Egg and whole-body amino acid profile of African bonytongue (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Heterotis niloticus</Emphasis>) with an estimation of their dietary indispensable amino acids requirements

African bonytongue, Heterotis niloticus, is a river fish from the Central and West Africa basin. The species presents a great potential for fish farming and has been increasingly raised in Central and South Cameroon. The total amino acid and proximate composition of the whole body of egg, larva, juvenile, immature, and adult Heterotis were determined. Ash, moisture, whole-body protein, and lipid contents were significantly affected by size (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the amino acid composition of the whole-body tissue, when expressed as a percentage of dietary protein, was not significantly different among ontogenetic stages (ranging from 0.2 to 400 g mean body mass). The amino acid composition of the eggs was quite different to the one of whole-body tissue with lower levels of methionine, proline, and glycine, and higher levels of arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, threonine, valine, serine, and alanine. The A/E ratios of adult Heterotis muscle tissue are similar to those obtained for other fish species, except for histidine and tryptophan. Based on whole-body or muscle tissue indispensable amino acids (IAA) to A/E ratios, the IAA requirement profiles for Heterotis (from larva to adult) were estimated and are similar to those of other omnivorous fish species, except for tryptophan and histidine.     

Estimating the ideal dietary indispensable amino acid pattern for growth of white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus (Richardson)

Juvenile white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus, Richardson) were fed or starved for 4 weeks, and their whole body amino acid composition determined at the beginning and the end of the study. The amino acid compositions of muscle, liver, gill and gastrointestinal tract, and the free amino acids in plasma of fed and starved fish were also determined. Very little variation was observed in the amino acid compositions of all the tissues examined after starvation. However, the plasma free amino acids were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased following starvation. On the basis of the amino acid composition and nitrogen retention values of the whole fish, daily indispensable amino acid requirements for protein accretion and obligatory nitrogen losses (mg amino acid 100 g body weighr^?1 day^?1) were estimated. The pattern of indispensable amino acids required for each of these is different, with the pattern for protein accretion containing much higher levels of lysine, but lower levels of tryptophan and sulfur amino acids. Individual amino acid retention rates varied from 33.3% of dietary tryptophan to 80.2% for arginine. The estimated dietary indispensable amino acid pattern for young growing white sturgeon (expressed as a percentage of total indispensable amino acids plus cystine and tyrosine) is: arginine, 14.0; histidine, 6.6; isoleucine, 8.8; leucine, 12.5; lysine, 15.8; methionine (plus cystine), 6.6; phenylalanine (plus tyrosine), 15.5; threonine, 9.7; tryptophan, 0.8; and valine, 9.7.     

Whole-body amino acid pattern of juvenile,preadult, and adult pacu,Piaractus mesopotamicus,with an estimation of its dietary essential amino acid requirements

In the present study, juvenile (live body weight, 54.3 ± 8.2 g), preadult (live body weight, 822.5 ± 33.9 g), and adult (live body weight, 1,562.8 ± 41.8 g) pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus, were used to estimate their dietary essential amino acid (EAA) requirements using the whole-body amino acid (AA) pattern. The results showed that whole-body moisture, crude protein, total lipid, and ash contents expressed on a wet weight basis (%) were significantly different among the studied growth phases. No significant differences were observed in the dietary EAA requirements estimated for the three growth phases of pacu. These dietary EAA requirements were found to be different than those previously estimated for the same fish through its muscle AA pattern. Based on whole-body EAA to total EAA ratios {A/E ratios; [(each EAA/total EAA) × 1,000]}, EAA requirements were estimated to be histidine (0.42%), arginine (1.36%), threonine (0.82%), valine (0.90%), methionine (0.45%), isoleucine (0.83%), leucine (1.29%), phenylalanine (0.74%), lysine (1.64%), and tryptophan (0.14%) for pacu. These estimated requirements may serve as a reference line in the formulation of practical and experimental diets until dose–response-based optimum EAA requirements are available for pacu.     

