Studies on the Source of D-Alanine in Aquatic Animals

1997 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 08660246
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Fisheries chemistry
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: WATATANABE Katsuko The University of Tokyo, Graduate shcool of Aguricultural and Life Sciences, Assistant Professor, 大学院・農学生命科学研究科, 助手 (30092381)
• Project Period (FY): 1996 – 1997
• Keywords: aquatic animals / extractive components / free amino acids / D-amino acids / D-alanine

Research Abstract

D-amino acids are generally viewed as natural oddities. However, recent investigations show rather wide distribution of some D-amino acids in marine invertebrates. The present studies were planned to accumulate more information on the distribution of D-enantiomer of alanine in aquatic animals.
D and L-alanine were analyzed in 80% ethanol extracts prepared from the tissues of species in 8 phyla (Periphery, Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes, Nemertinea, Mollusca, Annelid, Arthropoda, Echinodermata and Prochordata). No measurable D-alanine D-alanine could be detected in Periphery, Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes, Nemertinea and Prochordata species. D-alanine-containing species belong to the order Archaegastropoda and Mesogastropoda, the subclass Eulamellbrachia in the phyla Mollusca, the order Decapoda in the phyla Arthropoda and the subclass Euechinoidea in the phylain the phyla Echinodermata and D-alanine lacking species to the order Neogastropoda, the subclass Pteriomorphia and the class Cephalopoda in the phyla Mollusca, the order thoracica and Isopoda in the phyla Arthropoda, the class Euasteroidea and Holothuroidea in the phyla Echinodermata. The level of D-alanine in the Annelid species analyzed was variable, ranging from O to 22 mu mol/g.
Three groups of sea urchin Anthocidaris crassispina were reared on each of fish meat, marine algae Eisenia bicyclis and formula feed for 8 months. The levels of D and L-alamine in the testis, eggs and internal organs were considerably higher than the other groups, although concentration ratios of D-alanine to total alanine (D/D+L) of 3 tissues, which were 0.56,0.76 and 0.46, respectively, were as the same level as the others groups.