Fatty Acids in Cnidaria: Distribution and Specific Functions
The phylum Cnidaria comprises five main classes—Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, Hexacorallia, Octocorallia and Cubozoa—that include such widely distributed and well-known animals as hard and soft corals, sea anemones, sea pens, gorgonians, hydroids, and jellyfish. Cnidarians play a very important role in marin...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Marine Drugs |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23/1/37 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832588093222289408 |
|---|---|
| author | Vasily I. Svetashev |
| author_facet | Vasily I. Svetashev |
| author_sort | Vasily I. Svetashev |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The phylum Cnidaria comprises five main classes—Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, Hexacorallia, Octocorallia and Cubozoa—that include such widely distributed and well-known animals as hard and soft corals, sea anemones, sea pens, gorgonians, hydroids, and jellyfish. Cnidarians play a very important role in marine ecosystems. The composition of their fatty acids (FAs) depends on food (plankton and particulate organic matter), symbiotic photosynthetic dinoflagellates and bacteria, and de novo biosynthesis in host tissues. In cnidarian lipids, besides the common FA characteristics of marine organisms, numerous new and rare FAs are also found. All Octocorallia species and some Scyphozoa jellyfish contain polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) with 24 and 26 carbon atoms. The coral families can be distinguished by specific FA profiles: the presence of uncommon FAs or high/low levels of common fatty acids. Many of the families have characteristic FAs: Acroporidae are characterized by 18:3n6, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) 20:5n3, 22:4n6, and 22:5n3; Pocilloporidae by 20:3n6, 20:4n3, and docosahexaenoic acid 22:6n3 (DHA); and Poritidae by arachidonic acid (AA) and DHA. The species of Faviidae show elevated concentrations of 18:3n6 and 22:5n3 acids. Dendrophylliidae, being azooxanthellate corals, have such dominant acids as EPA and 22:5n3 and a low content of DHA, which is the major PUFA in hermatypic corals. The major and characteristic PUFAs for Milleporidae (class Hydrozoa) are DHA and 22:5n6, though in scleractinian corals, the latter acid is found only in trace amounts. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d4be766e308b461b997f7727b2a1aaee |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1660-3397 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Marine Drugs |
| spelling | doaj-art-d4be766e308b461b997f7727b2a1aaee2025-01-24T13:39:34ZengMDPI AGMarine Drugs1660-33972025-01-012313710.3390/md23010037Fatty Acids in Cnidaria: Distribution and Specific FunctionsVasily I. Svetashev0A.V. Zhirmunsky National Scientific Center of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, ul. Palchevskogo 17, Vladivostok 690041, RussiaThe phylum Cnidaria comprises five main classes—Hydrozoa, Scyphozoa, Hexacorallia, Octocorallia and Cubozoa—that include such widely distributed and well-known animals as hard and soft corals, sea anemones, sea pens, gorgonians, hydroids, and jellyfish. Cnidarians play a very important role in marine ecosystems. The composition of their fatty acids (FAs) depends on food (plankton and particulate organic matter), symbiotic photosynthetic dinoflagellates and bacteria, and de novo biosynthesis in host tissues. In cnidarian lipids, besides the common FA characteristics of marine organisms, numerous new and rare FAs are also found. All Octocorallia species and some Scyphozoa jellyfish contain polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs) with 24 and 26 carbon atoms. The coral families can be distinguished by specific FA profiles: the presence of uncommon FAs or high/low levels of common fatty acids. Many of the families have characteristic FAs: Acroporidae are characterized by 18:3n6, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) 20:5n3, 22:4n6, and 22:5n3; Pocilloporidae by 20:3n6, 20:4n3, and docosahexaenoic acid 22:6n3 (DHA); and Poritidae by arachidonic acid (AA) and DHA. The species of Faviidae show elevated concentrations of 18:3n6 and 22:5n3 acids. Dendrophylliidae, being azooxanthellate corals, have such dominant acids as EPA and 22:5n3 and a low content of DHA, which is the major PUFA in hermatypic corals. The major and characteristic PUFAs for Milleporidae (class Hydrozoa) are DHA and 22:5n6, though in scleractinian corals, the latter acid is found only in trace amounts.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23/1/37CnidariaOctocoralliaHexacoralliacoralsfatty acidsuncommon fatty acids |
| spellingShingle | Vasily I. Svetashev Fatty Acids in Cnidaria: Distribution and Specific Functions Marine Drugs Cnidaria Octocorallia Hexacorallia corals fatty acids uncommon fatty acids |
| title | Fatty Acids in Cnidaria: Distribution and Specific Functions |
| title_full | Fatty Acids in Cnidaria: Distribution and Specific Functions |
| title_fullStr | Fatty Acids in Cnidaria: Distribution and Specific Functions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fatty Acids in Cnidaria: Distribution and Specific Functions |
| title_short | Fatty Acids in Cnidaria: Distribution and Specific Functions |
| title_sort | fatty acids in cnidaria distribution and specific functions |
| topic | Cnidaria Octocorallia Hexacorallia corals fatty acids uncommon fatty acids |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1660-3397/23/1/37 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vasilyisvetashev fattyacidsincnidariadistributionandspecificfunctions |