Reproductive cycle and seasonal variations in lipid content and fatty acid composition in gonad of the cockle Fulvia mutica in relation to temperature and food

From March 2004 to February 2005,seasonal variations in lipid content and fatty acid composition of gonad of the cockle Fulvia mutica(Reeve) were studied on the eastern coast of China in relation to the reproductive cycle and environment conditions(e.g.,temperature and food availability).Histological analysis as well as lipid and fatty acid analyses were performed on neutral and polar lipids of the gonad.Results showed that gametogenesis occurred in winter and spring at the expense of lipids previously accumulated in summer and autumn,whereas spawning occurred in summer(20.4-24.6℃).The seasonal variation in lipid content was similar to that of the mean oocyte diameter.In both neutral and polar lipids,the 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 levels were relatively higher than saturated fatty acids,and polyunsaturated fatty acids were abundant,with series n-3 as the predominant component.Seasonal variations in the 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 levels and the principal n-3 fatty acids were clearly related to the reproductive cycle.The ∑(n-3) and ∑(n-6) values were relatively high during January-May,and the associated unsaturation index was significantly higher than that in other months.The results suggest that fatty acids play an important role in the gametogenesis of F.mutica.     

Responses in growth, lipid accumulation, and fatty acid composition of four oleaginous microalgae to different nitrogen sources and concentrations

Nitrogen deficiency is an effective strategy for enhancing lipid production in microalgae. Close relationships exist among lipid production, microalgal species, and nitrogen sources. We report growth, lipid accumulation, and fatty acid composition in four microalgae （Chloroeoccum ellipsoideum UTEX972, Chlorococcum nivale LB2225, Chlorococcum tatrense UTEX2227, and Scenedesmus deserticola JNU19） under nitrate- and urea-nitrogen deficiencies. We found three patterns of response to nitrogen deficiency： Type-A （decrease in biomass and increase in lipid content）, Type-B （reduction in both biomass and lipid content）, and Type-C （enhancement of both biomass and lipid content）. Type-C microalgae are potential candidates for large-scale oil production. Chlorococcum ellipsoideum, for example, exhibited a neutral lipid production of up to 239.6 mg/（L＇d） under urea-nitrogen deficiency. In addition, nitrogen deficiency showed only a slight influence on lipid fractions and fatty acid composition. Our study provides useful information for further screening hyper-lipid microalgal strains for biofuel production.     

Lipid and fatty acid compositions of cod (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gadus morhua</Emphasis>), haddock (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Melanogrammus aeglefinus</Emphasis>) and halibut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Hippoglossus hippoglossus</Emphasis>)

This study was conducted to compare lipid and fatty acid composition of cod, haddock and halibut. Three groups of cod (276 g ± 61 g), haddock (538 g ± 83 g) and halibut (3704 g ± 221 g) were maintained with commercial feeds mainly based on fish meal and marine fish oil for 12 weeks prior to sampling. The fatty acid compositions of muscle and liver were determined by GC/FID after derivatization of extracted lipids into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). Lipids were also fractionated into neutral and polar lipids using Waters silica Sep-Pak?. The phospholipid fraction was further separated by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and the FAME profile was obtained. Results of the present study showed that cod and haddock were lean fish and their total muscle lipid contents were 0.8% and 0.7%, respectively, with phospholipid constituting 83.6% and 87.5% of the total muscle lipid, respectively. Halibut was a medium-fat fish and its muscle lipid content was 8%, with 84% of the total muscle lipid being neutral lipid. Total liver lipid contents of cod, haddock and halibut were 36.9%, 67.2% and 30.7%, respectively, of which the neutral lipids accounted for the major fraction (88.1%–97.1%). Polyunsaturated fatty acids were the most abundant in cod and haddock muscle neutral lipid. Monounsaturated fatty acid level was the highest in halibut muscle neutral lipid. Fatty acid compositions of phospholipid were relatively constant. In summary, the liver of cod and haddock as lean fish was the main lipid reserve organ, and structural phospholipid is the major lipid form in flesh. However, as a medium-fat fish, halibut stored lipid in both their liver and muscle.     

