Glycolytic activities in size-fractionated water samples: emphasis on rhamnosidase, arabinosidase and fucosidase activities

ABSTRACT

Glycolytic activities of eight enzymes in size-fractionated water samples from a eutrophic tropical reservoir are presented in this study, including enzymes assayed for the first time in a freshwater environment. Among these enzymes, rhamnosidase, arabinosidase and fucosidase presented high activity in the free-living fraction, while glucosidase, mannosidase and galactosidase exhibited high activity in the attached fraction. The low activity registered for rhamnosidase, arabinosidase and fucosidase in the attached fraction seemed contribute to the integrity of the aggregate and based on this fact, a protective role for these structures was proposed. The presented enzyme profiles and the differences in the relative activities probably reflected the organic matter composition as well as the metabolic requirements of the bacterial community, suggesting that bacteria attached to particulate matter had phenotypic traits distinct from those of free-living bacteria.