| Abstract: | Abstract The level of pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin and leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) was measured in the digestive organs of Portuguese dogfish, leafscale gulper shark, and lowfin gulper shark. The highest pepsin activity was measured in the cardiac stomach. Trypsin was not detected in leafscale gulper shark, and chymotrypsin was mainly measured in the intestine. LAP was detected in all organs and species. The temperature optima of pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin were between 42 and 48°C and those of LAP in the 50-56°C range. Pepsin from Portuguese dogfish was considerably activated during pre-incubation. Trypsin, chymotrypsin and LAP from lowfin gulper shark were reasonably activated when pre-incubated but that was not evident in these proteases from Portuguese dogfish and leafscale gulper shark. |
