Correlation between gut microbial diversity and flatulence of silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus) during ontogenesis

Gut microorganisms play an important role in host health and have susceptibility to diseases, undergoing a distinct transformation at early stages of development. This study aimed to determine the regulation of gut microorganism development from fertilized eggs to 150 DAH (days after hatching) and the differences between flatulent and healthy silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus). High‐throughput sequencing was used to analyze the diversity and relative abundance of microorganisms. PICRUSt was used to predict functional alterations of dominant microorganisms. The results showed that from all 42 samples, a total of 3,746,895 reads were obtained, representing 6,081 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Top 3 phyla were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes. From 0 to 32 DAH, the relative abundance of Proteobacteria continuously increased and peaked at 94.99%. After that, the abundance of Proteobacteria decreased, but Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes increased instead. Alpha diversity is the lowest at 32 DAH, the difference is significant compared with others, p < .05. Comparing flatulent fish with healthy fish, the former has more specific OTUs, higher diversity and abundance. There were four genera Ethanoligenens, Methanobacterium, Caproiciproducens and Leptolinea that only obtained from the flatulent samples, but almost none in the healthy samples. All of these four genera are directly or indirectly involved in gas metabolism. This study enriched the basic research of silver pomfret, for the first time, focused on flatulent individuals which would provide a theoretical basis for the subsequent breeding.     

银鲳卵黄发生期间组织中抗氧化水平的变化及饲料n-3 LC-PUFA对其的影响

研究了银鲳(Papus argenteus)肝及卵巢组织中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性、总抗氧化能力(T-AOC)及丙二醛(MDA)含量在整个卵黄发生过程中的变化情况,并分析了饲料n-3 LC-PUFA对卵黄发生期间组织中抗氧化水平的影响。分别以100%鱼油(FO组)、70%鱼油和30%大豆油(FSO组)、30%鱼油和70%大豆油(SFO组)、100%大豆油(SO组)为脂肪源,配制了4组等氮、等能及等脂的试验饲料。以1年龄雌性银鲳为试验对象,每组饲料设3重复,试验周期185 d。研究结果表明,肝与卵巢组织SOD、CAT活性、T-AOC水平及MDA含量在卵黄发生过程中均呈现逐渐升高的趋势,且卵黄发生后期各指标水平均显著高于卵黄发生前期(P0.05)。肝SOD(除SO饲料组外)、CAT活性、T-AOC水平及MDA含量在卵黄发生中期与前期之间未表现出显著性差异(P0.05),而卵黄发生中期FO与FSO饲料组卵巢SOD、CAT活性及T-AOC水平则均显著高于卵黄发生前期(P0.05)。FSO饲料组肝与卵巢SOD、CAT活性在卵黄发生过程中均为最高值,且在卵黄发生中、后期均显著高于SO饲料组(P0.05),但与FO饲料组无显著性差异(P0.05)。各饲料组间肝与卵巢T-AOC水平在卵黄发生前期均未表现出显著性差异(P0.05),而在卵黄发生后期,FO与FSO饲料组肝与卵巢T-AOC水平均显著高于SO饲料组(P0.05),但FO与FSO饲料组间无显著性差异(P0.05)。肝与卵巢中MDA含量随着饲料n-3 LC-PUFA含量的升高而呈现出升高趋势,且这种升高趋势在肝组织中表现更为明显,卵巢组织MDA含量在卵黄发生中、后期仅FO饲料组表现出显著性升高趋势(P0.05),其他各饲料组在卵黄发生各期均未表现出显著性差异(P0.05)。统计分析表明,银鲳卵黄发生过程中组织中抗氧化水平逐渐升高,适宜的饲料n-3 LC-PUFA含量(4.01%,FSO饲料组)可明显改善银鲳卵黄发生中期与后期组织中的抗氧化水平。双因素方差分析结果表明,试验饲料与卵黄发生时期对银鲳组织抗氧化水平均具有极显著性影响(P0.01),且两者对肝T-AOC水平与MDA含量存在显著性的交互作用(P0.05)。     

Dietary n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids affect the biological and serum biochemical parameters,tissue fatty acid profile,antioxidation status and expression of lipid‐metabolism‐related genes in grass carp,Ctenopharyngodon idellus