Amino acids composition difference and nutritive evaluation of the muscle of five species of marine fish, Pseudosciaena crocea (large yellow croaker), Lateolabrax japonicus (common sea perch), Pagrosomus major (red seabream), Seriola dumerili (Dumeril's amberjack) and Hapalogenys nitens (black grunt) from Xiamen Bay of China

A study was conducted to investigate the muscle amino acid profiles of five species of marine fish, Pseudosciaena crocea (large yellow), Lateolabrax japonicus (common sea perch), Pagrosomus major (red seabream), Seriola dumerili (Dumeril's amberjack) and Hapalogenys nitens (black grunt). These carnivorous fishes, all of which belong to the Perciforms, were sampled from Xiamen Bay. Chemical analysis shows significant difference (P < 0.01) among the five species in the muscle total amino acids (TAA). Lateolabrax japonicus has the highest level of TAA in muscle tissues. Significant difference in muscle total essential amino acid (TEAA) and total non‐essential amino acid (TNEAA) were also found among the five species. Lateolabrax japonicus has the highest TEAA level, and H. nitens has the highest level of TNEAA level. Significant difference (P < 0.01) existed in specific EAA except for lysine (P > 0.05). The significant difference (P < 0.05) of the A/E ratios [(each essential amino acid content/total essential amino acid content including cystine and tyrosine) ×1000] based on the essential amino acid composition of muscle tissue from the five species were found in lysine, histidine, methionine, cystine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, and arginine, except for threonine, phenylalanine and tyrosine. These differences indicate that the amino acids profile is species specific for the five species and their essential amino acid requirements are greatly different although they were fed similar feed. In contrast to the reference amino acid profile recommended by FAO/WHO, muscle proteins of each fish were all rich in lysine, the S‐containing amino acids and threonine, but histidine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, phenylalanine and tyrosine were deficient for children's diets. The first limiting amino acid was histidine for P. crocea and L. japonicus, valine for P. major and H. nitens, leucine for S. dumerili. The amino acid score was 66.8, 76.7, 78.4, 84.0 and 95.7 for P. crocea, L. japonicus, P. major, H. nitens and S. dumerili, respectively. In the adult human diet the muscle protein of the five species of marine fish can almost fulfil the requirements of all essential amino acids except for the histidine of P. crocea and L. japonicus and thus can serve as supplemental source of protein in cereal‐based adults diets if we reinforce the histidine correspondingly. Therefore, increasing the proportion of marine fish in the diet of the people in the area where paddy rice and wheat are the main protein sources is an effective way to enhance the nutrition value of food and improve the nutrition status of the developing countries. Moreover, all of five marine fish species contained a comparatively high content of glutamic acid and arginine, which are beneficial to the patients under such conditions as trauma, burn injury, massive small‐bowel resection and renal failure.     

禁食状态下凡纳滨对虾游离氨基酸的降解代谢

在禁食胁迫下,对在盐度为0(S0)和30(S30)水体中的凡纳滨对虾肌肉游离氨基酸(FAA)的浓度变化进行测定.结果表明,禁食15d后,两种盐度中的凡纳滨对虾肌肉游离氨基酸总量均有所升高,但其中游离的牛磺酸(Tau)、苏氨酸(Thr)、脯氨酸(Pro)、丙氨酸(Ala)、半胱氨酸(Cys)、缬氨酸(Val)、蛋氨酸(Met)、异亮氨酸(Ile)、亮氨酸(Leu)、苯丙氨酸(Phe)、赖氨酸(Lys)、组氨酸(His)的浓度却有不同程度的降低,脯氨酸(Pro)在禁食15d后的浓度降为0,牛磺酸(Tau)、苏氨酸(Thr)、丙氨酸(Ala)、半胱氨酸(Cys)、苯丙氨酸(Phe)、赖氨酸(Lys)的降幅也比较显著(P<0.05);但甘氨酸(Gly)、天门冬氨酸(Asp)、酪氨酸(Tyr)、精氨酸(Arg)等主要游离氨基酸的浓度却显著升高,从而使游离氨基酸总浓度升高.实验表明,凡纳滨对虾肌肉里游离氨基酸浓度在禁食胁迫下降解代谢强度不一,饲料中添加脯氨酸(Pro)、精氨酸(Arg)和赖氨酸(Lys)等游离氨基酸后,可能会对凡纳滨对虾的生长起到促进作用.     

