THE BIOCHEMICAL TRANSFORMATION OF FOOD BY THE MUSSEL MYTILUS-GALLOPROVINCIALIS LAMARCK AT DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES

The influence of temperature on the biochemical composition of the fae ces of Mytilus galloprovincialis has been examined in the range of tem peratures from 10 degrees to 25 degrees C, Percentage content of ash a nd carbohydrates decreased with an increase in the temperature from 40 .2% +/- 2.8% to 19.6% +/- 1.1% and from 25.9% +/- 2.3% to 19.9% +/- 1. 9%, respectively. The content of lipids and proteins increased with an increase in the temperature from 5.8% +/- 0.4% to 14.9% +/- 1.9% and from 23.4% +/- 4.3% to 46.7% +/- 3.3%, respectively, Among neutral lip id classes, the most essential alterations were connected with triacyl glycerols, sterol and wax esters (percentage content of these compound s increased from 0.2% +/- 0.1% to 7.2% +/- 2.0% and from 3.4% +/- 0.5% to 9.0% +/- 1.2%, respectively) and with hydrocarbons (their content decreased from 63.5% +/- 6.9% to 32.2% +/- 3.7% with an increase in th e temperature), An extremely significant influence of temperature was shown on the percentage content of total phospholipids and polar lipid s (their content increased from 0.2% +/- 0.5% to 4.2% +/- 0.2% and fro m 7.1% +/- 0.9% to 33.6% +/- 3.6%), Amino acid composition of proteins that presented in the faeces was rather constant, and only an in sign ificant increase in the correlation of essential/ nonessential acids t ook place at low temperatures. The fatty acid compositions of investig ated lipid classes were different and altered in different ways with a n increase in temperature, but the increase in the ratio of w3/w6 acid s with increase in the temperature was the characteristic feature of a ll lipid classes, The most abrupt alterations in the biochemical compo sition took place in the interval of temperatures from 20 degrees to 1 5 degrees C, These alterations are connected with high energy substanc es and point to the process of cold adaptation of M, galloprovincialis as connected with these compounds and in this interval of temperature s.