Adsorption and inactivation of proteolytic enzymes by Triaenophorus nodulosus (Cestoda)

The proteolytic activity in washings off the Triaenophorus nodulosus cestode tegument and the ability of the worms to inactivate proteolytic enzymes were studied. It was found that the major proteolytic activity in the washing samples is represented by the easily desorbed fraction most probably characterizing the activity of the host’s enzymes. Serine proteinases are an essential part of these enzymes. It was shown that the worms’ incubation medium and their homogenates can inhibit host proteinases and commercial trypsin samples. Suppressive activity of the incubation medium suggests that the inhibitors are rather spontaneously produced by the worms than induced by the presence of proteinases in the surrounding medium. The inhibitor produced by the cestode is hypothesized to be trypsin-specific.