Tissue and Substrate Specific Esterase Isozyme Banding Pattern in Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Abstract

Tissue and substrate specificity of esterase isozymes was studied from five different tissues of Macrobrachium rosenbergii on polyacrylamide gels (7.5 %) stained with α or β or both α and β naphthyl acetates together. Altogether, five esterase bands (Est-1, Est-2, Est-3, Est-4 and Est-5) were observed that showed both tissue and substrate specific expression. Maximum, four esterase bands were found in eye (Est1, Est-3, Est-4 and Est-5) and tail muscle (Est-1, Est-2, Est-4 and Est-5) while other tissues showed three bands stained with both α and β naphthyl acetates together. Est-5 was highly expressed (100%) in all the tissues as well as in all three substrates (α or β or α-β naphthyl acetates together). Most of the bands were found to be α-β specific (68 %) while few bands were α (28 %) or β (36%) specific. Both Est-1 and Est-4 were completely absent in α as well as in β stained gels.