Aspartic- and serine-peptidase activity in the midgut of the larval parasarcophaga hertipes (sarcophagidae, cyclorrhapha, diptera) [electronic resource].

Includes references.

The midgut of larval Parasarcophaga hertipes comprises three regions, an anterior- (2.5 cm, pH 7.5), a middle- (2 cm, pH 4.0), and a posterior-midgut (6.5 cm, pH 8.0). The pH optima of the digestive peptidases are pH 4.0 in the middle-midgut and pH 9.0 in the anterior- and posterior-midgut regions. Pepstatin displayed significant inhibition at pH 4.0 that may indicate the presence of aspartic peptidase. Inhibition displayed by PMSF at pH 9.0 indicate the presence of serine peptidases. The effect of other inhibitors and digestive conditions are discussed.

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