Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Digestive protease activities and free amino acids in white muscle as indicators for feed conversion efficiency and growth rate in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry volume 25, pages 335–345 (2001)Cite this article

Abstract

The aim of the present experiment was to screen several biochemical indices in fish and their interrelations in order to select variables for future studies of growth rate and feed conversion. Several parameters [trypsin activity, chymotrypsin activity, free amino acids (FAA) in plasma and white muscle, and RNA and RNA/protein ratio in the white muscle] were measured together with specific growth rate (SGR), feed intake and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) in four groups of diploid or triploid Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) reared under different light regimes. SGR was measured on individually tagged fish, whereas feed intake and feed conversion was estimated on tank basis. A principal component analysis (PCA) explained 80.6% of the variance in the data, using all measured parameters, regardless of ploidy and light regime. Muscle free hydroxyproline showed the highest correlation, alone explaining 55% of SGR variability. The SGR also significantly correlated with trypsin activity (r=0.34), the activity ratio of trypsin to chymotrypsin (T/C) (r=0.39), plasma essential FAA (EAA) (r=0.39), plasma total FAA (TFAA) (r=0.37), the ratio of essential to non-essential FAA (EAA/NEAA) in the white muscle (r=−0.45), muscle RNA (r=−0.45) and RNA/protein ratio (r=−0.41). Tank FCE correlated positively (r=0.97) with SGR, T/C ratio and muscle free hydroxyproline, and negatively (r=−0.90) with muscle EAA/NEAA. The groups reared under continuous light (LL) regime showed significantly higher SGR than simulated natural photoperiod (SNP) groups, and with an apparently higher FCE. A higher growth rate was associated with either a higher consumption rate and/or a higher feed utilization. A negative correlation between muscle RNA concentration and SGR may indicate that increased growth rate under LL regime was not caused by an increased protein deposition rate.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (Canada)

REFERENCES

  • Ashford, A.J. and Pain, V.M. 1986. Effect of diabetes on the rates of synthesis and degradation in ribosomes in rat muscle and liver in vivo. J. Biol. Chem. 261: 4059–4065.

    Google Scholar 

  • Austreng, A., Storebakken, T., Åsgård, T. 1987. Growth rate estimates for cultured Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout. Aquaculture 60: 157–160.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brown, M.E. 1946. The growth of brown trout (Salmo trutta Linn.). II The growth of two-year-old trout at a constant temperature of 11.5 C. J. Exp. Biol. 22: 130–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cahu, C.L., Infante, J.L.Z., Peres, A., Quazuguel, P. and Le Gall, M.M. 1998. Algal addition in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) larvae rearing: effect to digestive enzymes. Aquaculture 161: 479–489.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter, C.G., Houlihan, D.F., Buchanan, B. and Mitchell, A.I. 1993. Protein-nitrogen flux and protein growth efficiency of individual Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Fish Physiol. Biochem. 12: 305–315.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carter, C.G., He, Z.-Y., Houlihan, D.F., McCarthy, I.D. and Davidson, I. 1995. Effect of feeding on the tissue free amino acid concentrations in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum). Fish Physiol. Biochem. 14: 153–164.

    Google Scholar 

  • Einarsson, S., Spencer Davies, P. and Talbot, C. 1996. The effect of feeding on the secretion of pepsin, trypsin and chymotrypsin. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 15: 439–446.

    Google Scholar 

  • Endal, H.P., Taranger, G.L., Stefansson, S.O. and Hansen, T. 2000. Effects of continuous additional light on growth and sexual maturity in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, reared in sea cages. Aquaculture 191: 337–349.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster, A.R., Houlihan, D.F. and Hall, S.J. 1993a. Effects of nutritional regime on correlates of growth-rate in juvenile Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) – comparison of morphological and biochemical measurements. Can. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 50: 502–512.

    Google Scholar 

  • Foster, A.R., Hall, S.J. and Houlihan, D.F. 1993b. The effects of seasonal acclimatization on correlates of growth rate in juvenile cod, Gadus morhua. J. Fish Biol. 42: 461–464.

