Degradation of Temminck's pangolin (Smutsia temminckii) scales with a keratinase for extraction of reproductive steroid hormones

Area of Science:

• Zoology
• Biochemistry
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Hormone monitoring in keratinous tissues is gaining traction.
• Traditional methods of pulverizing keratin are challenging for thick structures.
• Pangolin scales, a unique keratinous feature, are vital for understanding their endocrinology and conservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of using Temminck's pangolin scales as a matrix for hormone analysis.
• To develop a novel enzymatic digestion protocol for pangolin scales.
• To enable reproductive steroid quantification in pangolin scales.

Main Methods:

• Enzymatic digestion of pangolin scales using keratinase.
• Hormone extraction and quantification from the resulting suspension.
• Optimization of scale washing with isopropanol and sample mass standardization.

Main Results:

• Keratinase successfully digested Temminck's pangolin scales, allowing for measurable reproductive steroid concentrations.
• Isopropanol proved effective for removing surface contaminants from scales.
• Standardized scale mass and the use of any scale section or body region were validated for hormone quantification.

Conclusions:

• A novel keratinase-based method facilitates reproductive endocrinology studies in Temminck's pangolins using their scales.
• This protocol is adaptable for hormone analysis in other pangolin species.
• The method offers a non-destructive approach to hormone monitoring in trafficked wildlife.