A 95‐day feeding trial was conducted to determine the effects of n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 HUFA) on the growth, antioxidation and lipid metabolism in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). Two isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated with either lard oil (LO) or fish oil (FO) as the main lipid source. The results showed that the intraperitoneal fat (IPF) ratio was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in FO group. The concentration of n‐3 HUFA in muscle, hepatopancreas and IPF was significantly higher in FO group (P < 0.05). The serum low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) content was significantly lower (P < 0.05), and glucose (GLU) content was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in FO group. The serum total superoxide dismutase (T‐SOD) activity was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in FO group, consistent with the serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content. The gene expression of IPF fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC), sterol regulatory element‐binding protein (SREBP‐1) and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) was significantly lower (P < 0.05) and that of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α (PPARα) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in FO group compared with LO group. Similar trends were found in the hepatopancreas, except for PPARγ. It is suggested that n‐3 HUFA could inhibit lipid accumulation in grass carp by affecting the expression of lipid‐metabolism‐related genes.     

Effects of dietary supplementation with coconut oil on the growth,fatty acid profiles and some lipid metabolism relative gene expressions of orange‐spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides

This study investigated the effects of coconut oil as a dietary supplement on the growth, lipid metabolism and related gene expressions of juvenile orange‐spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides. Coconut oil at concentrations of 0, 10, 30 and 50 g/kg was used to replace dietary lipids in a basal diet containing 150 g/kg lipids. The four experimental diets were, respectively, fed to triplicate groups of juvenile groupers (initial weight: 8.53 ± 0.13 g) in a recirculating system for 8 weeks. Fish fed the diet containing 50 g/kg coconut oil exhibited lower (p < .05) weight gain than did fish fed the diet containing 30 g/kg coconut oil; however, no significant differences in weight gain were observed between fish fed diets containing 0 and 10 g/kg coconut oil. Hepatic carnitine palmitoyltransferase‐1, fatty acid synthase, fatty acid elongase, fatty acid desaturase and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma gene expressions were all the highest in fish fed the diet containing 10 g/kg coconut oil. Fish fed the coconut oil‐free basal diet demonstrated upregulated gene expression of neuropeptide Y. The results suggest that dietary supplementation with 10 g/kg coconut oil exerted beneficial effects on lipid metabolism by E. coioides.     

Dietary ratios of n‐3/n‐6 fatty acids do not affect growth of Nile tilapia at optimal temperatures (28°C) nor at temperatures that simulate the onset of winter (22°C)

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) juveniles were fed diets containing 13 g/kg total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) at different n‐3/n‐6 dietary ratios (0.2, 0.5, 0.8, 1.3 and 2.9) for 56 days, at 28°C. Subsequently, fish were submitted to a winter‐onset simulation (22°C) for 33 days. PUFA n‐3/n‐6 dietary ratios did not affect fish growth at either temperature. At 28°C, tilapia body fat composition increased with decreasing dietary PUFA n‐3/n‐6. Winter‐onset simulation significantly changed feed intake. The lowest dietary n‐3/n‐6 ratio resulted in the highest feed intake. At both temperatures, body concentrations of α‐linolenic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, eicosatrienoic acid and docosapentaenoic acid decreased as dietary n‐3/n‐6 decreased. Body concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5 n‐3) increased with decreasing concentrations of dietary EPA. The n‐6 fatty acids with the highest concentrations in tilapia bodies were linoleic acid and arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4 n‐6). At 28°C, SREBP1 gene expression was upregulated in tilapia fed the lowest n‐3/n‐6 diet compared to tilapia fed the highest n‐3/n‐6 ratio diet. Our results demonstrate that a dietary PUFA of 13 g/kg, regardless of the n‐3/n‐6 ratio, can promote weight gains of 2.65 g/fish per day at 28°C and 2.35 g/fish per day at 22°C.     

