Quantitative composition of the fertilized ovum and constituent parts in the Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L.

Quantitative analysis of fertilized, water-hardened Atlantic salmon ova was performed principally by gravimetry and thin-layer chromatography. Dry weight was 36% of mean total weight (138 mg). Dry weight of yolk was 39% of mean weight (104 mg), and dry weight of zone radiata was 8% of mean weight (5 mg). Eight phospholipids, lysophosphatidyl choline, L-α-phosphatidyl choline, sphingomyelin, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl-L-serine, o-phosphoethanolamine, and lysophosphatidylethanolamine, comprised 23% of the dry yolk. Nonpolar lipids formed 24% of the dry yolk. Less than 1% of the dry ovum weight was carbohydrate. Almost all carbohydrate was concentrated in the zona radiata (60% of dry weight), apparently as mucopolysaccharides. Other components included minute quantities of ash, non-protein nitrogen, cholesterol, RNA and DNA. Composition of perivitelline fluid was inferred from unaccounted remainders of the various components.