Amino acids profiles of six dinoflagellate species belonging to diverse families: possible use as animal feeds in aquaculture

Abstract

Microalgae have been utilized in diverse industries including aquaculture. Among the microalgae, dinoflagellates are known to have various bioactive compounds, and thus the interest in their application to industry has increased. In order to test their potential as food materials for aquaculture animals, the crude protein contents and compositions of amino acids of six dinoflagellates Heterocapsa rotundata (family Heterocapsaceae), Ansanella granifera (Suessiaceae), Alexandrium andersonii (Ostreopsidaceae), Takayama tasmanica (Brachidiniaceae), Takayama helix, and Gymnodinium smaydae (Gymnodiniaceae) belonging to diverse families were analyzed. The percentage of the amount of the crude protein relative to dry weight of T. tasmanica was the highest (65%) and that of A. andersonii was the lowest (26%). However, the highest percentage of total detected amino acids in crude protein was found in A. andersonii (98.2%). In all six dinoflagellates, glutamic acid was the most dominant amino acid in crude protein. However, the second main amino acid was aspartic acid for H. rotundata, A. granifera, T helix, and G. smaydae, but were arginine and leucine for A. andersonii and T. tasmanica, respectively. Furthermore, T. tasmanica and T helix did not have taurine and gamma-aminobutyric acid, whereas the other dinoflagellates possessed them. The percentages of essential amino acid contents of the dinoflagellates met the requirement levels for juvenile shrimps. In addition, the dinoflagellates were not toxic to the brine shrimp Artemia salina. Compared with the other microalgae reported so far, H. rotundata and A. andersonii can be used for arginine-rich diets, T. tasmantca for valine and leucine-rich diets, A. granifera for histidine-rich diets, T helix for threonine-rich diets, and G. smaydae for lysine-rich diets. Therefore, based on their biochemical composition and toxicity to Anemia, the dinoflagellates could be used as essential amino acid sources for cultivating animals in the aquaculture industry.