Establishing the optimal essential amino acid ratios in juveniles of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by the deletion method

One of the strategies used to improve fish production is lowering the feed costs and the environmental impact by reducing dietary protein content. Using the deletion method, we determined the optimal amino acid (AA) ratio for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) (body weight 20 g). Eleven experimental diets and four replications, taken two at a time, distributed in a randomized block design were used. For this trial, a balanced diet (BD) was formulated. Ten other diets were formulated by the deletion method, in which the BD diet was adjusted to result in a reduction of 45% of the test amino acid. Fish were fed three times a day for 57 days. Groups of fish at the beginning and at the end of the experiment were euthanized for further determination of the carcass nitrogen (N) composition. The optimal ratio of each AA was derived by dividing the requirement for each AA by the requirements for lysine. The essential AA ratios, expressed relative to lysine (=100), were methionine 64, threonine 93, tryptophan 24, arginine 125, histidine 34, isoleucine 57, leucine 96, valine 76 and phenylalanine 101. Our findings might be used to design strategies aimed at reducing the production costs of Oreochromis niloticus.     

Estimating maintenance amino acids requirements of fish through a nonlinear mixed modelling approach

Accurate estimates of maintenance requirement of amino acids are important for feed formulation. However, very little is known about maintenance requirements of essential amino acids in fish. A nonlinear mixed modelling approach was employed in this study to estimate maintenance requirements of essential amino acids of fish from published studies. The maintenance requirements of arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine were estimated to be 7.7 (±6.6), 9.8 (±2.4), 6.4 (±24.8), 9.1 (±13.7), 15.6 (±8.2), 18.4 (±1.9), 14.6 (±3.2), 5.4 (±4.4), 0.5 (±1.3) and 9.3 (±26.6) mg/kg BW^0.75/day respectively, whereas the maintenance requirements of these amino acids as a proportion of their total requirements for protein deposition were estimated to be 4.8%, 31.0%, 8.9%, 12.7%, 5.2%, 11.9%, 19.2%, 2.5%, 2.2%, 10.8% respectively. For most of the essential amino acids, the maintenance requirements represent a small proportion of total requirement (below 10%) with notable exceptions for histidine and phenylalanine. Results from this study suggest that maintenance requirements of fish cannot be assumed equal for all amino acids. The results can be used in developing factorial or mechanistic models of amino acid requirement and utilization.     

Influence of multiple amino acid supplementation on the performance of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), fed soya based diets

Using rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), of approximately 50 g, a 63 day feeding trial was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of individual and multiple amino acid supplements in diets where soyabean meal was used as the principle protein source. Iso-nitrogenous diets (45% crude protein) were formulated where the control diet (F) contained fishmeal as the reference protein and a solvent extracted soyabean meal (S) replaced approximately 66% of this protein source. The soyabean containing diets were then supplemented with crystalline amino acids thus; methionine only, dual supplemented with two methionine and lysine levels and finally, a supplement comprising methionine, lysine, tryptophan, threonine, arginine and histidine. The results showed that soyabean meal (SBM) was inferior to the reference protein when SBM was used to replace 66% of the fishmeal and that no significant restoration in growth, feed efficiency and apparent net protein utilization was obtained by either methionine only or dual methionine and lysine supplementation. However, by comparison with the fish fed the unsupplemented, single and dual supplemented diets, multiple amino acid incorporation was associated with significantly improved percentage weight gain, specific growth rate and marginal improvements in apparent net protein utilization. However, performance was not equal to that of the fish fed the fishmeal based control diet. The results are discussed with respect to the level of each of the essential amino acids (EAA) as a proportion of the total EAAs (A/E index) of test diets by reference to the whole body tissue amino acid profile of rainbow trout.     

