title: Esterase isozyme polymorphism, specific and nonspecific esterase, syngenic lines development and natural occurrence of a thermostable esterase in the tropical silkworm Bombyx mori L.
abstract: Esterase isozyme polymorphism was documented for digestive juice and haemolymph of the tropical multivoltine silkworm, Bombyx mori L., breed CB5 (GP) and its syngenic lines (CB5Lm(e)-1, CB5Lm-2 and CB5Lm-5) using alpha- and beta-naphthylacetate separately as nonspecific substrates (Ogita, Z., Kasai, T., 1965. Genetico-biochemical analysis of specific esterases in Musca domestica. Jpn. J. Genet. 40, 173-184). Polymorphism existed in the isozyme pattern of alpha-esterase with two or three bands in digestive juice and three to five bands in haemolymph. No polymorphism was observed in beta-esterase isozyme pattern having four bands in digestive juice and two bands in haemolymph. During the course of esterase isozyme studies, the presence of some specific alpha-esterase bands (Est-1, 4 and 5) in haemolymph and beta-esterase bands (Est-1, 2 and 3) in digestive juice were observed. But both alpha- and beta-esterase bands Est-3 and 4 in digestive juice and Est-2 and 3 in haemolymph were found to be nonspecific. Nonspecific beta-esterase band (Est-3) in haemolymph of CB5 (GP) and its syngenic lines withstood a temperature up to 80+/-1 degrees C for 10 min. No thermostable band was observed in the isozyme zymogram of alpha-esterase in digestive juice and haemolymph or beta-esterase in digestive juice. Overall, this study discusses the presence of esterase heterogeneity in the CB5 (GP) genepool, syngenic lines development, occurrence of specific alpha- and beta-esterase bands in digestive juice and haemolymph and thermostable beta-esterase band Est-3 in haemolymph in tropical silkworm Bombyx mori L.
authors.affiliation: Silkworm Breeding, Genetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Central Sericultural Research and Training Institute, Berhampore-742101, West Bengal, Murshidabad, India.
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Chattopadhyay
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saratchandra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D004795:Enzyme Stability; D004950:Esterases / Q000032:analysis*; D006361:Heating; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D007527:Isoenzymes; D004950:Esterases