• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.13-19
• /
• 1999

In order to investigate the composition and the actual status of extractive nitrogenous compounds in the fresh 'Gae-bul' (echiuroid), a kind of echiurida (Urechis unicinctus), the extract was analyzed separately into extractive nitrogen, free amino acids (FAAs), oligopeptides, nucleotides and related compounds, quaternary ammonium bases, and guanidino compounds, using specimens collected at fish market in April 1988. The extractive nitrogen of echiuroid was $601{\sim}610mg/100g$. Thirty-two kinds of FAAs were found, and the total of them in it was $2,437{\sim}2,609\;mg$. Glycine, alanine, taurine, and serine were the major FAAs in the echiuroid extracts. The large amount of glycine $(1,075{\sim}1,171mg)$ was noted in the extract. The sum of ATP and its related compounds was $3.04{\sim}3.12\;{\mu}mol/g$, and predominant compound was the AMP. Besides, CTP, GTP, UTP and their related compounds were also detected, and the total amount of them was $1.92{\sim}3.74\;{\mu}mol/g$. The lower homarine, trigonelline, TMAO, TMA, and creatine were detected in the extracts. The extractive nitrogenous constituents of medium size and large size echiuroid were almost the same level each other. The total nitrogens of the compounds analyzed for each samples accounted for more than 90% of the extractive nitrogen in this study.

• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.155-161
• /
• 1999

In order to obtain the basic information for seeding production of Echiuroid worm, Urechis unicinctus, the influence of pH and salinity on egg development was investigated. Mature adult of U. unicinctus were collected at the Diving Cooperation of Yosu in Korea and reared during 5 weeks. We carried out the artificial insemination in the laboratory on Dec. 29, 1998, and reared the embryo under different pH and salinity. Treatments were carried out with different pH(4~10) and salinity($0~45\textperthousand$). Embryos in pH 4, salinity $0\textperthousand$, $10\textperthousand$, $40\textperthousand$ and $45\textperthousand$ tanks did not develope after fertilization and became deformed or dead, before swimming embryo. In these pH and salinity conditions, deformation rate of embryo was high at 8-cell stage and 16-cell stage. But embryos in pH 5~10, salinity $20~35\textperthousand$ tanks developed into swimming embryo stage. These result indicate that an echiuran inhabits in both intertidal and subtidal mudflates. After fertilization, sixteen-cell stage took 5.3~5.6 hours in pH 5~10 tanks, and 5.1~5.8 hours in $20~35\textperthousand$ tanks. And swimming embryo took 13.3~ 14.1 hours in all conditions. The desirable pH and salinity for egg development were 7~8 and $30\textperthousand$, respectively.

• Applied Microscopy
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.77-91
• /
• 1988

Since the Urechis unicinctus-oocyte grows asynchronously in the body fluid, various oocytes in developmental stages can be prepared from each individual. The oocytes obtained from the coelomic fluid are then classified into five developmental stages according to the fine structural features. The earlier oocytes (${\sim}18{\mu}m$) form cluster and thereafter the oocytes grow singly without a distinct support of somatic cell, such as accessory cell or matrix cell. The yolk granules begin to appear already in the oocyte of cluster stage, however, the typical yolk was observed at the stage IV. Therefore, it was suggested that the yolk deposition is correlated with the coelomic fluid. The mature oocyte measured about $150{\mu}m$ produces the invagination not only on oolemma(indentation) but also on nuclear envelope. After the formation of the indentation, the mature ooytes are stored in storge sacs. The fine structural features were combined in aspect of structural concept of light microscopical observation.

• Journal of Aquaculture
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.169-174
• /
• 2000

Reproductive cycle of U. unicinctus was studied from September 1998 to August 1999, using gonadosomatic index (CSI) as an indicator. In November, the CSI values were maximum for male (6.2) and female (7.0), respectively; the values were lowest for them (1.0 and 0.5) during the successive february. Subsequently, they rapidly increased and attained peak by March-April. The values decreased again in both sexes and remained unchanged until August. The index increased in October to attain the peak by November. The CSI values clearly indicated that there are two spawning events in a year, namely the first one during April-May and the second one in December. Reproductive cycle was classified into the following successive stages: in female, multipication (January~February, June ~Setember), maturation (March~April, November), spent (May and December), degeneration and resting (June and January), and in male, multiplication January ~ february, June ~September), maturation (March~April, October~November), spent (May and December) and degeneration and resting (January and June). Histological observations revealed that oocytes in the ovary matured simultaneously in November and March. At the same time, the envelopes of matured testis became thinner than those in the early stage.