The essential amino acid requirements of the Dungeness crab, Cancer magister

The essential amino acid requirements for juveniles of the Dungeness crab Cancer magister were determined by the radiometric method. Both the protein and free amino acids were quantified and their specific activities compared.Injection of five crabs with [U-¹⁴C] glucose resulted in the labelling of the amino acids cysteine, aspartate, serine, glutamate, proline, alanine, and glycine. One crab injected with [U-¹⁴C] glutamate showed results similar to the glucose-injected crabs, with the notable exception that proline did not become labelled. An animal injected with [U-¹⁴C] phenylalanine produced radioactive tyrosine, alanine, and glutamate. Since fumarate is one of the breakdown products of phenylalanine in those species that have been studied, the lack of labelled aspartate is of interest.These results suggest that cysteine, aspartate, serine, glutamate, alanine, proline, and glycine are dispensable and that tyrosine is dispensable if phenylalanine is supplied. The non-labelled amino acids threonine, valine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, lysine, histidine, and arginine are inferred to be essential.     

A comparative study on the composition and importance of free amino acids in semen of gilthead sea bream, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Sparus aurata</Emphasis>, and perch, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Perca fluviatilis</Emphasis>

A comparative study was conducted on the free amino acid composition of gilthead sea bream, Sparus aurata, and perch, Perca fluviatilis. Also the effect of 21 free amino acids on sperm motility was investigated. Spermatozoa were incubated in species-specific motility-inhibiting saline solution containing the different amino acids for 48 h. Thereafter, the motility was activated and investigated using computer-assisted cell motility analysis. Twelve free amino acids, respectively, were detected in S. aurata and P. fluviatilis semen. Arginine, cysteine, glutamic acid, leucine, and methionine occurred in semen of both species. In S. aurata, arginine, glycine, hydroxyproline, lysine, and phenylalanine in concentrations of 1.25 and 2.50 mmol/l, methionine in a concentration of 2.5 mmol/l, and serine in a concentration of 1.25 mmol/l had a positive effect on the motility of spermatozoa. In P. fluviatilis, alanine, asparagine, cysteine, glycine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, serine, threonine, and valine in concentrations of 2.50 mmol/l positively affected motility. From these data, it can be concluded that the amino acid composition and the effect on motility are species specific. Possible consequences for spermatozoa functionality are discussed.     

Establishing the optimum dietary essential amino acid pattern for silvery‐black porgy (Sparidentex hasta) juveniles by deletion method

A 6‐week feeding trial was conducted to estimate the optimum dietary essential amino acid (EAA) pattern for silvery‐black porgy juvenile based on the AA deletion method. Eleven isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated containing 60% of fish meal nitrogen and 40% of crystalline AA nitrogen. In the control diet, the EAA profile was made similar to fish meal protein. Ten other diets were formulated similar to the control diet but replacing 40% of each EAA by a mixture of non‐essential amino acids. Triplicate groups of fish (initial body weight of 4.7 g) were handfed with the experimental diets, three times a day, to visual satiation, for 42 days. At the end of the trial, final body weight of all EAA‐deficient groups was lower than that of control group, ranging from 6.3% of reduction with arginine‐deficient diet to 39.4% of reduction with lysine‐deficient diet, relatively to the control group. Based on the relationship between nitrogen retention and EAA intake of the control and EAA‐deficient diets, the optimal dietary EAA profile for silvery‐black porgy juveniles was estimated to be (g 16/g N): arginine 5.3, lysine 6.0, threonine 5.2, histidine 2.5, isoleucine 4.6, leucine 5.4, methionine + cysteine 4.0 (in a diet containing 0.6 cysteine), phenylalanine + tyrosine 5.6 (in a diet containing 1.9 tyrosine), tryptophan 1.0 and valine 4.6.     

Effects of the Depuration Process on Microbiological Quality and Nutritional Composition of Mediterranean Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819)

In this study, the effects of the depuration period on Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis L., 1819), collected from Band?rma Harbor Area by the Sea of Marmara, were investigated. Distinctive changes were found to exist in the percentage of moisture, protein, fat, and ash content. The process of depuration was determined to have an effect on the number of total aerobic mesophilic/psychrophilic bacteria. Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholera, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus could not be identified during the study. The substances of aluminum, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, nickel, cadmium, chromium, lead, and potassium were determined to decrease in the Mediterranean mussel from the baseline to the end of the depuration. It was found that the process of depuration has a positive effect on alanine, phenylalanine, lysine, tyrosine, valine, leucine, and isoleucine; a negative effect on aspartic acid, glutamic acid, threonine, proline, and arginine and no effect on methionine, histidine, glycine, and serine. The total saturated fatty acids, total monounsaturated fatty acids, and total polyunsaturated fatty acids at the end of depuration were found to be 29.29%, 12.51%, and 45.57%, respectively, and the change in the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids was found to be significant (p < 0.05).     