Dietary fatty acid profiling in plant protein‐rich diets affects the reproductive performance,egg fatty acid profile and haematological parameters in female rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The influence of dietary fish oil (FO) substitution with blends of vegetal oils (VO: canola, linseed, olive, sunflower, corn and coconut oils) in plant protein‐rich diets on reproductive performance and fatty acid dynamics of embryos was evaluated in female rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) brooders (1.8 ± 0.1 kg). Four diets were formulated in which 20% (FO₈₀/VO₂₀), 50% (FO₅₀/VO₅₀), 75% (FO₂₅/VO₇₅) and 100% (VO₁₀₀) of FO were replaced by mixture of VO. The above‐mentioned diets were administered for a short period prior to spawning (3 months). Fish fed the VO₁₀₀ had the lowest fertilization rate (81.3 ± 2.3), whereas brooders fed the FO₈₀/VO₂₀ diet had the lowest survival rates at eyed embryo stage (83.7 ± 1.6%) and hatching rate (79.9 ± 3.1%). The fatty acid dynamics of embryos were not only affected by embryonic developmental stages, but also they were influenced by the dietary fatty acid profile. Our study confirmed that using blends of different VO sources and FM residual fat in the FO₂₅/VO₇₅ for the short‐term period prior to spawning seemed to be a good strategy in terms of successful reproduction for sparing high levels of FM and FO in diet of O. mykiss brooders.     

Effect of oil source on growth performance,antioxidant capacity,fatty acid composition and fillet quality of juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

This study was conducted to evaluate the dietary use of vegetable oil sources in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Fish were fed diets having the same lipid level from fish oil (FO), palm oil (PO), rapeseed oil (RO), soybean oil (SO) or linseed oil (LO). The results showed that dietary vegetable oils significantly decreased the feed utilization and a significantly lower growth was observed in SO group, while palm oil showed no effect on the growth performance. Dietary vegetable oils suppressed intestinal digestion by inhibiting the activities of digestive enzymes. Vegetable oils significantly elevated the activities of lipase, hepatic lipase and total lipase in liver, and a phenomenon of intense lipid accumulation emerged in liver of PO and SO groups. Furthermore, linseed oil significantly decreased plasma antioxidant capacity, whereas no significant difference was found between RO and FO groups. Dietary vegetable oils caused a significantly lower EPA and DHA in muscle, and further influenced fillet quality through an increase in cohesiveness, gumminess, chewiness and/or springiness, together with a decrease in hardness. Overall, our results indicated that rapeseed oil may be a suitable alternative oil source for grass carp from a point of growth, feed conversion ratio, antioxidative capacity and hepatic histology.     

Dietary α‐linolenic acid affects lipid metabolism and tissue fatty acid profile and induces apoptosis in intraperitoneal adipose tissue of juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

A 56‐day feeding trial was conducted to elucidate the effects and mechanism action of dietary α‐linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n‐3) on lipid accumulation and fatty acid profile of muscle, hepatopancreas and intraperitoneal fat (IPF) in juvenile grass carp using three isonitrogenous and isoenergetic semi‐purified diets containing 0.0% (control group), 1.0% and 2.0% ALA, respectively. The lowest intraperitoneal fat (IPF) ratio was found in 2.0% group. In the muscle, hepatopancreas and IPF, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n‐3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n‐3) contents increased with the increase in dietary ALA. In the IPF, caspase 3, caspase 8 and caspase 9 showed the highest activities in 2.0% group, while the value of Bcl‐2/Bax (B‐cell leukaemia 2/Bcl‐2‐associated X protein) reached the lowest. Meanwhile, swelling of the IPF mitochondria was observed in 2.0% group. The gene expressions of fatty acid desaturase (FAD) and fatty acid elongase (ELO) in the hepatopancreas and muscle showed significantly higher levels in the treatment groups, whereas an opposite trend was existed in the IPF. Fatty acid synthase (FAS), sterol regulatory element binding protein‐1c (SREBP‐1c) in the IPF and hepatopancreas reached the lowest in 2.0% group. Overall, dietary ALA could promote n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) synthesis and suppress the accumulation of lipid by decreasing the expression of related genes and promoting the apoptosis in IPF.     

