Fatty acid composition of the tissues of Coregonus lavaretus L. of the Kola Peninsula

Abstract

The study reveals the results of the analysis of fatty acid composition of muscle, liver and gonad tissues of the whitefish Coregonus lavaretus L. of different ages from lakes Lovozero and Umbozero of the Kola Peninsula. The analysis of fatty acid composition in organs and tissues allows to evaluate the physiological characteristics of the organism. It was found that the content of monoenoic fatty acids in the muscles of the whitefish from lake Lovozero is higher than that of the whitefish from Umbozero. It is probably due to the features of the food base of the objects studied. In the muscles of immature whitefish of lake Umbozero the content of polyenic fatty acids is higher compared to the fish from Lovozero. The content of PUFA significantly increases in the mature whitefish from Umbozero lake perhaps due to the temperature regime in water bodies and different rates of motor activity of fish. Lower levels of PUFA in the liver of the whitefish from Lovozero lake may indicate reduced metabolism in hepatocytes. In the gonads of female whitefish from the studied water bodies, the content of saturated fatty acids is low compared to the polyene fatty acids which is characteristic for the viscosity reduction in the membranes of oocytes.