Effects of dietary phytase supplementation on growth performance and apparent digestibility coefficients of Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

A growth trial and a digestibility trial were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of phytase supplemented to practical shrimp feeds. The 5 weeks growth trial evaluated the effects of phytase supplementation in replete phosphorus (P) diets on the performances and compositions of juvenile Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. No significant differences were observed in final biomass, final mean weight, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR), protein retention and survival across all the treatments. Shrimp reared on the P deficient diet had significantly higher P retention and lower whole body P levels as compared to shrimp fed the other diets. Copper content in the whole shrimp body was significantly increased in the treatment supplemented with 1,000 IU kg^?1 feed phytase. The digestibility trial was conducted to study the combined effects of phytase supplementation levels and diet type (plant‐based versus fishmeal‐based) on apparent digestibility coefficients of Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. There were no effects of diet type so the data was combined. Phytase incorporation at both 500 and 2,000 IU kg^?1 significantly improved protein digestibility, whereas P digestibility was enhanced when 2,000 IU kg^?1 phytase was supplemented to the diet. Apparent digestibility coefficients of alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glycine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, ornithine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tyrosine and valine were significantly increased when fed diets contained 500 and 2,000 IU kg^?1 phytase supplementation. Results of this work demonstrate that under the conditions of the study growth was not enhanced by phytase supplementation in P replete diets. However, nutrient retention for Cu and digestibility of P, protein and a number of amino acids were enhanced.     

Effect of fish meal replacement with Carinata Brassica carinata in low animal protein diets of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum) on trypsin activity,protein and amino acid digestibility and bioavailability

Replacement of >25% of fish meal (FM) with aerobically converted carinata meal (ACCM) in low (200g/kg) animal protein (reference = 200g/kg FM) diets of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss resulted in reduced growth, partly due to reduced feed consumption and protein utilization. In this study, we determined the effect of FM replacement with ACCM on trypsin activity, apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of protein, and essential amino acid (EAA) or conditionally essential amino acid (CEAA) ADCs and bioavailability. Replacement of FM did not alter protein ADCs or trypsin activity. Replacement of >25% FM reduced all EAA and CEAA ADCs except for arginine and leucine which were only reduced by 75% FM replacement. Only serum free lysine and muscle free histidine were reduced by >25% FM replacement. Muscle free lysine was only reduced by 75% FM replacement. Replacement of FM reduced EAA peak concentrations and resulted in slower release of EAAs in serum. Cumulative total EAAs in serum and muscle decreased with FM replacement. Ratios of EAAs to lysine showed that tryptophan was the most limiting EAA. However, isoleucine, leucine, methionine and phenylalanine were also inadequate for muscle synthesis for the first 9–12 hr following force‐feeding. Optimal time for protein synthesis was ≥36 hr. Although any level of FM replacement did not reduce protein ADCs and trypsin activity, replacement of ≥25% FM reduced EAA ADCs and bioavailability of lysine and histidine, which partly contributed to the observed differences in growth.     

The Modification of Poultry By-product Meal for Use in Hybrid Striped Bass Morone chrysops×M. saxatilis Diets

