A qualitative survey of the carbohydrases of the alimentary tract of the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria migratorioides

The carbohydrase activities present in freeze-dried extracts of the alimentary tract of Locusta have been surveyed using natural and synthetic substrates and qualitative detection methods. A range of polysaccharidases was demonstrated including amylase, (weak) cellulase, dextranase, hyaluronidase, laminarinase, and xylanase, but there was no evidence of alginase, chitinase, 1,3-α-glucanase, inulinase, lysozyme, or pectinase.Almost all oligosaccharides and glycosides tested were hydrolysed, demonstrating the presence of α- and β-glucosidase (including isomaltase and trehalase), α- and β-galactosidase, α- and β-mannosidase, α- and β-xylosidase, β-glucuronidase, β-N-acetylhexosaminidase, and β-fucosidase, but no β-fructosidase was detected. α- and β-l-Fucosidase and α-l-arabinosidase activities were present but there was no evidence of α-l-rhamnosidase or β-l-arabinosidase. These observations are related to the diet and nutrition of Locusta and compared with the carbohydrase complements reported for other acridids.