• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.229-237
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• 2009

The causative agent for the tunic softness syndrome of the cultured ascidian Halocynthia roretzi from Jan 1999 to Feb 2009 was identified using virus isolation and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The pathogenicity of the isolated virus MABV UR-1 strain was determined by experimental infection trials. The cytopathic effects was observed in CHSE-214 cell line at a level 5.1% (4/78) in normal ascidian and 1.8% in abnormal ascidian showing tunic softness syndrome signs. MABV gene was detected in 16.8% (18/107) of normal and 13.1% (5/38) of abnormal organisms by PCR. The ratio of MABV isolation and gene detection was similar level in normal and soft tunic diseased ascidian. Based on the VP2/NS junction region sequences, eight strains of virus isolated from ascidian, were included in the same genogroup with MABV which is originally isolated in wide ranges of marine fish and shellfish species. The UR-1 strain caused 60% mortality (36.5% mortality in control group) by immersion infection and 37% mortality (same mortality in control group) in injection infection indicating no significant differences in infected and control groups. These results suggest that ascidian can act as reservoir of the MABV, and this virus is not directly related with the ascidian mortality.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.567-572
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• 2010

This study examined the antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic activities of an ascidian (Halocynthia roretzi) in rats in vivo. Rats were fed on experimental diet including dried ascidian powder (200 mg/kg body weight) for 4 weeks, and then the triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in blood were analyzed. On the ascidian tunic powder diet, the triglyceride level decreased by more than 20.9% and the total cholesterol content decreased by more than 24.4%. In comparison, the triglyceride and total cholesterol level in the blood of rats fed ascidian meat powder decreased only slightly. Therefore, the ascidian tunic powder might be a healthy food with antidiabetic and antihyperlipidemic effects.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.344-350
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• 1994

Seasonal and regional variation of carotenoid contents in the muscles and tunic of the cultured ascidian(Halocynthia roretzi) was investigated. Carotenoid contents of tunic(47.87 mg/100g wet base) was much higher than that of muscles(2.35mg/100g wet base). The carotenoid contents was increased from April to August and then decreased in September. A total of 13 components were separated from the carotenoids extracted from ascidian tunic. The carotenoids of ascidian tunic accounted for followed by those of alloxanthin($31.3\%$), halocynthiaxanthin($15.5\%$), diatoxanthin($11.9\%$), diadinochrome($11.6\%$), mytilo-xanthin($10.8\%$), and astaxanthin($7.8\%$).

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2002

This study was conducted to evaluate the feeding value of ascidian tunic shell the effects of its dietary supplementation on laying performance, egg-yolk pigmentation, egg-shell strength and egg taurine content. A total of 168 brown layers at the age of 29wks in commercial cage were fed for 4 wks with 7 different diets containing ascidian tunic shel1(AST) at varying levels of 0$\sim$5% Dm or 0% AST with 100ppm carophyll red. No differences were found in egg production and weight among the treatments indicating that ascidian tunic shell did not adversely affect the laying performances. Adding the ascidian tunic shell to the diets increased egg-yolk pigmentation compared to the control and resulted in simillar or better effect on egg-yolk pigmentation compared to 100ppm carophyll red. The data suggest that ascidian tunic shell may be used as feed ingredients in layer diet enrichment of egg-yolk pigmentation in the place of carophyll red(chemical pigment). Specific gravity and breaking strength of egg shell were significantly increased by the adding ascidian tunic shell to the diet, suggesting that ascidian tunic shell may be used as feed ingredients for increasing egg shell strength. Also taurine content of egg was significantly increased with increasing supplementation of ascidian tunic shell to the diet(p<0.05). Therefore, ascidian tunic shell may be used as feed ingredients in laying hen diet to improve egg quality such as egg-yolk pigmentation, egg-shell strength and egg taurine enrichment.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.36-41
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• 2013

Carotenoids are fat-soluble red-orange colored pigments found in plants and seafood-derived products, including algae, seaweeds, and fish muscle. In this study, we have demonstrated the molecular mechanism underlying the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties of ascidian tunic carotenoids using mouse macrophage cell line (RAW 264.7). Cell viability was not affected by treatment of carotenoids < 10 ${\mu}g/mL$. This treatment also showed negative inhibition on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated nitric oxide (NO) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). The DPPH radical scavenging activity of carotenoids was 47.2% at 100 mg/mL. It also has a potential reducing power (1.025) comparable with ascorbic acid (1.584). The ascidian tunic carotenoids would make a candidate for the commercially interesting biologically active cosmetic pigments.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.393-408
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• 1996

