Wk. Ng et Sso. Hung, AMINO-ACID-COMPOSITION OF WHOLE-BODY, EGG AND SELECTED TISSUES OF WHITE STURGEON (ACIPENSER-TRANSMONTANUS), Aquaculture, 126(3-4), 1994, pp. 329-339
The amino acid composition of whole bodies, muscle, gill, gastrointest
inal tract, liver, eggs, vitellogenin and lipovitellin of hatchery-rai
sed white sturgeon was determined. The essential amino acid ratios (A/
E ratios) of the whole body, muscle and eggs were calculated and found
to be significantly (P<0.05) different, but the whole body amino acid
composition of sturgeon of four different sizes (19.5+/-0.4, 57.8+/-0
.9, 179.5+/-0.3 and 535.4+/-9.7 g; mean+/-s.e., n = 3) was found to be
very similar. Muscle contained significantly higher concentrations of
histidine and lysine, and liver had the highest levels of cystine and
the branched-chain amino acids. Gills contained the lowest isoleucine
, leucine and valine but were significantly higher in glycine and prol
ine. Differences were also observed between the amino acid composition
of sturgeon eggs, vitellogenin and lipovitellin. The A/E ratios will
provide a valuable index for formulating amino acid test diets and for
screening potential protein sources for white sturgeon.