Publication Date:
2022-05-26
Description:
Author Posting. © National Research Council Canada, 2004. This article is posted here by permission of National Research Council Canada for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 61 (2004): 758-764, doi:10.1139/F04-029.
Description:
Substantial accumulation of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is documented in tissues of all six of the common species of giant clams (Tridacnidae). Results include measures of DMSP concentrations in siphonal mantle, byssal mantle, adductor muscle, and gill tissues obtained by gas chromatography of alkalized extracts plus evidence of DMSP from mass spectrometry. Formation of dimethylsulfide (DMS) by tissues after death is documented. The tridacnid clams maintain symbiotic associations with populations of dinoflagellates, which live within the enlarged siphonal mantle. We postulated that because of their association with dinoflagellates, the clams would chronically accumulate DMSP to high concentrations. Our results show that DMSP occurs at over 30 mmol·kg–1 in many tissues of tridacnid clams (sometimes 50–60 mmol·kg–1), meaning that these clams accumulate DMSP to the highest documented tissue concentrations in the animal kingdom. DMSP at such concentrations could affect multiple properties and functions. Our particular interest for this research was to assess whether postmortem breakdown of DMSP is responsible for the rapid development of potent off-odors and off-tastes that have blocked the commercial success of giant clam aquaculture. High concentrations of DMS produced in the day after death probably account for the peculiar perishability of giant clam tissues.
Description:
This study was funded by the Comer Science and
Education Foundation, Michigan Sea Grant, and Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant.
Keywords:
Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP)
;
Tridacnidae
Repository Name:
Woods Hole Open Access Server
Type:
Article
Format:
87234 bytes
Format:
application/pdf
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