The effect of various levels of ascidian tunic extracts and carophyll pink on the growth rate, pigmentation, lipid and total cholesterol accumulation, and fatty acid compositions were studied in kuruma prawn, Penaeus japonicus. The kuruma prawn was fed the purified diets with or without ascidian tunic extract and carophyll pink at the levels of 100, 200, and 400 ppm for 8 weeks. In the experiment diet with ascidian tunic extracts or carophyll pink, the values of daily growth rate were ranged between $1.065\;to\;1.292%$, compared with control group. The content of astaxanthin in kuruma prawn was not significantly affected by the feeding levels of tunic extracts. Feeding of the tunic extracts, on the other hand, increased the kuruma prawn lipid and total cholesterol content, and pigment deposition in concentration-dependent manners without influencing the free astaxanthin concentration of prawn flesh and heads between two feeding groups(200 and 400 ppm). And it was also demonstrated that the dietary astaxanthin was deposited in kuruma prawn body tissue mainly as astaxanthin esters. The results suggest that the best feeding strategy for pigmentation in kuruma prawns is the diets with ascidian tunic extracts at the level of 4g/kg feed (200 ppm) for 8 weeks.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.581-588
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• 2010

To examine the functional properties of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and ascidian tunic extracts in fish, we compared mackerel fed ascidian tunic extract and CLA (CA25) and a control group. The daily growth index of CA25 was 1.92 compared to 1.86 in the control group. The viscerosomatic index of CA25 was 36.7% lower than that of the control group. After 8 weeks, the protein content decreased from 19.7 to 17.5% in the CA25 group. The ascidian tunic extract content in the viscera was much higher than in muscle (0.13 vs. 0.03 mg/100 g) after 8 weeks. At the start, the n-3 fatty acid content of the experimental fish was 25.2% in muscle and 23.7% in viscera. The CLA content in muscle in the CA25 group was 2.1% after 4 weeks and 2.3% after 8 weeks. By contrast, the CLA content in viscera did not change after 8 weeks.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.519-524
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• 1997

As an investigation for utilization of ascidian tunic carotenoids as a food color additives, we attempted to collect the volatile thermal degradation compounds from ascidian tunic carotenoids. Oxygenate volatile compounds were extracted by simultaneous distillation and extraction/concentration apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometery. Total 63 compounds were identified and some of them were caused by thermal degradation. They included 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, 3,5,5-trimethyl-3-cyclohexen-1-ol, 3,5,5-trimethyl-3-cyclohexen-1-one, 1,1,2,3-tetramethyl-2-cyclohexen-5-ol, 1,1,2,3-tetramethyl-2-cyclohexen-5-one, 2,3,4,4-tetramethyl-6-hydroxy-2-cyclohexene-1-one, 1,2,3,8-tetrahydro-3,3,6-trimethyl-1-naphtol, dihydroacetinidolide, ${\beta}-ionone$, 2-(1,1,5-trimethyl-3-hydroxy-5-cyclohexen-6-yl)-1-tolylethene, 2,6-dimethyl-8-(1,1,5-trimethyl-3-hydroxy-5-cyclohexen-6-yl)-1,3,5-octatriene-7-yne. Proposed mechanism of formation of some compounds as thermal degradation products of ascidian tunic carotenoids are provided.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.240-246
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• 1994

This study was designed to determine the optimum pigment concentration supplemented in diet and feeding periods on the pigmentation of rainbow trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss) by using acetone-extracts of ascidian tunic as a natural pigment source. The eight pigmented diets contained carotenoid of ascidian tunic extracts at concentrations of 0, 200, 400, 800, 1,600 and 3,200mg/kg of diet, carophyll pink at concentration of 800mg/kg and commercial diet. No difference in pigment concentration was found between the ascidian extracts group and the control group until 4 weeks, but the redness of muscle and integument in the 1,600, 3,200mg/kg diet and carophyll pink was increased in the dorsal and caudal areas of fish from 6 weeks of age. In the sensory panel test, fish fed the ascidian tunic extracts diet were similar to those fed the carophyll pink diet. The optimum concentration and feeding periods for pigmentation of rainbow trout was found to be ascidian tunic extracts of 1,600mg/kg diet for 8 weeks.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.721-724
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• 2009

Astaxanthin is a valuable pigment source for many aquacultured species, including salmonoids, shrimp, sea bream, and ornamental species. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and ascidian tunic extracts were mixed with the basal diet of rainbow trout to investigate their pigmentation effects. Synthetic Carophyll Pink and natural carotenoids that came from the tunic extracts were incorporated into muscle and skin tissues. The main carotenoids found in muscle after 8 weeks were canthaxanthin in CP12 (13.4%), and CP52 (17.2%), and astaxanthin in CP12 (58.5%), and CP52 (59.2%) in the Carophyll Pink group, while those in skin were canthaxanthin in CP14 (34.5%), and CP54 (29.2%), and astaxanthin in CP14 (32.0%), and CP54 (36.5%) in the ascidian tunic extract group. The total carotenoid content in skin (53.0-69.3 mg/kg) was greater than that in muscle (9.5-13.8 mg/kg).