Journal of Aquaculture Research & Development

Abstract

Prophenoloxidase and Immune Indices of Indian White Shrimp Fenneropenaeus Indicus

Jeyachandran Sivakamavalli, Perumal Rajakumaran and Baskaralingam Vaseeharan

Economical importance of shrimp in

aquaculture

and to the increase of diseases that are threatening shrimp cultivation, leads to the necessity of studies on immune system of shrimp and are receiving increased attention. The Prophenoloxidase (ProPO) system is the origin of melanin production and considered to be an innate defence mechanism in

invertebrates

. In crustaceans, prophenoloxidase (ProPO) is present in the haemolymph as an inactive form of phenoloxidase. The present study focuses on the phenoloxidase activity and other innate immune responses such as agglutination activity, phagocytic activity and encapsulation, were studied from the haemocytes of Indian white shrimp Fenneropenaeus indicus. The PO activity of F. indicus showed highest titre value (0.022 ± 0.001) in plasma, with increased concentration of laminarin. F. indicus haemocytes showed the strongest agglutination titre against human erythrocytes A (45 ± 5.5) and yeast Saccharomyces cereviceace. The results of phagocytic activity showed ingestion of yeast S. cereviceace by haemocytes of F. indicus and the encapsulation showed highest response against the sepharose 6CLB beads than other DEAE and CM sepharose beads. The present study supplements the knowledge on crustacean immunity, and understands the host pathogen interactions. An advance made through

immunological

research is an important criteria to increase the yield, food production and also helps for the development of aqua farming.