Glycosidases of Trichinella spiralis

The exoglycosidases beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase, beta-N-acetyl-D-galactosaminidase, alpha-1-fucosidase, alpha-D-glucosidase and alpha-D-mannosidase, and a non-specific acid phosphohydrolase are present at high levels in extracts of adult and muscle-stage (L1) Trichinella spiralis and at lower (5-30-fold) levels in extracts of the newborn larvae. The enzyme activities from the L1 extract were characterized. All displayed maximum activity at acid pH. beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase and beta-N-acetyl-D-galactosaminidase had identical molecular weights (110 000), pH optima (5.0), and isoelectric points (5.7) indicating that both of these substrate specificities reside in the same protein molecule. alpha-1-Fucosidase had a molecular weight of 125 000 and exhibited two pH optima (5.0 and 6.0) and four isoelectric points (5.9, 6.4, 6.7 and 7.1) indicating its presence in multiple molecular forms. alpha-D-Glucosidase had a molecular weight of 85 000, a pH optimum of 6.0 and an isoelectric point of 5.2; alpha-D-mannosidase had a molecular weight of 192 000, a pH optimum of 6.0 and an isoelectric point of 4.5; and acid phosphatase had a molecular weight of 81 000, a pH optimum of 6.0 and two isoelectric points (4.8 and 5.9) indicating its existence in two molecular forms. The same glycosidases and acid phosphatase were detected also in culture fluids collected after 15-20-h incubation of both L1 and adults. As in the worm extracts, beta-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidase was present in these culture fluids at the highest activity with acid phosphatase present at the next highest activity.