BILE-SALT COMPOSITION AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE D-CYSTEINOLIC ACID CONJUGATED BILE-SALTS IN FISH

Bile salts in twenty six species of fish were examined to investigate the bile salt composition and the distribution of D-cysteinolic acid c onjugated bile salts by high-performance liquid chromatography and/or thin-layer chromatography densitometry. Their major bile salts were ch olyltaurine and/or chenodeoxycholyltaurine except for the bile salt in Japanese dace which exclusively consists of cyprinol sulfate. A consi derable amount of unconjugated cholate was also found in ayu fish. D-C ysteinolic acid conjugates were detected in the bile of wild and aquac ultured guelly jack, brackish goby and marbled rockfish as well as red seabream. No D-cysteinolic acid conjugates was found in biles of Japa nese sardine and mackerel in spite of existences of D-cysteinolic acid in their muscle and liver.