Characterization of the salivary apyrase activity of three rodent flea species.

1. Salivary gland lysates of the adult female fleas Oropsylla bacchi, Orchopea howardi and Xenopsylla cheopis hydrolyse ATP and ADP, but not AMP, thus characterizing the existence of a salivary apyrase activity. 2. In all species Mg++ or Ca++ function as activators, and a pH optimum between 7 and 8 is observed. 3. Salivary gland lysates of male fleas contain significantly smaller amounts of the enzyme activity than do those of female fleas. 4. Immediately following a blood meal, apyrase activity and protein content of female X. cheopis salivary glands are 2-3-fold less than that of unfed fleas, indicating that salivary apyrase activity is secreted during feeding. 5. It is suggested that, as in other arthropods, salivary apyrase may facilitate blood location and blood feeding by preventing ADP-induced platelet aggregation at the site of the bite.