Comparative studies on the electrophoretic mobility of non-specific esterases among selected species of ticks (Ixodidae)

Abstract

The potentiality of the non-specific esterases as biochemical markers to compare the intra- and inter-specific variability of various species of ticks (Ixodidae) is explored. Ontogenic differences in esterase multiplicity, observations on esterase differentiation in various tissues of the adult ticks and the interaction of interspecific genomes in the hybrids are also present.

The developed methodology employed a commercially prepared cellulose acetate medium and involved conventional histochemical staining procedures coupled to electrophoresis. The study demonstrates the heterogeneity of the esterases in the ticks at various stages and the applicability of the cellulose acetate medium in separating the esterases under the proper electrophoretic conditions.