Enzymatic activities during evolution of the cement gland inXenopus tadpoles

✍ Scribed by Weets, J. ;Picard, J. J.

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1985
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 541 KB
• Volume: 234
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0022-104X
• DOI: 10.1002/jez.1402340304

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The activities of the hydrolases, α‐L‐fucosidase, N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase (NAG), and zpacoumase appear to be involved in the regression of the cement gland in Xenopus laevis. The involution of the gland is marked by an important rise of the total as well as the specific activities of α‐L‐fucosidase and zpacoumase. The specific activity of α‐L‐fucosidase and of zpacoumase increases about five‐fold and eight‐fold, respectively, after 12 days of development. Although total activity of NAG decreases during involution, its specific activity undergoes an increase of 93% after 12 days. In contrast, there is a dramatic loss in the total and specific activity of aldolase, used as a control enzyme.

The behaviour of these four enzymes is strikingly different in the epidermal tissue adjacent to the gland. Their activity remains stable during the developmental period considered. These observations demonstrate that possible contamination of the explanted gland by surrounding tissue is not responsible for the observed increase in hydrolytic activity in the gland.