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Distribution and function of digestive tract chitinolytic enzymes in fish
Author(s) -
Lindsay G. J. H.
Publication year - 1984
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.1095-8649.1984.tb04823.x
Subject(s) - biology , foregut , predation , zoology , stomach , fish <actinopterygii> , chitinase , gastrointestinal tract , digestive tract , digestive enzyme , enzyme , ecology , fishery , anatomy , biochemistry , lipase , medicine
The activity of chitinolytic enzymes in the stomach or foregut of 29 North European marine and freshwater fish were determined. No correlation with a chitin‐eating feeding habit was observed but species that were able to mechanically disrupt prey had low activity while species that ingest prey whole had high activity. The primary function of gastric chitinase in fish may be to chemically disrupt the chitinous envelope of prey.