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Carboxymethylcellulase activity in the digestive tracts of fish
Author(s) -
Lindsay G. J. H.,
Harris J. E.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1980.tb03700.x
Subject(s) - biology , omnivore , cellulase , ingestion , invertebrate , fish <actinopterygii> , zoology , digestive enzyme , ecology , fishery , amylase , predation , biochemistry , enzyme
The digestive tracts of 138 marine, freshwater and farmed fish representing 42 species were assayed for cellulase activity using viscometry. Activity was exhibited by the majority of fish but the level of activity was variable within and between species and was not located in any particular region of the gut. The majority of omnivorous and piscivorous fish demonstrated nil or slight activity, whereas most‘invertivores’ † exhibited moderate and high activity levels. This suggests that cellulase activity in fish is the direct result of the ingestion of invertebrates containing cellulase and/or a cellulolytic microflora.