Using high performance liquid chromatographic method, for the first time, this study determined the concentrations of 17 serum amino acids of the Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis) in Tian-e-zhou Baiji Nature Reserve and the Baiji Dolphinarium of Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The results showed that the mean concentrations of 14 serum amino acids (Aspartic acid Asp, Glutamic acid Glu, Serine Ser, Arginine Arg, Glycine Gly, Threonine Thr, Alanine Ala, Isoleucine Ile, Leucine Leu, Phenylalanine Phe, Valine Val, Lysine Lys, Tyrosine Tyr and Cysteine Cys) of captive porpoises were significantly higher (p < 0.0001 or 0.05) than those of free-ranging animals, except for Proline Pro, Methionine Met and Histidine His. No significant differences of serum amino acid concentrations were noted between genders and between mature and immature free ranging Yangtze finless porpoises. Glu of captive Yangtze finless porpoise was the highest, then was the Asp and Lys within the 17 serum amino acids. Glu of free-ranging Yangtze finless porpoise was the highest too, then was the Lys and Asp. Met was the lowest in both captive and free-ranging Yangtze finless porpoise. The ratio between essential amino acid (EAA) and nonessential amino acids (NEAA) was 0.83 and 0.92 in free-ranging and captive Yangtze finless porpoises, respectively. There was significant difference between the ratios (p < 0.01).
Lin Gang (lgxx2005@163.com) ; Hao Yu-Jiang; Wang Ding (wangd@ihb.ac.cn).Determination of serum amino acid concentration in free-ranging and captive Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis),Acta Hydrobiologica Sinica,2008,32(2):244-251
