Assessment of urinary volatile compounds and proteins in the female goat Capra hircus: a pilot study to reveal potential indicators of estrus.

Urine samples of female goats in pro-estrus, estrus and post-estrus phases were analyzed for finding estrus-specific volatile compounds using Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS), and proteins using Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization- Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Fourteen urinary volatile were identified covering all three phases among which four compounds, 1-Tetradecanol, n-Pentadecanol, 3-Methylene tridecane, and 2-Ethyl-1-dodecene, were unique to estrus. Also, estrus urine contained a 25 kDa protein, which was totally absent in pro-estrus urine, and less-expressed in post-estrus urine. This protein revealed to be complement C3 fragment. This pilot study, for the first time reveals the difference in urinary volatile compounds and proteins in the female goat during the different phases of estrous cycle. The four unique volatile compounds and a 25 kDa protein that appeared as estrus-specific in this study, warrant further investigation to consider them as urinary biomarkers of estrus in goats. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.