Abstract— A pair of experiments were performed to assess amino acid supplementation of pet food grade poultry by‐product meal for utilization as the sole protein source for hybrid striped bass Morone chrysops×M. saxatilis. The first experiment determined the available amino acids from menhaden fishmeal and poultry by‐product meal for hybrid striped bass. The second experiment determined the efficacy of supplementing poultry by‐product meal with amino acids based on an ideal amino acid profile of hybrid striped bass muscle. The positive control diet contained 40% digestible protein solely from menhaden fishmeal and the negative control diet contained 40% digestible protein solely from pet food grade poultry by‐product meal. The negative control diet was additively supplemented with lysine, methionine, threonine, and leucine at 1.16,0.57,0.31 and 0.47% of the diet, respectively. Lysine supplementation alone did not improve fish performance based on any measured response. Moreover, the negative control diet and the lysine supplemented diet had lower weight gain and feed efficiency than the positive control diet. Supplementation of the diet containing pet food grade poultry by‐product with lysine and methionine; lysine, methionine, and threonine; or lysine, methionine, threonine, and leucine improved weight gain and feed efficiency above that of the negative control diet. The diet containing poultry by‐product supplemented with lysine, methionine, and threonine produced weight gains statistically indistinguishable from those of the positive control diet. Protein and energy retention efficiencies also improved with supplementation of at least lysine and methionine and were statistically indistinguishable from those observed in fish fed the positive control diet. Supplementation with lysine and methionine reduced the hepatosomatic index to levels similar to those found in fish fed the menhaden fishmeal diet. Intraperitoneal fat levels were similar among treatments (6.1‐6.6%) with the exception that fish fed the diet supplemented with lysine, methionine, and threonine exhibited lower (5.5%) fat levels. Supplementing the poultry by‐product meal diet with only lysine and methionine increased muscle ratio to levels equivalent to those found in fish fed the positive control (fishmeal) diet. In conclusion, amino acid supplementation of pet food grade poultry by‐product meal can be used to replace fishmeal in diets for hybrid striped bass without a reduction in fish performance.     

Assessment of the ideal ratios of digestible essential amino acids for pacu,Piaractus mesopotamicus,juveniles by the amino acid deletion method

The present study aimed to determine the ideal ratios of digestible essential amino acids (EAAs) for pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) juveniles by the amino acid (AA) deletion method. A completely randomized design which consisted of 11 treatments and three replicates each was used. The treatments included a control diet (CD) containing 55% of nonpurified natural ingredients and 45% of purified synthetic amino acids and ingredients, and other ten isonitrogenous and isoenergetic EAA limiting diets (LDs), each being deficient in 44.4 ± 0.02% of the respective EAA. Pacu juveniles with initial average body weight of 6.22 ± 0.09 g were distributed among 33 fiber glass tanks. Fish were fed with semipurified and extruded diets for 113 days two times a day until apparent satiation. The ideal ratio of each dietary EAA was calculated on the basis of the relationship between body N retention and amount of EAA deleted from the respective EAA LD. Based on the AA deletion method, the ideal ratios of digestible EAAs for pacu juveniles, relative to lysine requirement of 100% were estimated as: methionine 14.6%, threonine 35.0%, tryptophan 6.6%, arginine 62.8%, histidine 13.6%, isoleucine 26.3%, leucine 43.7%, phenylalanine 27.2%, and valine 35.8%.     

Amino Acid Composition of Developing Larval Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Abstract.— Amino acid profiles of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii were determined during early larval stages (I-IX) to provide some baseline biochemical information of the growing larvae. The larvae obtained from several females were stocked into three 250-L tanks at a density of 30 larvae/L. The feeding regime consisted of newly hatched Artemia nauplii and egg custard containing 5% cod liver oil. For each developmental stage, larval samples from each experimental tank were pooled, freeze dried and after acid hydrolysis, the quantification of amino acids was done by a reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography ( N = 2). The highest represented of the total amino acids were for glutamic acid and phenylalanine (with cystine) with ranges from 13.4–16.6 and 9.7–11.5%, respectively, whereas tryptophan (1.4–1.6%). methionine (1.4–2.7%) and histidine (2.9–4.2%) were relatively lower. The levels of the following essential amino acids did not significantly change during larval development: arginine, leucine, phenylalanine (plus cystine), threonine, tryptophan and valine. Despite statistically significant changes that were observed in levels of some amino acids, amino acid composition appeared to be relatively unchanged during the larval growth. The results may suggest that the amino acid requirements of the freshwater prawn is relatively constant during larval life and can be satistied by a suitable protein source that resembles the larval amino acid profile.     

