 to 6.3. These proteins met four criteria that should be met before a positional shift on two-dimension gels can be attributed to a genetic polymorphism. This is the first report of the existence of a genetic polymorphism in the brains of a group of inbred Sprague-Dawley rats. The functional significance of this polymorphism is currently under investigation.