CHANGES IN THE AMINO-ACID POOL DURING EMBRYONIC-DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURED AND WILD ATLANTIC SALMON (SALMO-SALAR)

Changes in amino acid content (free and protein-bound) of cultured and wild (anadromous) Atlantic salmon eggs and alevins were compared duri ng development. Eggs collected from wild Atlantic salmon had higher am ounts of free and protein-bound amino acids due to their larger size t han those collected from cultured stock. The qualitative composition o f amino acids (nmol/mg) in egg tissues from cultured and wild stocks d id not differ. Total amino acid pool of eggs and alevins declined duri ng development, but an increase in the free amino acid pool was noted through development. At the same temperature, the development of embry os and alevins of the wild stock was faster than that of the cultured stock, Protein-bound amino acids, alanine, arginine, aspartic acid, hi stidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proli ne, serine, threonine, tyrosine and valine were decreased in both cult ured and wild salmon, suggesting their importance in embryonic and ale vin development.