    Google Scholar 

  • Galbreath, P.F. and Thorgaard, G.H. 1995. Saltwater performance of all-female triploid Atlantic salmon. Aquaculture 138: 77–85.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hansen, T., Stefansson, S.O. and Taranger, G.L. 1992. Growth and sexual maturation in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., reared in sea cages at two different light regimes. Aquacult. Fish. Manage. 23: 275–280.

    Google Scholar 

  • Helland, S.J., Grisdale-Helland, B., and Nerland, S. 1996. A simple method for the measurement of daily feed intake of groups of fish in tanks. Aquaculture 139: 157–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houde, D.E. and Schekter, R.C. 1981. Growth rate, rations and cohort consumption of marine fish larvae in relation to prey concentration. Rapp. P.-V. Reun. Cons. Int. Explor. Mer 178: 441–453.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houlihan, D.F., Mathers, E.M. and Foster, A. 1993. Biochemical correlates of growth rate in fish. In: Fish ecophysiology. pp. 45–71. Edited by J.C. Rankin and F.B. Jensen. Chapman & Hall, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jobling, M. 1994. Environmental factors and growth. In: Fish Bioenergetics. pp. 166–168. Edited by M. Jobling. Chapman & Hall, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnstone, R., and Stet, R.J.M. 1995. The production of gynogenetic Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. Theor. Appl. Genet. 90: 819–826.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kråkenes, R., Hansen, T., Stefansson, S.O. and Taranger, G.L. 1991. Continuous light increases growth rate of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) postsmolts in sea cages. Aquaculture 95: 281–287.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lazo, J.P., Dinis, M.T., Holt, G.J., Faulk, C. and Arnold, C.R. 2000. Co-feeding microparticulate diets with algae: Toward eliminating the need of zooplankton at first feeding in larval red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). Aquaculture 188: 339–351.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lemieux, H., Blier, P.U. and Dutil, J.-D. 1999. Do digestive enzymes set a physiological limit to growth rate and food conversion efficiency in the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua)? Fish Physiol. Biochem. 20: 293–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowry O.H., Rosebrough N.J., Farr A.L. and Randall R.J. 1951. Protein measurement with the Folin phenol reagent. J. Biol. Chem. 193: 265–275.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nolting, M., Ueberschar, B. and Rosenthal, H. 1999. Trypsin activity and physiological aspects in larval rearing of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) using live prey and compound diets. J. Appl. Ichthyol. 15: 138–142.

    Google Scholar 

  • Male, R., Lorenz, J.B., Smalås, A.O. and Torrissen, K.R. 1995. Molecular cloning and characterization of anionic and cationic variants of trypsin from Atlantic salmon. Eur. J. Biochem. 232: 677–685.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matty, A.J. 1986. Nutrition, hormones and growth. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 2: 141–150.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCarthy, I.D., Carter, C.G., Houlihan, D.F., Johnstone, R., Mitchell, A.I. 1996. The performance of all-female diploid and triploid Atlantic salmon smolts on transfer together to sea water. J. Fish Biol. 48: 545–548.

    Google Scholar 

  • Millward, D.J. 1989. The nutritional regulation of muscle growth and protein turnover. Aquaculture 79: 1–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murat, J-C., Plisetskaya, E.M., Woo, N.Y.S. 1981. Endocrine control of nutrition in cyclostomes and fish. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 68A: 149–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nathanailides, C. and Stickland, N.C. 1996. Activity of cytochrome c oxidase and lactate dehydrogenase in muscle tissue of slow growing (lower modal group) and fast growing (upper modal group) Atlantic salmon. J. Fish Biol. 48: 549–551.

