EFFECT OF FEEDING PATTERN AND DIETARY-PROTEIN SOURCE ON PROTEIN-SYNTHESIS IN EUROPEAN SEA BASS (DICENTRARCHUS-LABRAX)

Protein synthesis was measured using the flooding dose of tritiated ph enylalanine method in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) fingerlings fed a fixed ration in relation to dietary amino acid balance and feeding p attern. Meal-feeding significantly enhanced growth with all diets whil e amino acid balance had a tendency to improve growth. Protein synthes is rate was higher in meal-fed groups and the better the amino acid ba lance, the lower the protein synthesis rate. The effect of amino acid balance on protein synthesis was linked to whole body RNA content, whi le the effect of feeding pattern was monitored by both RNA content and ribosomal activity.