Clostridium butyricum as probiotic for promoting growth performance,feed utilization,gut health and microbiota community of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus × O. aureus)

The feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the potentials of Clostridium butyricum in the diet of tilapia. Fish (~14 g) were fed with basal diet supplemented with 0 (Control), 0.5 (C‐1), 1 (C‐2), 2 (C‐3), 4 (C‐4) and 8 (C‐5) g/kg commercial probiotic‐containing C. butyricum (1.5 × 10⁸ CFU/g) for 8 weeks. The results showed that weight gain significantly increased, and feed conversion ratio decreased in the C‐2, C‐3 and C‐4 groups (p < .05). The protein retention (except C‐1 group), lipid retention and apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) of dry matter in probiotic supplementation groups were significantly enhanced, and ADC of protein in the C‐4 group was also improved (p < .05). The supplementation of probiotic significantly increased villus height in anterior intestines and reduced the numbers of intestinal Escherichia coli (p < .05). High‐throughput sequencing showed that top three phyla namely Planctomycetes in all probiotic‐containing groups, Proteobacteria in the C‐1 and C‐2 groups and Chloroflexi in the C‐3 group had higher level than the NC group. The cumulative mortality was reduced by dietary probiotic after challenging with Aeromonas hydrophila (p < .05). In conclusion, C. butyricum can be supplemented at 1–2 g/kg feed for promoting the growth, feed utilization, gut health and microbiota of tilapia.     

Relationship between soak time and number of enmeshed animals in experimentally lost gill nets

In order to determine the effects of ghost fishing by lost gill nets, the relationship was examined between soak time and number of enmeshed animals in experimentally lost gill nets by using diving observations. Two experimental gill nets were set at 13 m depth in Tateyama Bay, Chiba Prefecture, Japan for approximately 200 days. One gill net was deployed in a small trough surrounded by artificial reefs, and the other was deployed on an adjacent open sandy bed. Twelve species of crustaceans, six species of gastropods, and five species of bony fish were enmeshed in the experimental gill nets. The number of enmeshed animals in the artificial reef gill net was substantially larger than that in the sandy bed gill net. The number of enmeshed animals in the experimental gill nets increased rapidly within one month after deployment, and then declined gradually showing fluctuations caused by the decrease in newly enmeshed animals, and the drop off from gill nets caused by the decomposition of dead animals. The decrease in the number of enmeshed animals was expressed by logarithmic equations, and based on these equations, the duration of capture function for the lost gill nets was calculated to be 284–561 days in the artificial reef gill net and 200 days in the sandy bed gill net. The duration of capture function for the lost gill nets for non-commercial by-catch species such as small crustaceans and gastropods was longer than for commercial species such as Japanese spiny lobster and bony fish.     

鲤鱼肝原代细胞的分离与培养方法

本研究在酶消化法的基础上,通过比较不同的肝组织分离和培养条件,获得鲤鱼肝原代细胞培养的最佳培养方法和条件。首先,结合细胞数量和台盼蓝染色所得的细胞存活率,比较了胰蛋白酶消化鲤鱼肝组织的不同反应温度和时间,结果表明:肝组织用0.25%(m/V)胰蛋白酶在25℃消化40 min时细胞分离效果最好。其次,经酶消化得到的肝原代细胞粗制液,设置4种不同的细胞纯化和培养条件:1)将细胞直接重悬于含10%胚牛血清(FBS)的L-15/DMEM培养基中培养;2)以10%鲤鱼血清取代培养基中的胚牛血清重悬细胞并培养;3)将细胞经Percoll液密度梯度离心纯化后,重悬于含10%胚牛血清的L-15/DMEM培养基中培养;4)细胞经Percoll纯化后,重悬于含10%鲤鱼血清的L-15/DMEM培养基中培养。利用光学显微镜观察肝细胞的形态,进而通过HE染色法检测,结果表明经Percoll纯化后,肝细胞纯度显著提高;采用MTS/PMS法检测肝细胞的增殖情况,结果表明鲤鱼血清代替胚牛血清培养细胞,肝细胞活力显著提高。本研究将为建立稳定的毒理学肝原代细胞实验模型奠定基础。     

Effects of dietary lipid level on growth performance,body composition and digestive enzymes activity of juvenile sea cucumber,Apostichopus japonicus

