Non-specific alkaline phosphomonoesterases of eight species of digenetic trematodes.

Alkaline phosphatases from different trematodes occupying the same habitat have identical pH otima but different levels of enzyme activities. Isoparorchis hypselobagri, from the fish Wallago attu, shows four to six times more enzyme activity than Fasciolopsis buski, Gastrodiscoides hominis and Echinostoma malayanum, from the pig Sus scrofa, and Fasciola gigantica, Gigantocotyle explanatum, Cotylophoron cotylophorum and Gastrothylax crumenifer, from the buffalo Bubalus bubalis. At least two peaks of activity at different levels of pH were obtained for each trematode examined. Both Gastrodiscoides hominis and Isoparorchis hypselobagri enzymes had three peaks of alkaline phosphatase activity. The optimum temperature for maximum enzyme activity was 40 degrees C, above which rapid inactivation occurred. At temperatures below 40 degrees C, the enzymes of fish and mammalian trematodes did not behave similarly; I. hypselobagri enzyme being active over a wider range of temperature (20 degrees-40 degrees C. Various concentrations of KCN and arsenate proportionately inhibited enzyme activity. NaF Did not significantly influence enzyme activity, while Mg++ and Co++ acted as activators. The extent of inhibition or activation of enzyme activity of different trematodes varied, probably due to species differences. Both inhibition and activation of I. hypselobagri enzyme was higher than in the case of other trematodes.