Effect of ammonia-stress on the total autolytic levels of proteins in tissues of an air-breathing fish, Channa punctatus (Bloch).

G season-specific effect of a sub-lethal ambient ammonium chloride concentration on the total autolysis of protein in different tissues of the Indian air-breathing murrel, Chauna punctatos (Bloch), has been demonstrated. While its effect on the autotytie levels of protein of different tissues (except white muscle) was marginal in the winter-adapted fish, the same in the summer-adapted fish was more pronounced. In general a reduction in the autolysic levels of the tissue protein of the ammonium chloride-stressed fish was observed. In certain tissues like white muscle of an ammonium chloride-stressed fish and gill of the ammonium hydroxide-stressed fish, augmented levels of autolysis were noticed. The present findings suggest that the accumulation of amino acids in different tissues of the ammonia-stressed fish, as observed earlier, can be explained best by mechanisms other than ammonia induced increased breakdown of proteins.