Ontogeny of lipase expression in winter flounder

The partial sequencing of two lipases from winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus , one most closely related to gastric, lingual and lysosomal acid lipase from other vertebrates and one most closely related to bile salt-activated lipase, is reported. Biochemical analyses of enzymatic activity demonstrated the greater contribution made by bile salt-activated lipase relative to neutral bile salt-independent lipase. Using molecular techniques, the tissue-specific expression of bile salt-activated lipase in pancreatic tissue and acid triacylglycerol lipase in a wide variety of organs was demonstrated. Furthermore, the developmental expression of these types of lipase in larval fish was established.