Lipid and Fatty Acid Compositions of Cod(Gadus morhua),Haddock(Melanogrammus aeglefinus)and Halibut(Hippogiossus hippoglossus)

This study was conducted to compare lipid and fatty acid composition of cod,haddock and halibut.Three groups of cod(276 g±61 g),haddock(538 g±83 g)and halibut(3704 g±221 g)were maintained with commercial feeds mainly based on fish meal and marine fish oil for 12 weeks prior to sampling.The fatty acid compositions of muscle and liver were determined by GC/FID after derivatization of extracted lipids into fatty acid methyl esters(FAME).Lipids were also fractionated into neutral and polar lipids using Waters silica Sep-Pak(R).The phospholipid fraction was further separated by high-performance thin-layer chromatography(HPTLC)and the FAME profile was obtained.Results of the present study showed that cod and haddock were lean fish and their total muscle lipid contents were 0.8% and 0.7%,respectively,with phospholipid constituting 83.6% and 87.5% of the total muscle lipid,respectively.Halibut was a medium-fat fish and its muscle lipid content was 8%,with 84% of the total muscle lipid being neutral lipid.Total liver lipid contents of cod,haddock and halibut were 36.9%,67.2% and 30.7%,respectively,of which the neutral lipids accounted for the major fraction(88.1%-97.1%).Polyunsaturated fatty acids were the most abundant in cod and haddock muscle neutral lipid.Monounsaturated fatty acid level was the highest in halibut muscle neutral lipid.Fatty acid compositions of phospholipid were relatively constant.In summary,the liver of cod and haddock as lean fish was the main lipid reserve organ,and structural phospholipid is the major lipid form in flesh.However,as a medium-fat fish,halibut stored lipid in both their liver and muscle.     

EFFECT OF LIGHT INTENSITY ON THE TOTAL LIPID AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF SIX STRAINS OF MARINE DIATOMS

The effect of light intensity ( 1500 Ix and 5000 Ix) on the total lipid and fatty acid composition of six strains of marine diatoms Cylindrotheca fusiformis (B211 ), Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Bl14, Bl18 and B221) Nitzschia closterium (B222) and Chaetoceros gracilis (B13) was investigated.The total lipids of B13, Bl14, and B211 grown at 5000 Ix were lower than those grown at 1500 Ix. No evident changes were observed in Bl18, B221 and B222. Fatty acid composition changed considerably at different light intensity although no consistent correlation between the relative proportion of a single FA and light intensity. The major fatty acids of the 6 strains were 14:0, 16:0, 16:l(n- 7) and 20:5(n-3) . Cylindrothecafusiformis had high percentage of 20:4n - 6 (9.2 - 10.9% ) . The total polyunsaturated fatty acid /rl all 6 strains decreased with increasing light intensity. The percentage of the highly unsaturated fatty acid eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) decreased with increasing light intensity in all strains except Chaetoceros gracilis.     

Effects of nutrients and light intensity on the growth and biochemical composition of a marine microalga Odontella aurita

Algal biotechnology has advanced greatly in the past three decades. Many microalgae are now cultivated to produce bioactive substances. Odontella aurita is a marine diatom industrially cultured in outdoor open ponds and used for human nutrition. For the first time, we have systematically investigated the effects of culture conditions in cylindrical glass columns and fiat-plate photobioreactors, including nutrients （nitrogen, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur）, light intensity and light path, on O. aurita cell growth and biochemical composition （protein, carbohydrate, β-1,3-glucan, lipids, and ash）. The optimal medium for photoautotrophic cultivation of O. aurita contained 17.65 mmol/L nitrogen, 1.09 mmol/L phosphorus, 0.42 mmol/L silicon, and 24.51 mmol/L sulfur, yielding a maximum biomass production of 6.1-6.8 g/L and 6.7-7.8 g/L under low and high light, respectively. Scale-up experiments were conducted with fiat-plate photobioreactors using different light-paths, indicating that a short light path was more suitable for biomass production of O. aurita. Analyses of biochemical composition showed that protein content decreased while carbohydrate （mainly composed of 15-1,3-glucan） increased remarkably to about 50% of dry weight during the entire culture period. The highest lipid content （19.7% of dry weight） was obtained under 0.11 mmol/L silicon and high light conditions at harvest time. Fatty acid profiles revealed that 80% were Cx4, C~6, and C20, while arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid （EPA） accounted for 1.6%-5.6% and 9%-20% of total fatty acids, respectively. High biomass production and characteristic biochemical composition profiles make O. aurita a promising microalga for the production ofbioactive components, such as EPA and D-1,3-glucan.     

