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  • Marine Ecology: Microbial Processes
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Microbial hydrolytic enzyme activities in deep-sea sediments

Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen volume 49, pages 177–187 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

The potential hydrolysis rates of five different hydrolytic enzymes were determined in deep-sea sediments from the northeast Atlantic (BIOTRANS area) in March 1992. Fluorogenic substrates were used to assay extracellular α- and β-glucosidase, chitobiase, lipase and aminopeptidase. The potential activity of most of the enzymes investigated decreased to a minimum within the upper two centimetre range, whereas aminopeptidase was high over the upper five centimetre range. Exceptions were found when macrofaunal burrows occurred in the cores, always increasing the activities of some hydrolases, and therefore indicating the impact of bioturbation on degradation rates. The most striking feature of the investigated enzyme spectrum was the 50–2000 times higher specific activity of the aminopeptidase, compared with the other hydrolases. The activity of hydrolytic enzymes most likely reflects the availability of their respective substrates and is not a function of bacterial biomass.

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  1. A. Boetius

    Present address: Alfred-Wegener-Institut für Polar- und Meeresforschung, Columbus-Straße, D-27515, Bremerhaven

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  1. Abteilung Biologische Ozeanographie, Institut für Hydrobiologie und Fischereiwissenschaft, Zeiseweg 9, 22765, Hamburg, Germany

    A. Boetius

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Boetius, A. Microbial hydrolytic enzyme activities in deep-sea sediments. Helgolander Meeresunters 49, 177–187 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02368348

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Helgoland Marine Research

ISSN: 1438-3888

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