A feeding trial aimed to determine the effects of dietary lipid level on growth performance, body composition and digestive enzymes activity of juvenile sea cucumber, Apostichopus japonicus. Diets with six crude lipid levels (1.9, 13.8, 29.1, 43.6, 59.6 and 71.6 g kg^?1) were fed to sea cucumbers (initial weights 0.65 ± 0.01 g) at a density of 30 juveniles, once a day. After 60 days, body weight gain (BWG), specific growth rate (SGR), feed intake (FI) and protein efficiency ratio (PER) decreased with increasing dietary lipid levels. The sea cucumbers fed 1.9 g kg^?1 crude lipid showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) BWG than those of the sea cucumbers fed 59.6 and 71.6 g kg^?1 crude lipid. Intestinal protease and lipase activities generally increased with increasing dietary lipid levels. Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) content of body walls generally increased with increasing dietary lipid levels. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content of body walls reached the maximum value at a dietary lipid level of 13.8 g kg^?1. N‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acid content followed the same pattern of DHA. According to the growth performance and body composition of sea cucumbers, it can be indicated that the optimum dietary lipid level for juvenile sea cucumbers is between 1.9 and 13.8 g kg^?1.     

饲料中添加不同水平的维生素D_3对草鱼幼鱼生长和体成分的影响

本文以酪蛋白和脱脂豆粕为蛋白源,糊精为糖源,玉米油和豆油为脂肪源的半纯化饲料为基础饲料,研究维生素D3对草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)幼鱼生长及体成分的影响。维生素D3共设0,100,200,500,1000,2000,3000 IU/kg 7个添加梯度,每一梯度设3个重复,每个重复放养60尾初始体质量(3.86±0.34)g的草鱼,在(26.9±3)℃的流水系统中养殖8周。结果显示:维生素D3对草鱼幼鱼增重率、特定生长率、饲料系数、存活率、体水分、粗蛋白质、粗脂肪含量和血清钙浓度没有显著性影响(P>0.05);对照组和添加100 IU/kg维生素D3的试验组中,草鱼幼鱼的粗灰分显著低于其它试验组(P<0.05);与对照组相比,饲料中添加维生素D3对全鱼钙磷含量、血清磷离子浓度以及碱性磷酸酶活性影响显著(P<0.05)。根据维生素D3对全鱼钙磷含量的影响,草鱼幼鱼饲料中维生素D3适宜的添加量为1000 IU/kg。     

Universal PCR primers for ribosomal protein gene introns of fish

Human ribosomal protein (RP) gene sequences with respect to intron/exon structures and corresponding cDNA or genomic data of fish species were obtained from the GenBank database. Based on conserved exon sequences, 128 primer pairs for 41 genes were designed for exon-primed intron-crossing (EPIC) polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In reference to the draft genome sequences of the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis), 12 primer pairs expected to amplify introns of the bluefin tuna with lengths of 500–1000 bp were selected and applied to six distantly related fish species belonging to the Orders Clupeiformes, Tetraodontiformes, Pleuronectiformes, Perciformes, Scorpaeniformes, and Anguilliformes. PCR amplification was observed for at least four species in each primer pair, and all fragments were larger than those expected for intronless amplification. Single fragment amplification was observed for at least seven primer pairs per species. Fragment sizes of the bluefin tuna for nine primer pairs corresponded to those expected from the genomic data. Thus, our primer pairs are potentially applicable to a wide variety of fish species and serve as an initial step for isolating single-copy nuclear DNA sequences.     

Replacement of fish oil with soybean oil in diets for juvenile Chinese sucker (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Myxocyprinus asiaticus</Emphasis>): effects on liver lipid peroxidation and biochemical composition

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of the replacement of fish oil (FO) by soybean oil (SO) on growth performance, liver lipid peroxidation, and biochemical composition in juvenile Chinese sucker, Myxocyprinus asiaticus. Fish (13.7 ± 0.2 g) in triplicate were fed five experimental diets in which 0% (FO as control), 40% (SO40), 60% (SO60), 80% (SO40), and 100% (SO100) FO were replaced by SO. The body weight gain of fish fed SO40, SO60, or SO80 diet was similar to FO group, but diets that have 100% soybean oil as dietary lipid significantly reduced fish growth (P < 0.05). Although the level of SO resulted in increasing crude lipid content of the liver, the level of SO did not significantly alter the hepatosomatic index (HSI). Indicators of peroxidation, such as vitamin E (V_E) and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) contents, were changed as increasing dietary SO. It was shown that the inclusion of SO in the diets increased V_E concentrations, but reduced TBARS in the liver and total cholesterol (T-CHO) in the plasma. Linoleic acid (LA) and linolenic acid (LNA) significantly increased in fish liver fed diets that contained SO, but eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and the ratio n-3/n-6 were significantly reduced by the inclusion of dietary SO (P < 0.05). Our results indicated that the inclusion of SO increased the hepatic V_E content and reduced lipid peroxidation in fish. However, diet containing 100% SO as dietary lipid could reduce growth performance. Thus, we recommended that 40–80% SO can be used as dietary lipid to replace FO for juvenile Chinese sucker.     