Lipid oxidation and fatty acid composition in salt-dried yellow croaker (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudosciaena polyactis</Emphasis>) during processing

Lipid oxidation in salt-dried yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena polyactis) was evaluated during processing with commonly used analytical indices, such as the peroxide value (POV), the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value, and oxidative-relative lipoxygenase (LOX) activity. Additionally, fatty acids were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Both POV and TBARS increased significantly (P < 0.05) at the rinsing stage. POV reached its peak value of 3.63 meq O₂ per kg sample at the drying stage, whereas TBARS constantly increased from 0.05 to 0.20 mg MDA per kg sample. Processing of salt-dried yellow croaker had an extremely significant (P < 0.01) effect on LOX activity. Twenty-six fatty acids were identified. Combined eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; C20:5n3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6n3) content varied between (19.20 ± 0.37) mg g^?1 and (23.45 ± 1.05) mg g^?1. The polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid (PUFA/SFA) ratio in yellow croaker was 0.73–1.10, and the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio was approximately 0.13–0.20. The contents of most fatty acids varied significantly (P < 0.05) during the different processing stages, and these differences were caused by lipid oxidation. C18:0, C16:1n7, C19:0, and C22:6n3 showed clear changes in principle component one of a principle components analysis. These fatty acids are potential markers for evaluating lipid oxidation in fish muscle because there was a significant correlation between these markers and TBARS and LOX activity (P < 0.05) with Pearson’s coefficients > 0.931.     

Monthly Changes of Glycogen, Lipid and Free Amino Acid of Oyster

Monthly difference of the chemical composition of oyster cultured along the eastern coast of Shandong Province was analyzed. The components analyzed included glycogen, fatty acid and free amino acid （FAA）. The content of glycogen was high in January and March （2.89 and 2.82 g（100 g） ^-1 on average, respectively） and low in October （2.07g（100g）^- 1 on average）. The low content of neutral lipids in October reflected a relatively poor nutritional value of oyster （1.42 g（ 100 g）^- 1 on average）. The main fatty acids of oyster were palmitic acid （16：0）, oleic acid （18： 1）, eicosapentaenoic acid （EPA, 20： 5（0 3） and docosahexaenoic acid （DHA, 22：6（0 3）. The major FAAs of oyster were Taurine, Glutamicacid, Glycin, Alanine, Arginine and Proline. Taurine was the most abundant FAA with its content ranging from 603 mg（100 g） ^-1 to 1 139 mg（ 100 g） ^-1. The high contents of glycogen, polyunsaturated fatty acid and FAA showed that oyster cultured along the eastern coast of Shandong Province was nutritionally good in January and March.     

A comparative analysis of fatty acid composition and fucoxanthin content in six <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaeodactylum tricornutum</Emphasis> strains from diff erent origins

Phaeodactylum tricornutum is a potential livestock for the combined production of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and fucoxanthin. In this study, six marine diatom strains identified as P. tricornutum were cultured and their total lipid, fatty acid composition and major photosynthetic pigments determined. It was found that the cell dry weight concentration and mean growth rate ranged between 0.24–0.36 g/L and 0.31–0.33/d, respectively. Among the strains, SCSIO771 presented the highest total lipid content, followed by SCSIO828, and the prominent fatty acids in all strains were C16:0, C16:1, C18:1, and C20:5 (EPA). Polyunsaturated fatty acids, including C16:2, C18:2, and EPA, comprised a significant proportion of the total fatty acids. EPA was markedly high in all strains, with the highest in SCSIO828 at 25.65% of total fatty acids. Fucoxanthin was the most abundant pigment in all strains, with the highest in SCSIO828 as well, at 5.50 mg/g. The collective results suggested that strain SCSIO828 could be considered a good candidate for the concurrent production of EPA and fucoxanthin.     

Isolation and characterization of an enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase gene from microalga Isochrysis galbana

In most bacteria,plants and algae,fatty acid biosynthesis is catalyzed by a group of freely dissociable proteins known as the type II fatty acid synthase(FAS II) system.In the FAS II system,enoylacyl carrier protein reductase(ENR) acts as a determinant for completing the cycles of fatty acid elongation.In this study,the cDNA sequence of ENR,designated as IgENR,was isolated from the microalga Isochrysis galbana CCMM5001.RACE(rapid amplification of cDNA ends) was used to isolate the full-length cDNA of IgENR(1 503 bp),which contains an open reading frame(ORF) of 1 044 bp and encodes a protein of 347 amino acids.The genomic DNA sequence of IgENR is interrupted by four introns.The putative amino acid sequence is homologous to the ENRs of seed plants and algae,and they contain common coenzymebinding sites and active site motifs.Under different stress conditions,real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR) showed the expression of IgENR was upregulated by high temperature(35℃),and downregulated by depleted nitrogen(0 mol/L).To clarify the mechanism of lipids accumulating lipids,other genes involved in lipids accumulation should be studied.     

