Hemamalini A K, Munuswamy N
Department of Zoology, University of Madras, India.
Arch Int Physiol Biochim Biophys. 1994 Mar-Apr;102(2):107-10. doi: 10.3109/13813459408996115.
Metabolic activity of the cysts as well as other developmental stages of Artemia parthenogenetica was determined by studying various key metabolic enzymes such as lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH). The electrophoretic studies on LDH show the existence of a single fraction uniformly in all the developmental stages of A. parthenogenetica. Electrophoretic patterns of MDH during the same stages show variations in isozymic fractions as development proceeds towards adults. Enzyme assay during lactate oxidation and pyruvate reduction of LDH as well as malate oxidation and oxaloacetate reduction of MDH in different developmental stages reveals that the anaerobic metabolism is more prevalent than the aerobic type. Further quantification of these enzymes shows that their activities are low and stable in the encysted gastrulae, and increase rapidly when the embryo emerges. One of the kinetic properties such as pH has impact on the general behavior of the enzymes throughout the developmental stages.
