Effect of Hydroquinone and Naphtoquinone on the Purified Bifunctional Endoxylanase from the Salivary Glands of the Major Soldier of Termite Macrotermes subhyalinus (Insecta: Isoptera)

The GX endoxylanase, which are responsible for the degradation of xylan and carboxymethylcellulose, isolated from the salivary gland of the major soldier of termite M. subhyalinus, has been characterized with a view to highlighting the effect of defensive substances present in salivary secretions in the major soldier on the performance of digestive enzymes. The carboxymethylcellulase (Cel) and xylanasic (xyl) activities of the enzyme GX are inhibited by hydroquinone and naphthoquinone at different concentrations. cel and xyl are inhibited by concentrations of hydroquinone at 2 and 3 mM respectively. however, these activities were inhibited by naphthoquine at a concentration of 3 mM at levels ranging from 20 to 60 % (w/v). This shows that the presence of these substances could be at the origin of the diet by stomodeal trophallaxy of the major soldier by the worker of the same termite in M. subhyalinus.