龙虎斑鱼肌肉营养成分分析

对龙虎斑鱼的肌肉进行营养成分分析和肉质评价,结果表明,龙虎斑鱼新鲜肌肉中粗脂肪质量分数4.18%,粗蛋白质量分数17.05%,粗灰分质量分数1.24%,水分质量分数80.19%.肌肉蛋白质中共检测出氨基酸种类有17 种,占新鲜肌肉样品的质量分数为17.88%;7 种必需氨基酸（EAA）占新鲜肌肉样品的质量分数为7.79%,占氨基酸总量的43.57%;4 种鲜味氨基酸（DAA）占新鲜肌肉样品的质量分数为6.17%,占氨基酸总量的34.51%;必需氨基酸指数（EAAI）为101.35,其氨基酸组成比例符合FAO/WHO 标准.新鲜肌肉中共检测出脂肪酸种类有14 种.其中7 种饱和脂肪酸（SFA）占总脂肪酸的质量分数为47.29%;4 种单不饱和脂肪酸（MUFA）占总脂肪酸的质量分数为18.86%;3 种多不饱和脂肪酸（PUFA）占总脂肪酸的质量分数为33.86%,DHA 质量分数占脂肪酸总量的30.24%.龙虎斑鱼营养价值较高,海鲜味浓郁.     

Isolation of Chloroplasts from Marine Microalga Isochrysis galbana Parke for Their Lipid Composition Analysis

Marine microalga Isochrysis galbana is an important feed species with a high nutritional value.Different from other uni-cellular algae,its cell contains two chloroplasts which are the major sites for lipid synthesis.Here,we optimized a chloroplast isola-tion approach suitable for the isolation of I.galbana chloroplasts and determined the purity and integrity of the isolated chloroplasts through microscopic observations and enzyme activity assay.The chloroplast lipids were analyzed with a ultrahigh-performance li-quid chromatography-Q Exactive Orbitrap-mass spectrometry.This newly developed isolation approach is simple and reliable to isolate chloroplasts with high integrity and purity.The average yield of intact chloroplasts was 15.3%±0.1%.Glycolipids and acyl-glycerols were the main chloroplast lipids.Glycolipids accounted for 56.6%of chloroplast lipid.Digalactosyldiacylglycerol(DGDG),monogalactosyldiacylglycerol(MGDG)and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol(SQDG)were the main glyceroglycolipids.The fatty acyl R1/R2 were mostly 18:4/16:1,18:3/16:1 and 18:4/18:5 in DGDGs,14:0/18:4,18:4/18:5,18:4/18:4 and 18:3/18:4 in MGDGs and 16:0/14:0,16:0/18:3,and 18:4/18:3 in SQDGs.In addition,diacylglycerol(DAG)was the most abundant acylglycerols;the content of 22:6/18:4-DAG was the highest.There was a little amount of glycosphingolipid(GSL)in chloroplast.Digalactosylmonoglyceride(DGMG),monogalactosylmonoglyceride(MGMG),sulfoquinovosylmonoacylglycerol(SQMG),monoglyceride(MAG),phospholi-pids(PLs),ceramide(Cer)and betaine lipids were nearly undetectable in chloroplast.The fatty acid proportions of DGDGs,MGDGs,SQDGs,DAGs,triglycerides(TAGs)and GSLs were either higher or lower than or similar to those of whole-cell.Collectively,our isolation approach is applicable to many aspects of chloroplast biology,and may offer a reference for the isolation of chloroplasts from other marine microalgae.     

