Effect of dietary soybean meal associated with feeding time on the growth performance and intestinal microbiota composition of northern snakehead

A 63‐day growth trial was conducted with northern snakehead Channa argus to evaluate how rapidly its growth performance and how reproducibly its gut microbiota respond to different dietary protein sources. Four diets were formulated with different levels of soybean meal as a replacement for fishmeal (0%, 25%, 50% and 75%). Each diet was fed to three replicates of juvenile C. argus (30 juveniles per replicate, initial weight 8.65 ± 0.25 g) to produce groups G1, G2, G3 and G4 respectively. During this trial, survival rate, growth performance and intestinal microbiota composition were determined on days 9, 21 and 63. At day 9, there was no effect of the dietary soybean meal on the final weight (Wt), weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) between the four groups (p > 0.05). However, at day 21 (p < 0.05), they were significantly lower in G4 fish than that in G1 and G2. The highest Wt, WG and SGR were found in G1 and G2 fish, the lowest growth was found in G4 fish at day 63 (p < 0.05). Furthermore, higher operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and alpha diversity were found in G4. With the dietary soybean level increased, the proportion of Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia, as well as some genera of bacteria (Carnobacterium, Cetobacterium, Planctomyces, Shewanella and Thermomonas) significantly increased in the G3 and G4 fish (p < 0.05). However, the OTUs, Chao index, and the proportion of Firmicutes and some genera (Acinetobacter, Bacillus and Geobacillus) in G4 fish were significantly higher at days 21 and 63 than that at day 9 (p < 0.05). Taken together, in response to dietary soybean meal levels, dynamic and significant changes in microbiota occurred, which then ultimately attained a new equilibrium.     

水体中泼洒复合乳杆菌对尼罗罗非鱼养殖池塘环境、肠道和鳃健康的影响

研究在尼罗罗非鱼养殖池塘中添加复合乳杆菌对养殖池塘环境、尼罗罗非鱼肠道和鳃健康的影响,为乳杆菌在尼罗罗非鱼健康养殖中的应用提供基础。在尼罗罗非鱼养殖池塘水体中泼洒复合乳杆菌(对照组:0;实验组:1.0×104 CFU/mL),实验周期为10周。复合乳杆菌的成分为干酪乳杆菌和酸鱼乳杆菌,比例为1:2.2。监测池塘水质指标、罗非鱼肠道和鳃的免疫及抗氧化指标,并运用高通量测序技术(Illumina MiSeq),比较对照组和实验组水体、底泥、尼罗罗非鱼肠道和鳃黏膜共生菌群落结构差异。结果显示,从第7周开始,实验组水体中的硝酸盐含量始终低于对照组,实验组比对照组降低了72.68%、72.00%、26.27%和21.46%;实验组水体中的总氮含量在从第6周开始低于对照组,分别降低了43.39%、44.64%、15.64%、37.57%和34.49%;实验组水样中的总磷含量从第4周开始低于对照组,分别降低了40.91%、33.33%、50.00%、33.33%、17.39%、39.29%和25.71%。与对照组相比,实验组尼罗罗非鱼肠道的碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性提高了45.04%,实验组尼罗罗非鱼鳃的总超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和AKP分别提高了58.26%和60.99%。复合乳杆菌的添加对尼罗罗非鱼养殖池塘水体菌群结构影响较大,并未影响池塘底泥的菌群结构,影响了尼罗罗非鱼肠道和鳃的菌群结构,其中条件致病菌不动杆菌属、泛菌属细菌的相对丰度降低,而有益细菌鲸杆菌属的相对丰度增加。因此,在养殖水体中泼洒适当浓度的复合乳杆菌可以改善池塘水质,提高尼罗罗非鱼肠道和鳃的免疫力、抗氧化能力,同时调节养殖水体、尼罗罗非鱼肠道和鳃的菌群结构。     

Growth performance,immunity and intestinal microbiota of swamp eel (Monopterus albus) fed a diet supplemented with house fly larvae (Musca domestica)

