Assessment of enzymatic efficiency on protein digestion in the tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

The present study develops an experimental procedure aimed to estimate the efficiency of protein digestion in fish by measuring both gut transit rate and total amount of the main intestinal proteases (trypsin and chymotrypsin). The selected species was the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Total...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Fish physiology and biochemistry 2010-12, Vol.36 (4), p.1079-1085
Main Authors: Uscanga, A, Moyano, F. J, Alvarez, C. A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis of Variance
Animal Anatomy
Animal Biochemistry
Animal Feed - analysis
Animal Physiology
Animals
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Brackish
Chymotrypsin - metabolism
Cichlids - metabolism
Enzymatic activity
Enzyme efficiency
Enzymes
Food
Freshwater & Marine Ecology
Gut transit
Histology
Intestines - enzymology
Life Sciences
Morphology
Oreochromis niloticus
proteinases
Proteins
Proteins - metabolism
Tilapia
Time Factors
Trypsin - metabolism
Zoology
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Summary:The present study develops an experimental procedure aimed to estimate the efficiency of protein digestion in fish by measuring both gut transit rate and total amount of the main intestinal proteases (trypsin and chymotrypsin). The selected species was the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Total time for digestion, calculated through the estimation of gut transit rate using differently colored feeds, was 7.15 h. Mean production of trypsin and chymotrypsin was 15.94 and 24.11 mU in the proximal intestine and much lower (2,39, 4.90 mU) in the distal intestine. The enzyme efficiency, calculated from the average enzyme activity and time of residence of the digesta in each intestinal section, points to the major role of proximal intestine in protein digestion for this species. Results are discussed in relation to the main features characterizing digestion in stomachless fish.
ISSN:0920-1742
1573-5168
DOI:10.1007/s10695-010-9385-8