Distribution characteristics of lipids in hadal sediment in the Yap Trench

In this study, cored sediment samples collected by the Jiaolong Submersible at 6 779 m depth from the hadal zone of the Yap Trench in May 2016 were sliced in 1-cm interval from top to bottom, and lipids in each sediment layer were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. The vertical distribution profiles of the lipids in the sediment sample, their main existing forms, and their possible sources were investigated. The results show that the concentration of lipid in the surface sediment was the highest with the carbon number from 12 to 27, dominated by medium and short-chain lipids. The total concentration of fatty acids in surface sediment was much higher than those in the offshore and deep-sea areas, being up to 325.77 μg/g due to the funnel effect caused by the “V” terrain of the trench. Fatty acid 18.0 was the most abundant lipids in the sediment sample. Abnormal high concentrations of fatty acid 18.ω7 and alkanes indicated the existence of hydrothermal fluids in the study area. In addition, saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids existed mainly in free form, and polyunsaturated fatty acids existed mainly in bound form. Most of the alkanes were in bound form, and their major source was autochthounous input. The carbon number of alcohols in the sediment sample ranged from 12 to 20, mainly existed in bound form. The source of fatty acids was mainly autochthonous input, and the neutral lipids had both marine and terrestrial origin. This is the first study of lipids in hadal sediment of the Yap Trench. The results will promote deeper understanding of organic carbon cycle in marine environment.     

Biochemical Composition and Nutritional Value of Different Shell Color Strains of Pacific Oyster <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crassostrea gigas</Emphasis>

The shell color of Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) is a desirable trait; but the nutritional studies on C. gigas with different shell colors have not been conducted. Through successive selective breeding, five shell color strains of black (B), purple (P), orange (O), golden (G) and white (W) C. gigas have been developed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the chemical composition and nutritional value of five shell color strains and one commercial population with a common color. The biochemical composition including moisture, total protein, glycogen, ash, total fat, fatty acids (FA), amino acids and minerals was detected. The results indicated that the protein (50.76%–56.57%) was the major component. The content of glycogen showed a significant difference between orange shell and golden shell strains, as well as between commercial population and golden shell strain. In addition, all shell color strains contained a large amount of essential amino acids (12.20–14.15 g (100 g)^?1), of them leucine (2.81–3.29 g (100 g)^?1) and lysine (2.79–3.28 g (100 g)^?1) were predominant. The oysters were rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids (42.26%–45.24% of total fatty acid) with high levels of DHA (18.53%–21.16% of total fatty acid) and EPA (17.23%–18.68% of total fatty acid). Significant differences of mineral contents (Mg, Zn, Fe and Cu) were identified among the six populations. These results indicated that C. gigas with different shell colors presented rich nutritional value with high protein, glycogen, essential amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The biochemical composition obtained in this study is useful for selective breeding of C. gigas with different shell colors.     

Comparison in nutritional quality between wild and cultured cuttlefish Sepia pharaonis

In this study, the proximate composition and the amino and fatty acid profi les of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei(prey) and wild and cultured cuttlefi sh Sepia pharaonis(the latter fed the prey) were determined and compared with FAO/WHO recommendations. The resulting scores for isoleucine, phenylalanine+tyrosine, histidine, lysine, threonine, and tryptophan in cultured cuttlefi sh were ≥150. The ratio of EAA(essential amino acids)/nonessential amino acids in cultured cuttlefi sh(0.82) was higher than in the wild form(0.80). All EAA amino acid scores for cultured cuttlefi sh were higher than their wild counterparts, except for histidine and tryptophan. Both groups of cuttlefi sh possessed similar saturated fatty acid content, with the cultured containing much more total(Σ) monounsaturated fatty acids, Σ n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFA), and eicosapentaenoic acid(C20:5 n-3) but less Σ n-3 PUFA, arachidonic acid(C20:4 n-6), and docosahexaenoic acid(C22:6 n-3) than their wild counterparts. Therefore, the present results suggest that these cultured cuttlefi sh were better than the wild form for human health. Notably, these results also indicate that the nutritional composition of these cuttlefi sh might have been signifi cantly affected by diet.     

Fatty acid composition analyses of the DCMU resistant mutants of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nannochloropsis oculata</Emphasis> (eustigmatophyceae)

Ultraviolet mutagenesis was applied to Nannochloropsis oculata and three mutants resistant to 3-(3, 4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) were isolated. The cellular chlorophyll a and total lipid content of the wild are higher in the medium supplemented with DCMU than in the control without DCMU. Without DCMU, the growth rates and chlorophyll a contents of the mutants are similar to those of the wild. Significant changes of fatty acid content and composition have occurred in DCMU-resistant mutants growing in the medium supplemented with DCMU. The total lipid, palmitic acid (16:0), palmitoleic acid (16:1ω9) and oleic (18:1ω9) contents decrease significantly, while the vaccenic acid (18:1ω11) increases significantly and the EPA content of dried powder increases slightly in the mutants. The study may provide a basis to improve EPA content in Nannochloropsis oculata in the future.     

