Effect of different dietary taurine levels on the conjugated bile acid composition and growth performance of juvenile and fingerling Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

Abstract This study investigated the effects of different taurine levels on the conjugated bile acid composition and growth performance of juvenile and fingerling Japanese flounder. Five level diets of dietary taurine were prepared by the supplementation of taurine (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 and 1.5%) to a basal composition. Fish meal washed with 70% ethanol to remove taurine was used as the sole protein source. Two feeding experiments were carried out at 20 °C by using different sized fish (BW: 0.7 g and 9.6 g). Both size groups of fish were fed the experimental diets for 6 weeks. At the end of experiments, fish were weighed and stored at − 80 °C for analysis of free amino acids and conjugated bile acids composition. The body weight and feed efficiency of Japanese flounder were improved by taurine supplementation in the experimental diets. The taurine contents of the whole body and tissues increased with the increase of the taurine supplementation. The conjugated bile acids in gall bladder were composed with taurocholic acid (Expt.I: 33.0–146.8 mg/ml; Expt.II: 64.8–145.3 mg/ml) and taurochenodeoxycholic acid (Expt.I: 0.8–5.5 mg/ml; Expt.II: 3.5–4.9 mg/ml). These bile acids increased with the increase of the dietary taurine level. Taurocholic acid accounted for more than 95% of the total conjugated bile acids. No other conjugated bile acids except the taurine conjugated bile acids were detected in the gall bladder of Japanese flounder. This means that taurine is the sole amino acid to conjugate bile acid in Japanese flounder. Dietary taurine intake affects the conjugated bile acid composition in juvenile and fingerling Japanese flounder.