Changes in the amino acid pool during embryonic development of cultured and wild Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar)

Abstract

Changes in amino acid content (free and protein-bound) of cultured and wild (anadromous) Atlantic salmon eggs and alevins were compared during development. Eggs collected from wild Atlantic salmon had higher amounts of free and protein-bound amino acids due to their larger size than those collected from cultured stock. The qualitative composition of amino acids ( nmol mg ) in egg tissues from cultured and wild stocks did not differ. Total amino acid pool of eggs and alevins declined during development, but an increase in the free amino acid pool was noted through development. At the same temperature, the development of embryos and alevins of the wild stock was faster than that of the cultured stock. Protein-bound amino acids, alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tyrosine and valine were decreased in both cultured and wild salmon, suggesting their importance in embryonic and alevin development.