Abstract
The incorporation, and the capacity for desaturation and elongation in vivo, of intraperitoneally-injected,14C-labelled n-3 and n-6 C18 and C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) were investigated in juvenile golden grey mullet,Liza aurata. The results indicate that juvenile mullet have only limited ability to convert C18 polyunsaturated fatty acids to C20 and C22 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA)in vivo. This suggests that juvenile golden grey mullet require the provision of preformed C20/22 HUFA, such as eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, in the diet. The impairment in the desaturase/elongase pathway was similar to that found in turbot,Scophthalmus maximus, and gilthead sea bream,Sparus aurata, being primarily at the level of Δ5-desaturase. The data from the largely herbivorous golden grey mullet juveniles are consistent with the hypothesis that marine fish in general, irrespective of dietary habits, have limited capacity for the desaturation and elongation of C18 PUFA. The defect in Δ5-desaturase activity combined with the consistent finding that arachidonic acid is selectively incorporated and retained in membrane phosphatidylinositol suggests that, like turbot and gilthead sea bream, golden grey mullet may also have a requirement for preformed arachidonic acid in the diet.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Abbreviations
- AA:
-
5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (arachidonic acid, 20:4n-6)
- CPL:
-
diradyl (diacyl + alkenylacyl + alkylacyl) glycerophosphocholine
- DHA:
-
4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3)
- EPA:
-
5,8,11,14,17-eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3)
- EPL:
-
diradyl (diacyl + alkenylacyl + alkylacyl) glycerophosphoethanolamine
- HUFA:
-
highly unsaturated fatty acids (≥ C20 and with ≥ 3 double bonds)
- LA:
-
9,12-octadecadienoic acid (linoleic acid, 18:2n-6)
- LNA:
-
9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid (α-linolenic acid, 18:3n-3) PI, phosphatidylinositol
- PI:
-
phosphatidylinositol
- PS:
-
phosphatidylserine
- PUFA:
-
polyunsaturated fatty acid(s)
References cited
Albertini-Berhaut, J. 1973. Biologie des stades juveniles de téleostèens mugilidae Mugil auratus Risso 1810,Mugil capito Cuvier 1829, et Mugil saliens Risso 1810. I Règime alimentaire. Aquaculture 2: 251–266.
Albertini-Berhaut, J. 1974. Biologie des stades juveniles de téleostèens mugilidae Mugil auratus Risso 1810,Mugil capito Cuvier 1829, et Mugil saliens Risso 1810. II Modifications du règime alimentaire en relation avec la taille. Aquaculture 4: 13–27.
Audouin, J. 1962. La daurade de l'etang de Thau Chrysophrys aurata L. Trav. Inst. Peches Marit. 26: 105–126.
Bell, M.V., Henderson, R.J. and Sargent, J.R. 1986. The role of polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 83B: 711–719.
Bell, M.V., Simpson, C.M.F. and Sargent, J.R. 1983. (N-3) and (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids in the phosphoglycerides of salt-secreting epithelia from two marine fish species. Lipids 18: 720–726.
Brenner, R.R. 1981. Nutritional and hormonal factors influencing desaturation of essential fatty acids. Prog. Lipid Res. 20: 41–47.
Brogard, L. 1961. Mugil species in the rivers of Israel. Fish Bull. Haifa 3: 8–10.
Chervinski, J. 1984. Salinity tolerance of young gilthead sea bream,Sparus aurata L. Bamidgeh 36: 121–123.
Christie, W.W. 1989. Gas Chromatography and Lipids: A Practical Guide. The Oily Press, Ayr.
Colman, J.A. 1972. Food of snapper,Chrysophrys auratus (Forster), in the Huaraki Gulf, New Zealand, New Zeal. J. Mar. Freshw. Res. 6: 221–239.
Folch, J., Lees, M. and Sloane-Stanley, G.H.S. 1957. A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissues. J. Biol. Chem. 226: 492–509.
Fraser, A.J., Gamble, J.C. and Sargent, J.R. 1988. Changes in lipid content, lipid class composition and fatty acid composition of developing eggs and unfed larvae of cod (Gadus morhua). Mar. Biol. 99: 307–313.
