Abstract
(1) Crude extracts prepared from the silk glands of the silkworm,Bombyx moriL. contain trehalase activity. (2) Trehalase in the silk glands has a pH of 5.5 and a Km of 0.71 mM. The activity of the enzyme is inhibited by divalent cations such as Mn, Cu, and Zn. (3) By histochemical methods, it is shown that trehalase is localized in the periphery of the silk gland cells, especially in the tunica propria and tunica intima. (4) Trehalase activity is low in fifth instar and increases greatly in spinning stages, after which the activity decreases.

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