INVESTIGATION OF EFFECTS OF PESTICIDES ON MOLECULAR-FORMS OF ACHE IN ALIMENTARY CANALS OF CARP

All parts of the carp intestine contain three different molecular form s of acetylcholinesterase (AChE): G(1), G(4) and A(12). After paraquat treatment there were no significant changes in AChE activity, whereas after CuSO4 treatment there was a slight increase in activity. During exposure of carp to 2 ppm methidathion in vivo, the AChE activity in the tissues investigated decreased significantly. Moreover, the relati ve distribution of the molecular forms of AChE changed relative to tha t in the control animals. The results suggest that an investigation of the molecular forms of fish AChE could contribute to an understanding of fish AChE at a molecular level and emphasize the importance of in vivo and in vitro approaches in assessing chemical effects and their p otential hazards in the aquatic environment. (C) 1994 Academic Press, Inc.