Regulation and Characterization of Amylase Enzyme Secretion in the Digestive Tract of Antheraea assamensis Helfer

Antheraea assamensis Helfer is an endemic non-mulberry lepidopteran species of North East India with high commercial demand for its golden hued silk. Antheraea assamensis suffers from a protozoan disease pebrine which lead to death of the silkworm. In this study, the effect of various factors (starvation, feeding, temperature, pH, Ca ion and larval stage) in the regulation of amylase secretion is compared in healthy and diseased muga silkworm. Moreover, enzyme zymography and purification of amylase from the midgut is also performed. Result shows that, the secretion of amylase in Antheraea assamensis in starved condition, significantly decreases. Refeeding experiments (after 2 days of starvation) suggest that amylase secretion sharply increases due to feeding stimulus. The purified enzyme molecular weight is confirmed as 56 kDa by SDS PAGE. The purification fold of purified enzyme is 34 times higher than the crude enzyme extract.