title: Activity of gut invertase in phytophagous, saprophagous and carnivorous insects.
abstract: The effect of hydrogen-ion concentration, temperature, substrate concentration, enzyme concentration and incubation period on invertase activity of Dactylosternum hydrophilioides, Catharsius molossus and Pheropsophus occipitalis has been studied. The optimum invertase activity was observed at pH 6.5, 6.8 and 6.0 and at temperatures 35, 38 and 37 degrees C in D. hydrophiliodes, C. molossus and P. occipitalis, respectively. With the increase in substrate (sucrose) concentration, an increase in invertase activity was recorded. For invertase activity estimation, 4% sucrose concentration was found suitable in these insects where an increase in enzyme concentration increases the invertase activity. The invertase activity also increases with lengthening of the incubation period but after some time it remains constant in the phytophagous, saprophagous and carnivorous insects. The activity of invertase in phytophagous, saprophagous and carnivorous insects shows their independent nature as regards the pH and temperature.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000201:enzymology; D004064:Digestive System / Q000201:enzymology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007313:Insecta / Q000201:enzymology*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D013696:Temperature; D043324:beta-Fructofuranosidase
chemical_list: D013395:Sucrose; D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D043324:beta-Fructofuranosidase