[Characterization of some hydrolase activities in digestive juice of Achatina balteata]

The digestive juice of Achatina balteata, a giant snail of the West African Coast catalyses the hydrolysis of several natural and synthetic compounds. Enzymatic activities on lactose, o- and p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactoside, p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucoside, p-nitrophenyl-beta-D (and alpha-L-) fucoside, o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-xyloside, p-nitrophenyl-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminide and phenolphthalein-glucuronide have been shown to be present. The effect of pH and substrate concentration on these activities were studied. The galactosidase, glucosidase and fucosidase activities were studied with respect to temperature, heat inactivation, pH stability and incubation with trypsin. Kinetic experiments suggest the presence of several galactosidase activities. This hypothesis is confirmed by specific staining after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These activities showed a broad specificity towards galactosides and glucosides. The digestive juice showed no action on acetyl-L-tyrosine and benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl esters. However a small protease activity was observed on hemoglobine. No lipase activity was found. Sulfatase content was low compared to that of Helix pomatia.