Arylsulfatase Activity in the Gut Microflora of Fish and Shellfish of Veli Lake, Kerala
Arylsulfatase Activity in the Gut Microflora of Fish and Shellfish of Veli Lake, Kerala
Date
2002
Authors
Dhevendaran, K
Maya, K
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Society of Fisheries Technologists (India)Cochin
Abstract
Moraxella sp.. Vibrio sp. and Micrococcus sp. were isolated from representative cultures
derived from Villorita cyprinoides, Therapon jarbua and Penaeus indicus caught from Veli lake
in Kerala (India). pH optimum for Moraxella sp. was at 5.6 whereas it was 7 for Vibrio sp.
and Micrococcus sp. Maximum growth of Moraxella sp. and Micrococcus sp. was at pH 5.6
and that of Vibrio sp., at pH 7.0. Optimum temperature for Micrococcus sp. was 29°C and
for both Vibrio sp. and Moraxella sp., 370C. The elevated arylsulfatase activity in these strains
was found to vary with the addition of amino acids, organic and inorganic salts. Of these,
phosphate was the key factor determining the type of arylsulfatase and inhibited the enzyme
activity at 0.05M concentration in Moraxella sp. and Vibrio sp. and at 0.2M concentration
in Micrococcus sp. Optimum buffer molarity was 0.1M when nitrocatechol sulfate was used
as the substrate. The growth and enzyme activity of gut microflora were inhibited under
growing conditions by the addition of heavy metals. Observations suggest that gut flora
decompose esters of sulfuric acid thereby assisting digestion and metabolism of host fish and
shellfish.
Description
Keywords
Arylsulfatase activity, gut microflora, Moraxella sp.. Vibrio sp., Micrococcus sp., Veli lake
Citation
Fishery Tech 39(1):43-48