Impact of mercury on the activity pattern of a marker enzyme in a freshwater bivalve

Abstract

Sessile benthic organisms are universally accepted as bio-indicators of environmental pollution and lysosomal membrane is often the target of injury by xenobiotics resulting in destabilization. Effect of mercury on the activity pattern of the marker enzyme, Acid Phosphatase in the gill and hepatopancreas of the freshwater mussel, Lamellidens corrianus (Lea) at 24, 72, and 168 h, post-exposure discussed. ACP activity was determined as given in Sigma Technical Bulletin (No. 104) and lmol of p-nitrophenol liberated/mg protein/h calculated. The work aimed to study the duration of exposure and concentration of the metal influence, the direction of the response of the enzyme in the two tissues studied and results show that the concentration of the metal as well as the period of exposure do influence the enzyme activity and may have predictive value as a biomarker of impending population changes. Higher concentration of the metal is assumed to have induced stress proteins like metallothioneins.

Haemolymphatic Parameters in Two Aquaculture Crustacean Species Cherax destructor (Clark, 1836) and Cherax quadricarinatus (Von Martens, 1868)

“…The knowledge of the physiological levels of these enzymes is important because they play a fundamental role in the immunity of aquatic organisms. Alkaline phosphatase, for example, has been shown to be involved in many biological processes of aquatic organisms, such as energy metabolism and immune response [ 64 , 65 , 66 , 67 , 68 ]. Enzymes are just some of the proteins present in the haemolymph; in reality, there are other proteins, as indicated by the total protein concentration (TPC) results, each with a different function and physical and biochemical properties that change in physiological and pathological conditions.…”

Identification of Relevant Biomarkers in Mercury Exposed Clam Venerupis philippinarum.

“…In the present study, results indicated that ACP activity in hemocytes of V. philippinarum exposed to Hg was activated, whereas, it was not activated in the gills. Hyperactivity of gill acid phosphatase in mussel Lamellidens corrianus (Lea) occurred at the time of mercury stress however when it dissipated, levels of enzyme activity returned to normal (Rajalakshmi and Mohandas, 2008). ACP activity in the gills of Mactra vereformis exposed to Cd was not activated until Day 3 and Day 5 (Wang et al, 2011).…”