Effect of Cobalt Chloride on the Amino Acid Levels in Silk Gland of Silkworm, Bombyx mori L

Abstract

The effect of cobalt on the total proteins, protease activity, free amino acids, alanine amino transferase (ALAT) activity and aspartate amino transferase (AAT) activity were studied. The increase of total protein content in silk gland may be either due to increased efflux or decreased proteolysis activity which might lead to accumulation of protein content. The decrease of protease activity level in silk gland may be due to lower rate of histolysis. The free amino acids showed a decrease in the silk gland of cobalt chloride treated larvae which indicates the faster mobilization of free amino acids into oxidative metabolism in the presence of cobalt chloride. The ALAT and AAT activity levels were elevated after cobalt chloride treatment indicating the active involvement in the protein synthesis.
DOI: 10.17762/ijritcc2321-8169.150798