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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Leetown, West Virginia » Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #272693
Title: Effect of sexual maturation and polyploidy on chemical composition and fatty acid content of energy stores in female rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

Author
item MANOR, MEGHAN - West Virginia University
item Weber, Gregory - Greg
item SALEM, MOHAMED - West Virginia University
item YAO, JIANBO - West Virginia University
item AUSSANASUWANNAKUL, AUNCHALEE - West Virginia University
item KENNEY, P. BRETT - West Virginia University

Submitted to: Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/7/2012
Publication Date: 8/17/2012
Citation: Manor, M.L., Weber, G.M., Salem, M., Yao, J., Aussanasuwannakul, A., Kenney, P. 2012. Effect of sexual maturation and polyploidy on chemical composition and fatty acid content of energy stores in female rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Aquaculture. 364-365:312-321.

Interpretive Summary: Sexual maturation is an energy and nutrient demanding physiological process that alters growth efficiency and compromises muscle quality in many food fish species. Lipid mobilization supplies energy required for this process. We evaluated the effect of sexual maturation on lipid mobilization in female rainbow trout on a high nutritional plane. Fish growth, egg development, proximate composition, and fatty acid composition of muscle, liver, visceral fat, and gonads were determined for diploid fish with the normal two sets of chromosomes and triploid females that have three sets of chromosomes and are therefore sterile and do not grow ovaries. The evaluation period was from July thru March, when most ovulated. Similar and distinct patterns of change in fatty acids during sexual maturation were observed among fatty acids, between diploid and triploid fish, and among tissues. Highly unsaturated, long chain fatty acids appear to play an important role in gonadogenesis, either as a source of energy or for deposition in eggs for offspring development and survival. Differences in growth and preferential mobilization of fatty acids are observed when fish are on a high nutritional plane compared to more typical hatchery, nutritional regimens, suggesting composition of muscle is affected by limitations in specific fatty acids during maturation.

Technical Abstract: Sexual maturation is an energy and nutrient demanding physiological process that alters growth efficiency and compromises muscle quality in many food fish species. Lipid mobilization supplies energy required for this process. To study the effect of sexual maturation on lipid mobilization in female rainbow trout on a high nutritional plane, fish growth, egg development, proximate composition, and fatty acid composition of muscle, liver, visceral fat, and gonads were determined for diploid (2N; fertile) and triploid (3N; sterile) females from July 2008 thru March 2009, when most ovulated. Previously, we reported there were minimal differences in most growth measurements between the 2N and 3N fish in this study, but there were changes in muscle proximate composition and visceral fat stores. Here we report changes in proximate composition of liver, gonads, visceral adipose tissue, and fatty acid composition of these same tissues and muscle during sexual maturation. Similar and distinct patterns of change in fatty acids during sexual maturation were observed among fatty acids, between 2N and 3N fish, and among tissues. Highly unsaturated, long chain fatty acids appear to play an important role in gonadogenesis, either as a source of energy or for deposition in eggs for offspring development and survival. Differences in growth and preferential mobilization of fatty acids are observed when fish are on a high nutritional plane compared to more typical hatchery, nutritional regimens.