Digestive glycosidases from cannonball jellyfish (Stomolophus sp. 2): identification and temporal-spatial variability.

Jellyfish are economically important organisms in diverse countries, carnivorous organisms that consume various prey (crustaceans, mollusks, bivalves, etc.) and dissolved carbohydrates in marine waters. This study was focused on detecting and quantifying the activity of digestive glycosidases from the cannonball jellyfish (Stomolophus sp. 2) to understand carbohydrate digestion and its temporal-spatial variation. Twenty-three jellyfish gastric pouches were collected in 2015 and 2016 in the Gulf of California in three localities (Las Guásimas, Hermosillo, and Caborca). Nine samples were in intra-localities from Las Guásimas. Chitinase (Ch), ß-glucosidase (ß-glu), and ß-N-acetylhexosaminidase (ß-NAHA) were detected in the gastric pouches. However, cellulase, exoglucanase, α-amylase, polygalacturonase, xylanase, and κ-carrageenase were undetected. Detected enzymes showed halotolerant glycolytic activity (i = 0-4 M NaCl), optimal pH, and temperature at 5.0 and 30-50 °C, respectively. At least five ß-glucosidase and two ß-N-acetylhexosaminidase were detected using zymograms; however, the number of proteins with chitinase activity is not precise. The annual variation of cannonball jellyfish digestive glycosidases from Las Guásimas between 2015-2016 does not show significant differences despite the difference in phytoplankton measured as chlorophyll α (1.9 and 3.4 mg/m3, respectively). In the inter-localities, the glycosidase activity was statistically different in all localities, except for ß-N-acetylhexosaminidase activity between Caborca and Hermosillo (3,009.08 ± 87.95 and 3,101.81 ± 281.11 mU/g of the gastric pouch, respectively), with chlorophyll α concentrations of 2.6, 3.4 mg/m3, respectively. For intra-localities, the glycosidase activity did not show significant differences, with a mean chlorophyll α of 1.3 ± 0.1 mg/m3. These results suggest that digestive glycosidases from Stomolophus sp. 2 can hydrolyze several carbohydrates that may belong to their prey or carbohydrates dissolved in marine waters, with salinity over ≥ 0.6 M NaCl and diverse temperature (4-80 °C) conditions. Also, chlorophyll α is related to glycosidase activity in both seasons and inter-localities, except for chitinase activity in an intra-locality (Las Guásimas).

Cannonball jellyfish digestion: an insight into the lipolytic enzymes of the digestive system.

The digestive system and metabolism of the cannonball jellyfish Stomolophus sp. 2 are not well-known. The digestion study was critical to explain its ecology and bloom success. Different enzymes are involved in food digestion, which hydrolyze carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. This study detected lipolytic activity in enzymatic extracts from gastric pouches of Stomolophus sp. 2 collected in the summer of 2013 at Bahía de Kino, Sonora, México (28°47'47″N 111°57'25″W). Lipase/esterase activity showed optimal pH at 11.0 and 50-60 °C with a half-life (t1/2) of 33 min at 55 °C, whereas halotolerance of this activity was recorded from 0-4 M NaCl. Metal ions Ca2+ and Mn2+ did not affect the activity, but Mg2+ decreased it 14.2% ± 3.15, while chelating agents as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid reduced the activity 8.55% ± 2.13. Inhibition of lipase/esterase activity with tetrahydrolipstatin and paraoxon-ethyl decreased the activity 18.2% ± 2.3, and 62.80% ± 0.74, respectively, whereas phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (a protease inhibitor) did not affect it. The enzyme displayed a higher specificity for short-chain triglycerides, but triolein, coconut oil, olive oil, and fish oil were hydrolyzed. For the first time, phospholipase activity from the gastric pouch of Stomolophus sp. 2 was detected using L-α-phosphatidylethanolamine from chicken egg yolk as a substrate. These results suggest that Stomolophus sp. 2 hydrolyze several kinds of lipids, and lipolytic enzymes are active at alkaline pH under different saline conditions, which may be essential to digest different preys.