Enzymatic digestive activity in Mytilus chilensis (Hupé 1854) in response to food regimes and past feeding history

Abstract.

Digestive enzyme activities (amylase, cellulase, laminarinase and protease) were analysed in mussels (Mytilus chilensis) from intertidal and subtidal habitats in Yaldad Bay, Chiloé, Chile. In order to analyse the effects of the past-feeding history (origin) and new nutritional conditions (habitat) on these enzymatic activities, a cross-over transplant was carried out and the analysis performed after a 7-day acclimation period. Crystalline styles showed higher carbohydrase and lower protease activities than digestive glands, with the highest differences recorded for subtidal mussels. Cellulase is the enzyme with the highest activity in both the digestive gland and crystalline style in all the experimental conditions. Intertidal mussels transplanted to a subtidal habitat showed enzyme resources significantly higher than in their original habitat. In the inverse case, mussels transferred from an original subtidal habitat to an intertidal one, a significant decrease in carbohydrase and protease activities was observed. The "past feeding history" is involved in the specific and total carbohydrase and protease activities, with a highly significant effect on amylase and cellulase activities in both the crystalline style and the digestive gland. Laminarinase activity can be interpreted considering the habitat (trophic regime), either individually or interacting with mussels' origin, in relation with the feeding periods. The results establish that in M. chilensis, an investment in enzyme resources is one of the mechanisms employed to optimise the acclimated response in terms of energy gains when variations in the food regime occur.