Effects of dietary n‐3 PUFA supplements on composition of n‐3 PUFA and expression of fatty acid elongase 5 (AJELOVL5) in sea cucumber,Apostichopus japonicus

This is the first comprehensive study on the effect of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels on the expression of fatty acid elongase 5 (AJELOVL5), PUFA composition, and growth in juvenile sea cucumbers. The specific growth rate (SGR_w) was improved in n‐3 PUFA‐rich diets compared to low n‐3 PUFA diets. AJELOVL5 expression was apparently upregulated in juveniles fed lower PUFA diets relative to higher PUFA diets, with higher expression in the body wall and respiratory tree of juveniles fed diets without ɑ‐linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n‐3) compared to juveniles fed higher ALA level diets; similar results were also detected in juveniles fed diets with lower eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n‐3), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n‐3), and none of ALA, EPA, or DHA respectively. The concentrations of ALA, EPA, and DHA in tissues were positively related to the content of dietary corresponding PUFA, with higher ALA content in juveniles fed diet ALA_12.71 than in the ALA_7.46 and ALA₀ groups. Similar results were also obtained in sea cucumber fed diets enriched with either EPA or DHA. Interestingly, considerable levels of EPA and DHA were found in the tissues of juveniles fed diets of CK₀ and DHA₀, with no specific input of EPA or DHA, showing that the sea cucumber was capable of biosynthesizing EPA and DHA from their corresponding precursors as ALA and linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n‐6).     

Replacement of fish oil with a DHA‐rich Schizochytrium meal on growth performance,activities of digestive enzyme and fatty acid profile of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) larvae

This trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of replacing dietary fish oil with Schizochytrium meal for Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) larvae (initial body weight 4.21 ± 0.10 mg). Six test microdiets were formulated using Schizochytrium meal to replace 0 g/kg, 250 g/kg, 500 g/kg, 750 g/kg, 1000 g/kg or 1500 g/kg fish oil DHA. No significant differences were observed in survival, growth, final body length and activities of digestive enzyme among shrimp fed different diets (p > .05). No significant differences were observed in C20:5n‐3 (EPA) in muscle samples (p > .05). C18:3n‐3 and C20:4n‐6 in muscle increased as Schizochytrium meal replacement level increased (p < .05). No significant differences were observed in C22:6n‐3 (DHA) and n‐3 fatty acids among shrimp fed diets that algae meal replaced 0 g/kg ‐ 1000 g/kg of fish oil. Shrimp fed diet R150 had higher DHA content than other groups and had higher n‐3 fatty acids than that of shrimp fed diets R50, R75 and R100 (p < .05). C18:2n‐6, PUFA and n‐6 fatty acids in muscle increased, while n‐3/n‐6 ratio decreased with increasing algae meal replacement level from 0 g/kg to 1000 g/kg (p < .05). In conclusion, Schizochytrium meal could replace 1500 g/kg fish oil DHA in the microdiets without negatively affecting shrimp larvae survival, growth and activities of digestive enzyme.     

Effects of α‐lipoic acid on growth performance,body composition,antioxidant profile and lipid metabolism of the GIFT tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fed high‐fat diets

The wide use of lipid as a non‐protein energy substitute has led to lipid metabolic problems in cultured tilapia. Therefore, studies that reduce the effects of high‐fat diets in genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT) are required. This study evaluated the optimum level and effects of dietary α‐lipoic acid (α‐LA) on growth performance, body composition, antioxidant capacity and lipid metabolism of GIFT tilapia. The basal diet (120 g/kg lipid) was supplemented with six concentrations of α‐LA at 0 (control), L300, L600, L900, L1200 and L2400 mg/kg diet to make the experimental diets, which were fed to GIFT tilapia juveniles (initial body weight: 0.48 ± 0.01 g) for 8 weeks. The weight gain of fish improved significantly in the L300 than other dietary treatments. The intraperitoneal fat index and lipid content of fish fed on the L2400 diet decreased significantly than those fed on the control diet. The activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) in serum and liver were significantly higher in fish fed on the L300 diet than the control. The reduced GSH content of fish fed on the L300 in serum and liver was significantly higher than those fed on control diet. The malondialdehyde content in serum and liver was significantly lower in L300 than in the control. The adipose triglyceride lipase gene was significantly up‐regulated in fish fed on the L2400, but the diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 gene was down‐regulated in adipose. The liver‐type fatty acid‐binding protein gene in the liver was significantly up‐regulated in fish fed on the L300 and L600 diets. Moreover, the acyl‐coenzyme A oxidase gene in liver was significantly up‐regulated in fish fed on the L300, L600, L900 and L1200 diets. Polynomial regression analysis indicated that 439–528 mg/kg α‐LA is an appropriate dosage in high‐fat diet to improve growth performance and relieve lipid oxidative damage by accelerating lipid catabolism and reducing lipid synthesis in GIFT tilapia.