[Activity of Enzymes Involved in the Energy and Carbohydrate Metabolism and the Level of Some Molecular-Genetic Characteristics in Young Salmons (Salmo salar L.) with Different Age and Weight].

In order to investigate the metabolic regulation in Atlantic salmon fries (Salmo salar L.) during their growth, development, and in the course of size divergence, age-related changes in the activity of enzymes involved in the energy and carbohydrate metabolism, including myosin heavy chain isoform expression, RNA/DNA ratio in the white muscles and liver of specimens at ages of 0+; 1+, and 2+, as well as correlations of these characteristics with the body weight of fish specimens were analyzed. Multidirectional changes in the activity of enzymes taking part in aerobic and anaerobic energy metabolism, as well as a decrease in the protein synthesis with age, were revealed. There was a positive correlation between the activities of cytochrome oxidase, lactate dehydrogenase, aldolase, and myosin gene expression in the muscles, cytochrome oxidase activity, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in the liver with the body weight of salmon specimens within the age groups.

[Intracellular Protein Degradation in Growth of Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar L].

A brief review on the common characteristics and specific features of proteolytic machinery in fish skeletal muscles (based on Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., Salmonidae) has been given. Among a variety of proteases in the muscle tissue, those determining protein degradation level in developing and intensively growing muscles in salmon young and by this way regulating protein retention intensity and growth at all namely lysosomal cathepsins B and D and calcium-dependent proteases (calpains) were comprehensively studied. Revealed age-related differences in intracellular protease activity in salmon skeletal muscles indicate the role of proteolysis regulation in growth in general and a specific role of the individual proteolytic enzymes in particular. The data on negative correlation of cathepsin D and calpain activity levels in muscles and the rate of weight increase in juvenile salmon were obtained. A revealed positive correlation of cathepsin B activity and morphometric parameters in fish young presumably indicates its primary contribution to non-myofibrillar protein turnover.

[Comparative Characteristics of the Lipid and Fatty Acid Status of Eyed-Stage Atlantic Salmon Embryos Reared in Natural and Artificial Environments].

The lipid status of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) embryos has been compared between embryos developing in incubator nests installed in the natural environment (UmbaRiver, Kola Peninsula) and those developing in a laboratory (in aquaria). The developmental stage of eye pigmentation selected for comparison is characterized by the highest sensitivity of the embryos to environmental factors. The content of certain classes of total lipids and fatty acids was different between the two groups of embryos, and the ratios between the relative content values for some of the compounds were different as well. The difference may be due to environmental factors (temperature, oxygen levels, running water in the nests, etc.) affecting the developing embryos, and they may determine the subsequent embryonic and postembryonic development of the fish.