Effect of Diet on Mycosporines Accumulation in Artemia urmiana and Parthenogenetic Artemia

Mycosporines are UV-absorbing metabolites which are produced via aromatic amino acids synthesis pathway (shikimate pathway). In the present study the effect of diet was examined on accumulation of these compounds in Artemia urmiana and parthenogenetic Artemia. The cysts of both strains were hatched under standard conditions. The larvae (instar-I nauplii) were directly transferred to the diluted Urmia Lake water (150 g l-1), the salinity was then increased gradually up to 250 g l-1. During the culture period, both Artemia strains were fed on two algal feeding regimes including green and red Dunaliella salina. Concentration of seven Mycosporines including Asterina-330, Shinorine, Mycosporine-2Glycine, Palythine, Porphyra-334, Mycosporine-Glycine:valine and Palythinol were measured in adult Artemia using HPLC at the end of experiment. Results showed significant increase in the concentration of mycosporines in both Artemia populations fed on red algae compared to those received green algae, except for Shinorine in A.urmiana. Parthenogenetic Artemia showed higher capability for accumulation of Mycosporines compared to A. urmiana in most cases.