Housefly larvae are widely used in livestock breeding industry as a functional feed additive with immunostimulant properties, but their effects as dietary additive are poorly understood in aquatic animals. We conducted an eight‐week rearing experiment to determine the effects of housefly larvae (complete) on growth performance, immunity and intestinal microbiota in swamp eel (Monopterus albus). Dietary treatments were as follows: BD (control group, fed a basal diet), FL7 (fly larvae supplemented once weekly, i.e., 6‐day basal diet, 1‐day larvae) and FL3 (larvae supplemented every third day, i.e., 2‐day basal diet, 1‐day larvae). The final body weight (FBW) and weight gain (WG) of the FL3 group significantly (p < .05) increased. Hepatosomatic index (HSI) and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration significantly decreased in FL3 and FL7 groups. The expression of immune‐related genes was also influenced by the fly larvae. Aeromonas hydrophila challenge experiment produced higher survival rates in the FL3 (75%) and FL7 (37.5%) groups. Fly larvae also affected the composition of gut microbiota: the abundance of Bacteroides increased, and Pseudomonas decreased, in the treatment groups. Dietary supplementation of housefly larvae has positive effects on the growth and immunity of swamp eel, and we suggest supplementing housefly larvae every third day.     

Hydrolysis lignin as a multifunctional additive in Atlantic salmon feed improves fish growth performance and pellet quality and shifts gut microbiome

The objective of this study was to evaluate hydrolysis lignin (H‐lignin), derived from wood biomass, as a multifunctional component of aquafeeds. Atlantic salmon (28.8 ± 1.1 g) were fed diets for 16 weeks, which included two H‐lignin types (HL1 and HL2) at 15, 30 or 50 g/kg (wt/wt) or a control diet (no added H‐lignin). HL1 was extracted with water such that no soluble sugar and oligosaccharides remain, while HL2 contains a higher fraction of water‐soluble sugars and oligosaccharides. Pellet durability and density were measured. After 16 weeks, salmon were measured for weight and length, and whole carcass, hindgut and digesta contents were sampled. Pellet durability increased from the control to 30 g/kg H‐lignin but decreased at 50 g/kg. Salmon fed diets with HL1 at 15 and 30 g/kg showed higher weight gain and lower feed conversion ratio compared with salmon fed the control diet and 50 g/kg HL1. There were no significant differences in whole‐body composition or intestinal morphology. Microbial characterization (16S) revealed lower abundance of Proteobacteria, higher abundance of Mycoplasmataceae and increasing Lactobacillaceae abundance with higher HL1 inclusion. This study demonstrates that HL1 (at 15 and 30 g/kg) shows potential as a functional feed additive for salmon.     

Comparative study of the culturable microbiota present in two different rearing systems,flow‐through system (FTS) and recirculation system (RAS), in a great scallop hatchery

A comparison of the culturable microbiota present in the different compartments of a great scallop (Pecten maximus) hatchery with two experimental production systems, FTS and RAS, throughout a cycle of larval rearing was carried out. All isolates obtained from broodstock gonads, larvae, tank water, biofilm, microalgae, UV‐treated water and biofilter in both systems at three sampling times were characterized by biochemical tests and identified by sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. Some of the genera were found to be exclusive of broodstock gonads, such as Sinobacterium, Kordia or Microbulbifer, and differences between gonad microbiota before and after spawning were detected. The number of morphotypes obtained in water, larvae and biofilm was similar in both systems, as well as the behaviour of the microbial populations in almost all hatchery compartments, in which Vibrio, Neptuniibacter, Pseudoalteromonas and Shewanella were the most common genera. The diversity obtained was analysed using the principal component analysis (PCA) and Fisher's exact test, showing that the microbial communities present in the common compartments between FTS and RAS did not significantly differ. These results suggest that, at least from a microbiological point of view, the recirculation system could be a good alternative for the production of scallop larvae.     

Ocular bacterial signatures of exophthalmic disease in farmed turbot (Scophthalmus maximus)

As is the case at other sites in the body (e.g. the gut, skin and mouth), the ocular microbiota plays a crucial role in their host, as disturbances of the composition and function of the ocular microbiota are known to be associated with ocular disorders. Exophthalmic disease (ED) is a significant cause of high mortality in fish species, including farmed turbot (Scophthalmus maximus). However, the relationship between alterations in the ocular microbiota and ED in turbot is unclear. In this work, we collected turbot samples from farmed ponds with ED and healthy samples to understand changes in the ocular microbiota of turbot suffering from ED. We compared the structural and metabolic differences of ocular bacterial communities from farmed turbot with exophthalmic disease and those of healthy controls. Besides less microbial diversity found in turbot with ED regarding the control group, we also found that Aeromonas was the dominant bacteria both in controls and ED samples, but the abundance of Aeromonas was significantly greater in ED individuals. Moreover, the results of correlation test further suggest that Aeromonas overgrowth was correlated with the progress of the disease and shifts in ocular microbiota functional pathways in turbot. These findings emphasize that an increased abundance of Aeromonas serves as an ocular bacterial signature associated with ED in turbot, which provide basic information useful for diagnoses, prevention and treatment of ocular diseases occurring in cultured fish.     

