Pigmentation and Spectral Absorbance Signatures in Deep-Water Corals from the Trondheimsfjord, Norway

The pigmentation and corresponding in vivo and in vitro absorption characteristics in three different deep-water coral species: white and orange Lophelia pertusa , Paragorgia arborea and Primnoa resedaeformis , collected from the Trondheimsfjord are described. Pigments were isolated and characterize...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine Drugs
Main Authors: Anette C. Elde, Ragnhild Pettersen, Geir Johnsen, Johanna Järnegren, Per Bruheim
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2012
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3390/md10061400
https://doaj.org/article/900e27c8c7fd4e0fb155faf732f36023
Description
Summary:The pigmentation and corresponding in vivo and in vitro absorption characteristics in three different deep-water coral species: white and orange Lophelia pertusa , Paragorgia arborea and Primnoa resedaeformis , collected from the Trondheimsfjord are described. Pigments were isolated and characterized by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (LC-TOF MS). The main carotenoids identified for all three coral species were astaxanthin and a canthaxanthin-like carotenoid. Soft tissue and skeleton of orange L. pertusa contained 2 times more astaxanthin g −1 wet weight compared to white L. pertusa . White and orange L. pertusa were characterized with in vivo absorbance peaks at 409 and 473 nm, respectively. In vivo absorbance maxima for P. arborea and P. resedaeformis was typically at 475 nm. The shapes of the absorbance spectra (400–700 nm) were species-specific, indicated by in vivo , in vitro and the corresponding difference spectra. The results may provide important chemotaxonomic information for pigment when bonded to their proteins in vivo , bio-prospecting, and for in situ identification, mapping and monitoring of corals.