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Flynn, F.M., McGeachy, S.A., Friars, G.W., Benfey, T.J. and Bailey, J.K. 1997. Comparisons of cultured triploid and diploid Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). ICES J. Mar. Sci. 54: 1160–1165.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olsen, Y. A., Einarsdottir, I.E. and Nilssen, K.J. 1995. Metomidate anasthesia in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, prevents cortisol increase during stress. Aquaculture 134: 155–168.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pelletier, D., Guderley, H. and Dutil, J.D. 1993. Does the aerobic capacity of fish muscle change with growth rates. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 12: 83–93.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rungruangsak-Torrissen, K., Carter, C.G., Sundby, A., Berg, A. and Houlihan, D.F. 1999. Maintenance ration, protein synthesis capacity, plasma insulin and growth of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)with genetically different trypsin isozymes. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 21: 223–233.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rungruangsak-Torrissen, K., Lied, E. and Espe, M. 1994. Differences in digestion and absorption of dietary protein in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) with genetically different trypsin isozymes. J. Fish Biol. 45: 1087–1104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rungruangsak-Torrissen, K., Pringle, G.M., Moss, R. and Houlihan, D.F. 1998. Effects of varying rearing temperatures on expres-sion of different trypsin isozymes, feed conversion efficiency and growth in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Fish Physiol. Biochem. 19: 247–255.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rungruangsak Torrissen, K. and Male, R. 2000. Trypsin isozymes: Development, digestion and structure. In: Seafood Enzymes, utilization and influence on post-harvest seafood quality. pp. 215–269. Edited by N.F. Haard and B.K. Simpson. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rungruangsak-Torrissen, K. and Sundby, A. 2000. Protease activities, plasma free amino acids and insulin at different ages of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) with genetically different trypsin isozymes. Fish Physiol. Biochem. 22: 337–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rungruangsak-Torrissen, K. and Stensholt, B.K. 2001. Spatial distribution of Atlantic salmon post-smolts: Association between genetic differences in trypsin isozymes and environmental variables. In: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Spatial Processes and Management of Fish Populations. pp. 415–429. Edited by G.H. Kruse, N. Bez, A. Booth, M.W. Dorn, S. Hills, R.N. Lipcius, D. Pelletier, C. Roy, S.J. Smith and D. Witherell. University of Alaska Sea Grant, AK-SG-01-02, Fairbanks.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rungruangsak-Torrissen, K., Rustad, A., Sunde, J., Eiane, S.A., Jensen, H.B., Opstvedt, J., Nygård, E., Samuelsen, T.A., Mundheim, H., Luzzana, U. and Venturini, G. 2002. In vitro digestibility based on fish crude enzyme extract for prediction of feed quality in growth trial. J. Sci. Food Agric. 82: 644–654.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suresh, A.V. and Sheehan, R.J. 1998. Biochemical and morphological correlates of growth in diploid and triploid rainbow trout. J.Fish Biol. 52: 588–599.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torrissen, K.R. 1987. Genetic variation of trypsin-like isozymes correlated to fish size of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Aquaculture 62: 1–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torrissen, K.R. 1991. Genetic variation in growth rate of Atlantic salmon with different trypsin-like isozyme patterns. Aquaculture 93: 299–312.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torrissen, K.R. and Shearer, K.D. 1992. Protein digestion, growth and food conversion in Atlantic salmon and Arctic charr with different trypsin-like isozyme patterns. J. Fish Biol. 41: 409–415.

    Google Scholar 

  • Torrissen, K.R., Lied, E. and Espe, M. 1994. Differences in digestion and absorption of dietary protein in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) with genetically different trypsin isozymes. J. Fish Biol. 45: 1087–1104.

    Google Scholar 

  • Waters 1993. Waters AccQ•Tag Chemistry Package Instruction Manual. Waters Corporation, Milford, MA, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zar, J.H. 1996. Biostatistical analysis. 3rd ed. Prentice-Hall Inc., New Jersey, USA.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Matre Aquaculture Research Station, Department of Aquaculture, Institute of Marine Research, N-5984, Matredal, Norway

    J. Sunde, G.L. Taranger & K. Rungruangsak-Torrissen

Authors
  1. J. Sunde
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G.L. Taranger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. Rungruangsak-Torrissen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sunde, J., Taranger, G. & Rungruangsak-Torrissen, K. Digestive protease activities and free amino acids in white muscle as indicators for feed conversion efficiency and growth rate in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Fish Physiology and Biochemistry 25, 335–345 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023233024001

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023233024001

  • chymotrypsin
  • feed utilization
  • growth
  • light
  • plasma free amino acids
  • RNA concentration
  • RNA/protein ratio
  • triploid
  • trypsin
  • white muscle free amino acids

Search

Navigation