Harwood, J.L. and Russell, N.J. 1984. In Lipids in Plants and Microbes. Edited by G. Allen. Unwin Ltd., London.
Henderson, R.J., Bell, M.V. and Sargent, J.R. 1985. The conversion of polyunsaturated fatty acids to prostaglandins by tissue homogenates of the turbot,Scophthalmus maximus L. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 85: 93–99.
Henderson, R.J. and Tocher, D.R. 1987. The lipid composition and biochemistry of freshwater fish. Prog. Lipid Res. 26: 281–347.
Jones, A. 1970. Some aspects of the biology of the turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.) with special reference to feeding and growth in the juvenile stage. Ph. D. Thesis, University East Anglia.
Kanazawa, A., Teshima, S. and Ono, K. 1979. Relationship between essential fatty acid requirements of aquatic animals and the capacity for bioconversion of linolenic acid to highly unsaturated fatty acids. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 63B: 295–298.
Kayama, M., Araki, S. and Sato, S. 1989. Lipids of marine plants. In Marine Biogenic Lipids, Fats and Oils. Vol. II, pp. 3–48. Edited by R.G. Ackman. CRC Press Inc., Boca de Ratón.
Linares, F. and Henderson, R.J. 1991. Incorporation of14C-labelled polyunsaturated fatty acids by juvenile turbot,Scophthalmus maximus L. in vivo. J. Fish Biol. 38: 335–347.
Mourente, G. and Odriozola, J.M. 1990. Effect of broodstock diets on total lipids and fatty acid composition of larvae of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) during yolksac stage. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 8: 103–110.
Mourente, G. and Tocher, D.R. 1992a. Effects of weaning onto a pelleted diet on docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) levels in brain of developing turbot (Scophthalmus maximus L.). Aquaculture 105: 363–377.
Mourente, G. and Tocher, D.R. 1992b. Lipid class and fatty acid composition of brain lipids from Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus) at different stages of development. Mar. Biol. 112: 553–558.
Mourente, G. and Tocher, D.R. 1993a. Incorporation and metabolism of14C-labelled polyunsaturated fatty acids in juvenile gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata L. in vivo. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 443–453.
Mourente, G. and Tocher, D.R. 1993b. Effects of weaning on to a dry pellet diet on brain lipid and fatty acid compositions in postlarvae of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 104A: 605–611.
Mourente, G., Rodriguez, A., Tocher, D.R. and Sargent, J.R. 1992. Effect of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6(n-3)) on lipid and fatty acid compositions and growth in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) during first feeding. Aquaculture (In press)
Mourente, G., Tocher, D.R. and Sargent, J.R. 1991. Specific accumulation of docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3) in brain lipids during development of juvenile turbot Scophthalmus maximus L. Lipids 26: 871–877.
Olsen, R.E. and Henderson, R.J. 1989. The rapid analysis of neutral and polar marine lipids using double-development HPTLC and scanning densitometry. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 129: 189–197.
Olsen, R.E., Henderson, R.J. and McAndrew, B.J. 1990. The conversion of linoleic acid and linolenic acid to longer chain polyunsaturated fatty acids by Tilapia Oreochromis nilotica in vivo). Fish Physiol. Biochem. 8: 261–270.
Olsen, R.E., Henderson, R.J. and Ringo, E. 1991. Lipids of Arctic charr Salvelinus alpinus (L.) I. Dietary induced changes in lipid class and fatty acid composition. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 9: 151–164.
Olsen, R.E. and Ringo, E. 1992. Lipids of Arctic charr,Salvelinus alpinus (L.) II. Influence of dietary fatty acids on the elongation and desaturation of linoleic and linolenic acid. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 9: 393–399.
Oren, O.H. 1981. Aquaculture of Grey Mullets. Cambridge University Press.
Owen, J.M., Adron, J.W., Middleton, C. and Cowey, C.B. 1975. Elongation and desaturation of dietary fatty acids in turbot Scophthalmus maximus and rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri. Lipids 10: 528–531.
