In this study, proteolytic and specific substrate activities were measured
in viscera (VIS) and hepatopancreas (HP) extracts from juvenile green abalo
ne, Haliotis fulgens. The soluble protein was more abundant in the hepatopa
ncreas than viscera. The HP proteolytic activity was higher than VIS. Prote
olytic activity assayed with 1% azocasein and 2% haemoglobin at different p
Hs showed that juvenile digestive enzymes have activity peaks at acid pH. I
n alkaline pH, both activities decreased. Regardless of the size of the org
anism and diet, extracts from hepatopancreas and viscera hydrolysed trypsin
, chymotrypsin, and acid phosphatase-specific substrates, but not carboxype
ptidase A and B substrates. Specific substrate activities in HP were higher
than VIS activity in all groups, except in juveniles fed diatoms in which
the VIS trypsin and chymotrypsin activity was higher than the HP activity.
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