[EFFECT OF FOOD DEPRIVATION ON TRANSFORMATION OF CAROTENOIDS IN THE BIVALVE MOLLUSC ANADARA KAGOSHIMENSIS (TOKUNAGA, 1906)].

The composition and content of carotenoids in tissues of Anadara kagoshimensis (Tokunaga, 1906) under conditions of food deprivation were analyzed over the interval of 30 days. By the end of the experiment a slight and uneven decrease of the level of total carotenoid content in tissues of foot, hepatopancreas, gills and in the sum of remaining tissues was observed. Initially ß-carotene, pectenolon, zeaxanthin, diatoxanthin, alloxanthin and esters of the latter four carotenoids were found in tissues extracts. The qualitative composition of carotenoids in the examined tissues was similar. In the course of the experiment changes were noted in both the composition of carotenoids and their content. Changes common for all tissues were shown: ß-carotene disappeared on days 3-4, over the interval of 30 days a decrease in the content of the esters of pectenolon, alloxanthin, zeaxanthin and diatoxanthin and an increase in the level of pectenolon and alloxanthin were observed. Tissue specificity was revealed: in foot and hepatopancreas tissues, at the background of decrease of the total content of esters of carotenoids, a considerable increase of pectenolon and alloxanthin concentration accompanied by an increase of diatoxanthin and zeaxanthin was observed; in gills and the sum of the remaining tissues, under similar increase in pectenolon and alloxanthin concentration, the level of diatoxanthin and zeaxanthin remained at the initial level or was even somewhat lower. The diagram of carotenod transformation is supplemented for Anadara kagoshimensis.

[Composition and content of carotenoids in body of the Black Sea gastropod mollusc Rapana venosa (Valenciennes, 1846)].

There were studied content and composition of carotenoids in body of the Black Sea gastropod mollusc Rapana venosa. To separate and identify this group of compounds, methods of thin layer and high performance liquid chromatography, mass-spectra and spectra in UV-VIS range were used. There were identified 84-87% of carotenoids. The main proportion belonged to mytiloxanthine--28-30%. The rest--pectenolon, diatoxanthin, alloxanthin--accounted for 10-15% of the total content except for beta-carotene--3-4%. The fraction is also isolated which contains complex esters of pectenolon, diatoxanthin, alloxanthin, and mytiloxanthin. It amounts to 17-20 % of pigments of carotenoid line. Minor components were not determined. Pathways of metabolic transformation of carotenoids in tissues of R. venosa are considered on the basis of study of the trophic system "mollusc-filtrator--mollusc-predator" by the example of Mytilus galloprovincialis and R. venosa.

[Qualitative composition of carotenoids, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities in tissues of bivalve mollusc Anadara inaequivalvis (Bruguiere, 1789)].

By using high-performance liquid chromatography, UV-VIS-spectra and mass spectra (FAB MS) in tissues of bivalve mollusc Anadara inaequivalvis (Bruguiere, 1789) there are identified seven kinds of carotenoids: trans- and cis-pectenolon, alloxanthin, pectenol A, beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, and diatoxanthin. Their quantitative ratio in hepatopancreas, gills, and foot of the animals was determined. There was revealed negative correlation (R2 about 0.9) between content of several carotenoids (trans- and cis-pectenolon, zeaxanthin, alloxanthin, and diatoxanthin) in tissues and activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and superoxide dismutase). The presence of competitive relations between these molecular systems is assumed and their underlying causes are discussed.

[Content of carotenoids and the state of tissue antioxidant enzymatic complex in bivalve mollusc Anadara inaequivalvis Br].

The work studied the content of carotinoids, the state of antioxidant (AO) enzymatic complex, and intensity of lipid peroxidation in tissues (hepatopancreas, gill, foot) of the Black Sea bivalve mollusc Anadara inaequivalvis. Tissues with a high content of the pigment have been established to have had a low activity of the key AO enzymes: superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and an elevated content of reduced glutathione R2--(0.81-0.97). The recorded intertissue activities reached 1.7-2.9 times (p < or = 0.05-0.01). At increased concentrations (more than 2.5 mg x 100 g(-1) tissue), carotinoids show insignificant prooxidant effect, which is reflected in a rise of glutathione peroxidase activity. The competitive interrelations between these molecular complexes for the same kinds of reactive ocygem species (O2-, OH*, and 1O2) are discussed.