[A comparative study of carboxylesterase in the white mouse and in the caterpillar of the cotton bollworm Heliothes armigera].

Studies have been made on enzymic hydrolysis of p-nitrophenylacetate (p-NPhAc), n-nitrophenylbutyrate (p-NPhBu) and indophenylacetate (IPhAc) by carboxylesterase (CE) from mouse blood plasma and liver as well as from caterpillar of the cotton worm haemolymph, intestine and fat body. Different KM and V max values were obtained for CE from these sources. The highest specific activity of CE from mouse liver and caterpillar intestine and fat body was observed with p-NPhBu.