Ultrastructural localization and antibacterial activity of phenoloxidase in amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 September 2001
Abstract
Phenoloxidase (PO) has been shown to be present in both invertebrates and vertebrates, yet little is known about the PO in Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense. The present study demonstrated that the PO activity existed histochemically the epithelial cells of the gill bar and intestine of adult animal, producing brown to black melanin deposits. Ultrastructural examination revealed that PO reaction products were localized in the cytoplasmic granules of the epidermal cells, the epithelial cells of gill bar and intestine and most of them were electron-dense and homogenous. Frequently, the PO reaction products were also observed in the secondary lysosomes. The mucus from the body surface had little antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, but it enhanced the antibacterial activity of L-dopa and the enhancement was suppressed by PTU, a PO specific inhibitor. This indicates that the active material inhibiting the E. coli growth in the mucus is PO.
- Type
- Short Communication
- Information
- Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 81 , Issue 4 , August 2001 , pp. 705 - 706
- Copyright
- 2001 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom
- 5
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