Differences in digestion and absorption of dietary protein in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) with genetically different trypsin isozymes

Abstract

Digestion and absorption of dietary protein were studied through facilitation of amino acid in the plasma and white muscle after a single feeding. The comparison was made between Atlantic salmon with and without trypsin isozyme TRP‐2*92. Higher absorption of dietary protein was associated with the presence of the isozyme, as the post‐prandial total levels of free amino acids (FAA) in both plasma and white muscle were significantly higher in salmon with the isozyme than those in salmon without it. Higher digestion rate of the dietary protein in salmon carrying the isozyme was indicated by faster elevation of essential FAA in the plasma and of overall FAA in their white muscle. Other indications which suggest differences in nitrogen metabolism between salmon with and without the isozyme were the observations of significant differences in (a) the levels of lysine, hydroxyproline, alanine, aspartic acid, β‐alanine, threonine, valine and a nitrogen‐containing compound taurine in plasma, and (b) the levels of alanine, glutamic acid, glycine and anserine in white muscle.Trypsin activity in the pyloric caeca showed less response to feeding than that in the intestine, but it may have consequence for growth as its activity was significantly higher in growing fish than in non‐growing fish.