Characterization of digestive enzymes in shark catfish Helicophagus leptorhynchus Ng and Kottelat, 2000

• Main Authors: Chanthakan Nuchsuk(Kasetsart University. Bangkhen Campus, Bangkok (Thailand). Faculty of Science. Department of Chemistry) E-mail:pui_chanthakan@hotmail.com, Arunee Engkagul(Kasetsart University. Bangkhen Campus, Bangkok (Thailand). Faculty of Science. Department of Chemistry) E-mail:fsciare@ku.ac.th, Uthaiwan Kovitvadhi(Kasetsart University. Bangkhen Campus, Bangkok (Thailand). Faculty of Science. Department of Zoology) E-mail:fsciutk@ku.ac.th, Orapint Jintasataporn(Kasetsart University. Bangkhen Campus, Bangkok (Thailand). Faculty of Fisheries. Department of Aquaculture) E-mail:g4864136@ku.ac.th
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: Thai
• Published: Bangkok (Thailand) 2007
• Subjects: Amylases; Cellulase; Enzyme activity; Hepatopancreas; Pangasiidae; Proteases

Shark catfish, Helicophagus leptorhynchus is a scaleless freshwater fish. At present, the yield of shark catfish comes totally from riparian fisheries because the species has not yet been cultured. Characterization of digestive enzymes should provide critical information prerequisite for the development of artificial feed formulation for commercial culture of the species. The aim of this study was to determine the activities of four digestive enzymes, amylase, proteinases, lipase and cellulase, collected from hepatopancreas, stomach and intestine in adult of shark catfish Helicophagus leptorhynchus under various pHs 2-12 and temperatures 20-80 deg C. Amylase, proteinases and lipase showed higher activities in hepatopancraes than in stomach and intestine in contrast to cellulase activity which was high in intestine and stomach but low in hepatopancreas.