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Review
. 2019 Dec 11;9(12):857.
doi: 10.3390/biom9120857.

Fatty Acids of Marine Mollusks: Impact of Diet, Bacterial Symbiosis and Biosynthetic Potential

Natalia V Zhukova  1   2
Affiliations
Review

Fatty Acids of Marine Mollusks: Impact of Diet, Bacterial Symbiosis and Biosynthetic Potential

Natalia V Zhukova. Biomolecules. .

Abstract

The n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) families are essential for important physiological processes. Their major source are marine ecosystems. The fatty acids (FAs) from phytoplankton, which are the primary producer of organic matter and PUFAs, are transferred into consumers via food webs. Mollusk FAs have attracted the attention of researchers that has been driven by their critical roles in aquatic ecology and their importance as sources of essential PUFAs. The main objective of this review is to focus on the most important factors and causes determining the biodiversity of the mollusk FAs, with an emphasis on the key relationship of these FAs with the food spectrum and trophic preference. The marker FAs of trophic sources are also of particular interest. The discovery of new symbioses involving invertebrates and bacteria, which are responsible for nutrition of the host, deserves special attention. The present paper also highlights recent research into the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of PUFA biosynthesis in marine mollusks. The biosynthetic capacities of marine mollusks require a well-grounded evaluation.

Keywords: biosynthesis; fatty acids; mollusks; symbiotic bacteria.

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Conflict of interest statement

The author states any potential conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Distribution of fatty acids in gastropods with different types of feeding: herbivorous and carnivorous. Results are expressed as the mean [73,76,77]. TCP FA, tetracosapolyenoic fatty acid; VLC FA, very long chain fatty acid; NMI, non-methylene-interrupted; OBFA, odd-chain and branched fatty acids.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Major fatty acids (% of total FAs) in the mantle of squids. Values are mean ± standard deviation (SD) [94,95,99,100,101].
Figure 3
Figure 3
Major fatty acids (% of the total FAs) in the digestive gland of squids. Values are mean ± SD [94,95,98,99,101].
Figure 4
Figure 4
Distribution of the most remarkable of marker fatty acids of bacterial symbionts in the bivalve mollusks Axinopsida orbiculata [114], Pillucina picidium [113], containing sulfate-reducing symbiotic bacteria, and the symbiont-free bivalves, Reata pulchaella and Theara lubrica [113].
Figure 5
Figure 5
Distribution of fatty acids in the carnivorous nudibranch Chromodoris sp. [77], in Dendrodoris nigra [115] feeding on sponges and in the herbivorous limpet Acmea pallida [76] feeding on brown algae. D. nigra is known to harbor symbiotic intracellular bacteria [115].
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