Astaxanthin Deficiency in Eggs and Fry of Baltic Salmon (Salmo salar) with the M74 Syndrome

摘要

The role of the carotenoid astaxanthin inprogeny of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) from the BalticSea with and without the M74 syndrome is assessed.Astaxanthin deficiency is strongly correlated to M74 anda threshold concentration level, 0.11μg astaxanthinper egg, below which healthy egg batches are not foundis implicated. Furthermore, all Baltic salmon familygroups with an astaxanthin concentration > 0.22μg peregg were healthy. Also reported are dynamic changes ofastaxanthin in eggs and yolk-sac fry, before and afterthe eyed stage and after hatching. Compared to NorthAtlantic salmon roe much less of the carotenoids isconverted to esters in the yolk-sac fry of Baltic salmon,and the fraction of unesterified astaxanthin remainingin 2-3 week old yolk-sac fry developing M74 is extremelylow and apparently no longer metabolized. Differentbiological functions of carotenoids are discussed,emphasizing the role of astaxanthin in the antioxidativeprotection of sea-run salmon and its progeny.