CYTOCHEMICAL STUDIES IN MALE MUD CRAB SCYLLA SERRATA: ESTIMATION OF PROTEIN, CARBOHYDRATE AND LIPIDS AFTER INOCULATED WITH KLEBSIELLA PNEUMONIA AND BACILLUS CEREUS

Saritha Subhashini*

ABSTRACT

The rise in the protein levels in Scylla serrata during first 12 hrs after bacterial inoculation might be associated with the release of other humoral defense factors involved in clearance of bacteria. In the present study it was observed that the protein content increase was moderate in the hemolymph of challenged crabs during 2hrs and 4hrs but reached maximum during 12hrs and started decreasing from 12hrs to 24 hrs gradually in case of male crabs challenged with Gram positive and Gram Negative bacteria. The quantitative estimation of total carbohydrates was made in the crab, Scylla serrata at 2hrs, 4hrs, 8hrs, 12hrs, 16hrs, 20hrs and 24hrs in control, control injured and male crabs challenged with Klebsiella pneumonia and Bacillus cereus. Basing on the results it was observed that the carbohydrate content decreased gradually from 2 hrs to 24hrs and the percentage of decrease is highest 26% in male crab challenged with Klebsiella pneumonia. The depletion of total carbohydrate may be due to its rapid utilization to meet the energy demands under the impact of bacterial inoculation. The lipid content increased gradually from 2 hrs to 12 hrs and decrease from 12 hrs to 24hrs in male crabs challenged with Klebsiella pneumonia and Bacillus cereus. The percent of increase from 2hrs to 24 hrs is 18% in male crab challenged with Klebsiella pneumonia and 14 % in male crab challenged with Bacillus cereus.

Keywords: Cytochemical studies, Scylla serrata, Klebsiella pneumonia and Bacillus cereus.