CHARACTERIZATION OF DIGESTIVE ENZYME-ACTIVITY DURING LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF GILTHEAD SEABREAM (SPARUS-AURATA)

The evolution of the digestive enzyme equipment in seabream from hatch ing to 30 days old larvae was studied; there was a progressive increas e in the activity of protease, amylase and acid and alkaline phosphata se from day 15 onwards. The use of specific inhibitors, and SDS-PAGE p rovided evidence to suggest that most of the proteases belonged to the serine group. A high alpha-amylase activity was also denoted. Zymogra ms of larval extracts indicated that exogenous food has more a qualita tive than a quantitative role in the secretion of digestive enzymes in this species.