饥饿和再投喂期间尼罗罗非鱼生长、血清生化指标和肝胰脏生长激素、类胰岛素生长因子-Ⅰ和胰岛素mRNA表达丰度的变化

在室内可控条件下,对尼罗罗非鱼[初始体质量(62.50±3.44)g]进行饥饿28d和随后再投喂21d的处理,于饥饿第0、7、14、21、28天和再投喂第14、21天进行采样分析,研究饥饿和再投喂期间尼罗罗非鱼生长、血清生化指标和肝胰脏生长激素(GH)、类胰岛素生长因子-Ⅰ(IGF-Ⅰ)和胰岛素(IN)mRNA表达丰度的变化。结果显示,与饥饿第0天相比,饥饿超过7d鱼体体质量显著降低(P<0.05),再投喂21d显著增加(P<0.05);肝体比随饥饿时间延长显著降低(P<0.05),恢复投喂后较饥饿时升高,但显著低于饥饿前水平(P<0.05)。在血清指标上,甘油三酯、血糖、碱性磷酸酶、谷草转氨酶和谷丙转氨酶均随饥饿时间延长而逐渐降低,恢复投喂后均有不同程度提高,但转氨酶活性显著低于饥饿前水平(P<0.05);饥饿和再投喂对血清总胆固醇、高密度脂蛋白胆固醇和低密度脂蛋白胆固醇无显著影响(P>0.05)。在激素方面,与饥饿第0天相比,饥饿使血清GH含量及其肝胰脏mRNA表达丰度显著升高,血清IGF-Ⅰ及其肝胰脏mRNA表达丰度降低,恢复投喂后两者均显著升高(P<0.05);INmRNA表达丰度在饥饿7~21d显著升高(P<0.05),饥饿第28天时无显著差异(P>0.05),再投喂后显著降低(P<0.05)。     

Growth comparison of Asian Nile and red tilapia strains in controlled and uncontrolled farm conditions

Growth of several genetically improved Nile tilapia (GIFT or Genetically Improved Farmed Tilapia, FaST or Freshwater Aquaculture Center Selected Tilapia, SEAFDEC-selected) and domesticated red tilapia (BFS or Binangonan Freshwater Station, NIFI-red or National Inland Fisheries Institute red, HL or Hacienda Luisita) stocks were compared in controlled (tank) and uncontrolled farm conditions (lake-based cages) with unselected NIFI or Chitralada Nile tilapia as control. Specific growth rate differed significantly (P = 0.009) in tank-reared Nile tilapia stocks where GIFT grew best at 1.358%/day followed by FaST (1.307%/day), control stock NIFI (1.257%/day) and SEAFDEC-selected (1.202%/day). Genetic effect explained 84.4% of the variance in growth of Nile tilapia in tanks. Although Nile tilapia growth in cages followed the same trend where GIFT grew best at 1.570%/day, no significant stock differences (P = 0.479) were noted. Meanwhile, red tilapia reared in either tanks or cages showed no significant stock differences in terms of growth. However, survival of the red tilapia stocks in cages differed significantly with HL having the highest percentage survival at 93.3%. The different growth responses of the Nile tilapia stocks especially under controlled (tank) farm conditions were largely due to genetic factors (stock differences).Under uncontrolled farm conditions, environmental factors were generally observed to have also affected the survival and to some extent, the growth of Asian Nile and red tilapia stocks.     

Androgen-induced pseudo-hermaphroditic phenotypes in female <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brevimyrus niger</Emphasis> Günther 1866 (Teleostei,Mormyridae)

This paper explores the plasticity of sexually dimorphic characters in subadult female Brevimyrus niger, an African weakly electric mormyrid species. Thirty-five fish were exposed in a staggered fashion (five fish a week) to aromatizable 17α-methyltestosterone over a period of 7 weeks; 18 fish served as untreated controls. 17α-MT induced precocious vitellogenesis that mirrored the natural maturational process during seasonal ovarian recrudescence. At the same time, 17α-MT exposure resulted in complete masculinization of the females’ anal fin support structure normally observed during rainy season in adult males. We discuss possible hormonal mechanisms acting along the brain-pituitary-gonad axis that would explain the occurrence of precocious vitellogenesis and the male-typical transformation of the female’s anal fin ray bases. Our findings are relevant to commercial aquaculture as the use of 17α-MT in fish hatcheries can pose serious environmental issues.