Determination of Acetylcholinesterase activities in marine gastropod (Morula granulata) as a biomarker of neurotoxic contaminants along the Goan coast.
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Date
2011Author
Sarkar, A.
Tegur, P.M.
Jana, S.
Rao, P.V.S.S.D.P.
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Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an enzyme that degrades the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, producing choline and acetate. group. It is mainly found at neuromuscular junctions and cholinergic synapses in the central nervous system, where its activity serves to terminate synaptic transmission. The presence of neurotoxic compounds result in measurable inhibition of this enzyme. As a result, acetylcholine is accumulated, there by nervous transmission is interrupted. Therefore, it leads to several diseases or even death. Hence it is considered as a suitable biomarker for detecting environmental pollution caused by the neurotoxic compounds. We have carried out experiments with marine gastropods (Morula granulate) at the selected sites, Arambol, Sinquerim ,Velsao along the Goan coast. The variation of AChE activities along the Goa coast was assessed in comparison with the value of AChE at Betul which was considered as reference site with AChE activity (143.44 nmol/mg/min). The results showed that the highest AChE activity was observed at Sinquerim site (97.85 nmol/mg/min) and the lowest activity at Arambol site (63.66 nmol/mg/min) and the average AChE activity was found at Velsao site (73.22 nmol/mg/min). Thus on the basis of the variation of AChE activities in marine gastropods the contamination of the coastal environment can be evaluated for biomonitoring of pollution by neurotoxic compounds.
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