Isolation, identification and characterisation of ballan wrasse Labrus bergylta plasma pigment
Abstract
This study confirmed that observations of blue-green colouration in plasma fractions of the ballan wrasse Labrus bergylta were caused by the linear tetra-pyrrole biliverdin and that the molecule was of the physiologically relevant IXα isomer. Accumulation appears driven by chromogenic association with an unknown protein moiety which precludes enzymatic reduction and would suggest active management. It was demonstrated that the pigment did not fluctuate relative to ontogeny, or indeed binary gender in the species of interest, but mobilisation and depletion in the subset of individuals undergoing sex change at the time of study supports a potential association with gender inversion processes. It is of note that although biliverdin does have some effect on external colouration, the evidence is indicative that crypsis is a supplementary function thus other factors must be considered.
Citation
Clark , W , Leclercq , E , Migaud , H , Nairn , J & Davie , A 2016 , ' Isolation, identification and characterisation of ballan wrasse Labrus bergylta plasma pigment ' , Journal of Fish Biology , vol. 89 , no. 4 , pp. 2070-2084 . https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.13106
Publication
Journal of Fish Biology
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
1095-8649Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2016, The Fisheries Society of the British Isles. This work has been made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at onlinelibrary.wiley.com / https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.13106
Description
This work was supported by co-funding from Innovate U.K. (formerly Technology Strategy Board), Marine Harvest Scotland and Scottish Seafarms Ltd (project ref: 81199) as well as the University of Stirling, Impact studentship funding scheme. Mass spectrometry analysis was performed by the BSRC Mass Spectrometry Facility, University of St Andrews.Collections
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