Effects of stocking density on the growth performance,physiological response and intestinal microbiota of juvenile Echiura worms (Urechis unicinctus)

Aquaculture of the Echiura worm Urechis unicinctus has developed rapidly in recent years. However, the artificial cultivation technology remains to be perfected. In this study, the effects of stocking density on the growth performance, physiological responses and intestinal microbiota of U. unicinctus juveniles were evaluated. Juvenile worms were randomly stocked at densities of 200 U (U. unicinctus/m³), 500 U, 1,000 U and 2,000 U, in aquariums. The results indicated that the contents of triglycerides, glucose, total cholesterol, lactic acid, alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase and aspartate transaminase in the coelomic fluid of U. unicinctus juveniles were significantly enhanced with increasing stocking density. The digestive enzyme activities increased with increasing stocking density from 200 U to 1,000 U, before exhibiting a significant decrease in the 2,000 U group. In contrast, the antioxidant capacity of U. unicinctus juveniles was suppressed under high stocking density conditions. In case of the intestinal microbiota of U. unicinctus juveniles, Actinobacteria were more abundant in the 200 U group; SJA15, Gluconobacter and OP81 were higher in the 1,000 U group; Burkholderiales and Limnohabitans were enriched in the 2,000 U group. The highest and lowest survival rates of the U. unicinctus juveniles were recorded in the 500 U and 200 U groups respectively, and high stocking densities negatively affected the individual growth performance. In summary, due to the highest survival rate and appropriate growth performance and physiological responses, 500 U was considered to be the optimal stocking density for the cultivation of U. unicinctus juveniles.     

Alternate weekly exchanges of feeding regime affect the diversity of intestinal microbiota and immune status of Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus

The intestinal microbiota play an important role in the maintenance of the fish health. In this study, 150 Oreochromis niloticus were divided into five groups (G1–G5) and were subjected to alternate weekly exchange of feeding rate and frequency (3, 3, 1.5, 1.5 and 0%) and (2, 1, 2, 1 and 0 time), respectively, for 8 weeks. Enumeration of total intestinal bacteria revealed that the abundance of Lactobacillus was negatively correlated with those of Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and Edwardsiella. The abundance and proportion of Lactobacillus were affected by the change in feeding frequency. When fish were infected with Aeromonas hydrophila, survival rate significantly decreased in G5 (starved fish) compared with G1 (control group). The pro‐inflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL)‐1β and tumour necrosis factor‐α, and anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10 as well as serum antibacterial activity and respiratory burst activity were positively correlated with the proportion of Lactobacillus. The alternate weekly exchange of feeding regime did not alter the parametric morphology of the intestine, height and width of intestinal villi, number of goblet cells and width of muscle layer, except in G5. In conclusion, the alternate weekly exchange of feeding regime to starvation (G5), decrease in the feeding frequency to 1 time/day (G3) and decrease in feeding rate to 1.5% (G4) suppressed the immune status of fish, which became vulnerable to bacterial infection. Immune suppression was positively correlated with a decreased proportion of Lactobacillus spp.     

益生菌在恢复家兔肠道菌群平衡和解决腹泻中的作用

益生菌是一类有益于宿主健康的活性微生物,可以通过调节家兔肠道菌群的平衡和增强肠道屏障功能来发挥作用,能够抑制有害菌的生长,提高消化道内营养物质的吸收利用,增强免疫系统的功能,从而维持肠道健康。本文从益生菌对家兔肠道菌群的影响,益生菌治疗机制的探索等方面探讨益生菌在恢复家兔肠道菌群平衡和解决腹泻中的作用,分析了当前研究的局限性和未来研究方向,有助于推动益生菌在家兔腹泻治疗中的临床应用,为家兔肠道健康提供更全面的保障。