Qualitative needs of lipids
by mullet, Mugil cephalus, fry during freshwater acclimation
M. El Cafsi, M.S. Romdhane, A. Chaouch, W. Masmoudi,
S. Khériji, F. Chanussot, A. Chérif-2003
Aquaculture, 225(1-4) : 233-241
Abstract:
The mass evolution of phospholipids and
triacylglycerols of mullet fry was studied using a decreasing salinity (0.5
ppt) at constant temperature.
After 4 weeks of acclimation (0.5 ppt), high concentrations of phospholipids
(9.75 mg/g wet weight) and triacylglycerols (49.77
µmoles/g w/w) were observed in fry acclimated in seawater (35 ppt)
compared to fry in freshwater (0.5 ppt) which had levels of 6.56 mg/g w/w
and 7.32 µmol/g w/w, respectively.
Significantly, high levels of phosphatidylcholine (PC) were observed in fry
acclimated to freshwater (960.48 µg/g w/w) compared to those in seawater
(591.97 µg/g w/w).
Radioactivity distribution, after injection of labelled acetate at 14C,
was significantly higher in fry acclimated to seawater in the
triacylglycerol. However, high levels of radioactivity were incorporated in
PC in fry acclimated to freshwater.
High levels of PC in fry acclimated to freshwater could serve as precursor
synthesis of triacylglycerols. The enrichment of food for mullet fry with
lecithin (PC) is necessary during acclimation before their introduction into
freshwater (0.5 ppt) to reduce mortality.
(Faculté
des Sciences de Tunis, Département de Biologie, Laboratoire de Physiologie
de la Nutrition, Campus Universitaire, 1060, Tunis, Tunisia, e-mail : Mhamed.ElCafsi@fst.rnu.tn)