Rivers, J.P.W., Sinclair, A.J. and Crawford, M.A. 1975. Inability of the cat to desaturate essential fatty acids. Nature, Lond. 258: 171–173.
Sargent, J.R., Henderson, R.J. and Tocher, D.R. 1989. The lipids. In Fish Nutrition. pp. 153–218. Edited by J. Halver. Academic Press, New York.
Summerfelt, R.C. and Smith, L.S. 1990. Anesthesia, surgery and related techniques. In Methods for Fish Biology. pp. 213–273. Edited by C.B. Screck and P.B. Moyle. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda.
Tocher, D.R. 1990. Incorporation and metabolism of (n-3) and (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids in phospholipid classes in cultured rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) cells. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 8: 239–249.
Tocher, D.R. and Dick, J.R. 1990. Incorporation and metabolism of (n-3) and (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids in phospholipid classes in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) cells. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 96B: 73–79.
Tocher, D.R. and Harvie, D.G. 1988. Fatty acid composition of the major phosphoglycerides from fish neutral tissues; (n-3) and (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) and cod (Gadus morhua) brains and retinas. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 5: 229–239.
Tocher, D.R. and Mackinlay, E. 1990. Incorporation and metabolism of (n-3) and (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids in phospholipid classes in cultured turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) cells. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 8: 251–260.
Tocher, D.R. and Sargent, J.R. 1984. Analyses of lipids and fatty acids in ripe roes of some northwest European marine fish. Lipids 19: 492–499.
Tocher, D.R. and Sargent, J.R. 1986. Incorporation of [I-14C] arachidonic and [I-14C] eicosapentaenoic acids into the phospholipids of peripheral blood neutrophils from the plaice,Pleuronectes platessa L. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 876: 592–600.
Tocher, D.R. and Sargent, J.R. 1987. The effect of calcium ionophore A23187 on the metabolism of arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acids in neutrophils from a marine teleost fish rich in (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 87B: 733–739.
Tocher, D.R. and Sargent, J.R. 1990a. Incorporation into phospholipids classes and metabolism via desaturation and elongation of various14C-labelled polyunsaturated fatty acids in trout astrocytes in primary culture. J. Neurochem. 54: 2118–2124.
Tocher, D.R. and Sargent, J.R. 1990b. Effect of temperature on the incorporation into phospholipid classes and the metabolism via desaturation and elongation of (n-3) and (n-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish cells in culture. Lipids 25: 435–442.
Tocher, D.R., Bell, J.G. and Sargent, J.R. 1991. The incorporation of [3H] arachidonic and [14C] eicosapentaenoic acids into glycerophospholipids and their metabolism by lipoxygenases in isolated brain cells from rainbow trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss. J. Neurochem. 57: 2078–2085.
Tocher, D.R., Carr, J. and Sargent, J.R. 1989. Polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism in fish cells: Differential metabolism of (n-3) and (n-6) series acids by cultured cells originating from a freshwater teleost fish and from a marine teleost fish. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 94B: 367–374.
Vitiello, F. and Zanetta, J.P. 1978. Thin layer chromatography of phospholipids. J. Chromatogr. 166: 637–640.
Voss, A., Reinhart, M., Sankarappa, S. and Sprecher, H. 1991. The metabolism of 7,10,13,16,19-docosapentaenoic acid to 4,7,10,13,16,19-docosahexaenoic acid in rat liver is independent of a 4-desaturase. J. Biol. Chem. 266: 19995–20000.
Wilson, R. and Sargent, J.R. 1992. High resolution separation of polyunsaturated fatty acids by argentation-thin-layer chromatography. J. Chromatogr. 623: 430–407.
Zar, J.H. 1984. Biostatistical Analysis. Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mourente, G., Tocher, D.R. Incorporation and metabolism of14C-labelled polyunsaturated fatty acids in wild-caught juveniles of golden grey mullet,Liza aurata, in vivo . Fish Physiol Biochem 12, 119–130 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004377
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00004377