Effects of genetic strain and holding facility on the characteristics of alkaline phosphatase and brush border enzymes in silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus)

The activity of the enzymes located in the digestive tract (pyloric caeca and intestine) in two strains and F1 crosses of the Australian freshwater fish silver perch [Murray River (M) and Cataract Dam (C)] was evaluated. The effect of the fish holding system (cages or ponds) on the activity of alkaline phosphatase (AP) and the brush border enzymes: maltase, leucine amino peptidase (LAP) and γ-glutamyl transferase (γ-GT) was examined. The enzymatic activity was tested in three intestinal sections: the pyloric caeca, upper and lower intestine. All the tested enzyme activities were influenced by an interaction between the intestinal section and the strain or cross of silver perch. For fish maintained in ponds, there were two distinct enzymatic activity patterns, one for the pure strains (C × C and M × M) and one for the crosses (C × M and M × C). Significantly higher (