Estimating the quantitative essential amino acid requirements of striped bass Morone saxatilis, using fillet A/E ratios

In order to determine the essential amino acid requirements (EAA) of striped bass Morone saxatilis , fillets were analysed to ascertain the relative amino acid concentrations for determining A/E ratios ((EAA/total EAA) × 1000)). Analysis of the striped bass fillets yielded the following concentrations of essential amino acids (g kg^–1) and A/E ratios, respectively: arginine, 12.5, 115; histidine, 5.1, 47; isoleucine, 8.0, 74; leucine, 17.1, 157; lysine, 20.2, 186; methionine + cysteine, 9.2, 85; phenylalanine + tyrosine, 16.0, 147; threonine, 9.8, 90; tryptophan, 1.9, 18; and valine, 9.1, 84. In two experiments, diets with graded levels of EAA were fed to striped bass weighing 111 ± 3 g and 790 ± 122 g per fish, respectively. In both experiments, the dietary A/E ratios were maintained in the same relative concentrations as determined in the striped bass fillets. Statistical analysis of weight gains, feed conversions and nitrogen balance indicated significant differences ( P  < 0.05) between treatments. Non-linear regression analysis of the response criteria pooled from both experiments yielded the following estimates of dietary EAA requirements (g kg^–1 dry diet) when digestible energy equalled 13.39 MJ kg^–1 diet: arginine, 14; histidine, 6; isoleucine, 9; leucine, 19; lysine, 22; methionine + cysteine, 10; phenylalanine + tyrosine, 17; threonine, 11; tryptophan, 3; and valine, 10. The use of fillet A/E ratios allows for the rapid estimation of quantitative EAA requirements and the development of species specific diets for new aquaculture species. The data presented here are the first to simultaneously describe all the dietary EAA requirements for M. saxatilis.     

Response of gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) to increasing levels of dietary lysine in zero fish meal diets

To investigate the response of gibel carp to dietary lysine levels in zero fish meal (FM) diets, 8 experimental diets were designed. Among them, diet 1 and diet 2 with 150 g/kg FM, methionine, lysine and threonine were supplemented in diet 2. Diet 3 was without FM but matched the amino acid profile of diet 2 except for lysine. Diets 4–8 were based on diet 3, with graded levels of lysine. After 8‐week feeding trail, final body weight, weight gain (WG), specific growth rate, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and feed intake were significantly improved by diets 1–2 and 6–8 compared with diet 3. Plasma glucose, triglyceride, immunoglobulin G and aspartate aminotransferase levels in diets 4–8 were higher than those in diet 1. Apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of protein, energy, methionine, lysine, valine, histidine and phenylalanine in diet 1 were significantly lower than those in diet 6. The highest ADC of isoleucine was found in diet 3. TOR, IGF‐1, JAK3, STAT4, STAT6 and PepT2 mRNA levels were significantly increased with increasing dietary lysine up to a certain level in zero FM diet and lower than diets 1–2. Based on WG and FCR, the optimal lysine requirement of juvenile gibel carp was determined to be 24.4 g/kg and 24.2 g/kg (65.9 g/kg and 65.4 g/kg of dietary protein) in zero FM diet, respectively, using quadratic regression analysis.     

饥饿对草鱼血清游离氨基酸的影响

将池塘捕获的体重(1.70±0.80)kg的草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idella)饲养在室内水族箱内,分别测定了空腹(禁食1 d,26样本)、饥饿15 d(15样本)、饥饿30 d(15样本)的草鱼血清游离氨基酸含量。结果显示:草鱼血清游离氨基酸总量基本恒定,空腹、饥饿15 d和饥饿30 d的氨基酸总量无显著差异;处于饥饿状态的草鱼血清游离必需氨基酸总量极显著地高于空腹状态,非必需氨基酸总量极显著地低于空腹状态;血清赖氨酸、缬氨酸、异亮氨酸、亮氨酸和胱氨酸含量因饥饿显著升高,而组氨酸、苯丙氨酸、天冬氨酸、丝氨酸、谷氨酸和酪氨酸因饥饿显著降低;饥饿15 d和饥饿30 d各氨基酸含量均未见差异。草鱼血清游离氨基酸含量在正常摄食情况下主要受饲料蛋白质影响,处于饥饿状态下主要来源于肌体蛋白质的分解,比较正常摄食后和饥饿状态下血清游离氨基酸的组成可评价饲料蛋白质的质量。