Fatty Acid Composition Analyses of the DCMU Resistant Mutants of Nannochloropsis oculata (Eustigmatophyceae)

1　Introduction　Nannochloropsissp .areoneofpotentialsourcesofpolyunsaturatedfattyacids ,especiallytheeicosapen taentaenoicacid (EPA ,C2 0∶5 ) ,whichisimportantforbothanimalsandhumans .　Thefattyacidcompositionofthisalgaisaffectedbyvariousenvironmentalfactors ,suchaslightintensity(Sukeniketal.,1989;Sukeniketal.,1990 ) ,imply ingthatafactorinfluencingthephotosyntheticprocessmayaffectcellularfattyacidsynthesisandtheirmetabolism .AselectionprogramofincreasingcellularEPAcontenthasbeencarriedo…     

TOTAL LIPID AND FATTY ACID COMPOSITION OF EIGHT STRAINS OF MARINE DIATOMS

Fatty acid composition and total lipid content of 8 strains of marine diatoms (Nitzschia frustrula, Nitzschia closterium, Nitzschia incerta, Navicula pelliculosa, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Synedra fragilaroides) were examined. The microalgae were grown under defined conditions and harvested at the late exponential phase. The major fatty acids in most strains were 14∶0 (1.0%–6.3%), 16∶0 (13.5–26.4%), 16∶1n−7 (21.1%–46.3%) and 20∶5n−3 (6.5%–19.5%). The polyunsaturated fatty acids 16∶2n−4, 16∶3n−4, 16∶4n−1 and 20∶4n−6 also comprised a significant proportion of the total fatty acids in some strains. The characteristic fatty acid composition of diatoms is readily distinguishable from those of other microalgal groups. Significant concentration of the polyunsaturated fatty acid 20∶5n−3 (eicosapentaenoic acid) was present in each strain, with the highest proportion in B222 (19.5%). Project supported by the Hi-Tech “863” Programs of the China Ministry of Science and Technology (863-819-02-01).     

Analysis of fatty acid composition of sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus using multivariate statistics

Fatty acids （FAs） provide energy and also can be used to trace trophic relationships among organisms. Sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus goes into a state of aestivation during warm summer months. We examined fatty acid profiles in aestivated and non-aestivated A. japonicus using multivariate analyses （PERMANOVA, MDS, ANOSIM, and SIMPER）. The results indicate that the fatty acid profiles of aestivated and non-aestivated sea cucumbers differed significantly. The FAs that were produced by bacteria and brown kelp contributed the most to the differences in the fatty acid composition of aestivated and non- aestivated sea cucumbers. Aestivated sea cucumbers may synthesize FAs from heterotrophic bacteria during early aestivation, and long chain FAs such as eicosapentaenoic （EPA） and docosahexaenoic acid （DHA） that produced from intestinal degradation, are digested during deep aestivation. Specific changes in the fatty acid composition of A. japonicus during aestivation needs more detailed study in the future.     

Development of fatty acid biomarkers for the identification of wild and aquacultured sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus)

In this study,the fatty acids(FAs) of the organs and tissues of sea cucumber(Apostichopus japonicus) were profiled in order to compare the FA composition of sea cucumber collected from natural habitat(wild) and cages(cultured).The differences in FA contents in dermomuscular tube,peripharyngeal annulus,gonad and intestine(with or without content) between the wild and the cultured were determined.The main fatty acids in all organs and tissues were 20:5n-3,16:1n-7,20:4n-6,22:6n-3,18:0,and 18:1n-7.The basically different FAs of body wall and digestive tube were 16:1n-7,18:1n-9 and 20:1n-11.The ratio of saturated to mono-and polyunsaturated FAs in digestive tube was independent on inside content while there was a redistribution of the total amount of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids.The comparison of FA composition of the wild and the cultured sea cucumber showed that 20:5n-3,16:1n-7 and 18:1n-7 predominated the wild while 20:4n-6 predominated the cultured.The content of branched-chain fatty acids in the wild was 3%–4% and about 9% in the cultured.The possible FAs for identifying the wild and the cultured sea cucumbers were selected.It was suggested that the indexes such as the ratio of either(n-3:n-6) to(n-7:n-6) or(n-3) +(n-7) to(n-6) may serve as the biomarkers distinguishing the wild and the cultured sea cucumber.