Closely Related Shrimp Species Identification by MALDI-ToF Mass Spectrometry

Tiger prawn, Penaeus monodon, and banana white Prawn, Fenneropenaeus indicus-two of the most important commercial shrimp species-share world distribution, habitat, and similar morphometric characters. Because of commercial regulations about labeling and traceability requirements, species authentication methods are of great interest to fisheries and seafood industries. In this study, peptide mass fingerprints of both species are compared, using Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) after trypsin digestion of a protein resolved by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Though low variability among these species is observed, two peptides of mass 1077.6 and 1205.7 Da are found to be useful to differentiate them.