Search

Background: Dietary nucleotides (NTs) have been reported to affect hepatic function and composition. However, the effects on hepatic lipid deposition are less studied.Objectives: We aimed to identify the regulatory role of dietary NTs in hepatic lipid deposition of zebrafish and elucidate the underlying mechanisms.Methods: Zebrafish (60 ± 1.69 mg; 1 mo old) were fed control diet (16.2% energy as fat) or diet supplemented with 0.1% NTs or 0.02% AMP in feeding experiments 1 and 2. Experiment 3 was conducted with zebrafish larvae. In experiment 4, 1-mo-old zebrafish were fed a high-fat diet (HFD, 38.2% energy as fat) or an HFD supplemented with 0.1% NTs or 0.02% AMP. Hepatic lipid deposition was evaluated by triglyceride (TG) content and staining. Phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) was assayed by immunoblotting. Zebrafish liver (ZFL) cells were treated with exogenous adenosine. Small interfering RNA was used to knock down AMPK or nucleoside transporter SLC28a1 in ZFL cells. Vivo-morpholino was used to knock down AMPK in zebrafish larvae.Results: Dietary 0.1% NTs or 0.02% AMP reduced hepatic TGs by 62% and 32%, respectively, compared with control (P < 0.05). Dietary AMP enhanced hepatic AMPK and ACC phosphorylation. Consistently, exogenous adenosine enhanced AMPK and ACC phosphorylation by 111% and 53%, respectively, in ZFL cells (P < 0.01) and reduced TG content by 56% (P < 0.05). Knockdown of AMPK and SLC28a1 abolished the effect of adenosine on lipid deposition in ZFL cells, and AMPK morpholino blocked the hepatic lipid-lowering effect of dietary AMP in vivo. Finally, dietary NTs and AMP activated AMPK and attenuated hepatic lipid deposition (28% and 30%, P < 0.05) in fish fed an HFD.Conclusions: Dietary NTs and AMP reduce hepatic lipid deposition in zebrafish, which involves exogenous AMP-mediated AMPK activation. Our results suggest that dietary NTs can contribute to alleviation of hepatic steatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When Atlantic salmon parr migrate from fresh water towards the sea, they undergo extensive morphological, neural, physiological and behavioural changes. Such changes have the potential to affect their responsiveness to various environmental factors that impose stress. In this study we compared the stress responses in parr and post-smolt salmon following exposure to repeated chasing stress (RCS) for three weeks. At the end of this period, all fish were challenged with a novel stressor and sampled before (T 0 ) and after 1 h (T 1 ). Parr had a higher growth rate than post-smolts. Plasma cortisol declined in the RCS groups within the first week suggesting a rapid habituation/desensitisation of the endocrine stress axis. As a result of the desensitised HPI axis, RCS groups showed a reduced cortisol response when exposed to the novel stressor. In preoptic area (POA) crf mRNA levels were higher in all post-smolt groups compared to parr. 11βhsd2 decreased by RCS and by the novel stressor in post-smolt controls (T 1 ), whereas no effect of either stress was seen in parr. The gr s were low in all groups except for parr controls. In pituitary, parr controls had higher levels of crf1r mRNA than the other parr and post-smolt groups, whilst pomcb was higher in post-smolt control groups. Overall, 11βhsd2 transcript abundance in parr was lower than post-smolt groups; after the novel stressor pomc s, gr s and mr were up-regulated in parr control (T 1 ). In summary, we highlight differences in the central stress response between parr and post-smolt salmon following RCS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Autochthonous and allochthonous bacteria were isolated from hindgut chamber and large intestine of fed and starved Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua L.). All bacterial strains isolated from hindgut chamber belong to carnobacteria. However, only 10.2% of the bacteria strains from the large intestine belong to carnobacteria. Random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis using three selective primers, was performed to further identify the carnobacteria strains. Nine of these were isolated from hindgut chamber contents, ten associated with epithelial cells of the hindgut chamber, and six isolated from the large intestines of fed and starved fish. The 25 isolates segregated into eight clusters. The major cluster comprised nine strains isolated from the hindgut chamber of both fed and starved fish showing low similarity with the reference strains. The other strains isolated from the hindgut were located in clusters showing high similarity with Carnobacterium gallinarum or Carnobacterium piscicola. Strains isolated from large intestine appeared more divergent and were located in five different clusters. Autochthonous (indigenous) bacteria were clearly demonstrated in the hindgut chamber as transmission electron microscopy revealed rod-shaped bacteria between adjacent microvilli. Endocytosis of bacteria by epithelial cells was observed in the hindgut chamber. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: An atypical strain of Carnobacterium divergens, strain 6251, was isolated from the small intestine of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus L.), fed high dietary carbohydrate. This strain showed marked growth inhibitory effects in vitro against the fish pathogens Aeromonas salmonicida subsp. salmonicida(furunculosis), Vibrio anguillarum(vibriosis) and Vibrio viscocus(winter ulcer). The strain is a non-motile Gram-positive psychrotrophic rod that lacks both catalase and oxidase, grows at pH 9.1 (CTAS agar), but not on acetate containing media (pH ≤ 5.4), on TCBS or at ≤6% sodium chloride content. Strain 6251 is facultatively anaerobic and utilises tryptone as a sole source of nutrient. Further characterisation showed the most abundant cellular fatty acid of strain 6251 to be oleic acid (18:1) (n-9) (36.0%). Sequencing of a 16S rDNA region of 578 nucleotides and AFLPTM microbial fingerprinting suggested that strain 6251 is not closely related to any carnobacteria known, however, DNA-DNA similarity determinations showed high similarity (96.2%) with the type strain of Carnobacterium divergens. The unique phenotypic attributes of this strain represent new information on the biodiversity and ecology of carnobacteria and especially of the species C. divergens. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We compared behavioural and physiological responses and recovery time after different acute environmental challenges in groups of salmon parr. The fish were prior to the study conditioned to a flashing light signalling arrival of food 30s later to study if the strength of Pavlovian conditioned food anticipatory behaviour can be used to assess how salmon parr cope with various challenges. The effect on anticipatory behaviour was compared to the effect on feed intake and physiological responses of oxygen hyper-consumption and cortisol excretion. The challenges were temperature fluctuation (6.5C° over 4h), hyperoxia (up to 380% O2 saturation over 4h), and intense chasing for 10min. Cortisol excretion was only elevated after hyperoxia and chasing, and returned to baseline levels after around 3h or less. Oxygen hyper-consumption persisted for even shorter periods. Feed intake was reduced the first feeding after all challenges and recovered within 3h after temperature and hyperoxia, but was reduced for days after chasing. Food anticipatory behaviour was reduced for a longer period than feed intake after hyperoxia and was low at least 6h after chasing. Our findings suggest that a recovery of challenged Atlantic salmon parr to baseline levels of cortisol excretion and oxygen consumption does not mean full recovery of all psychological and physiological effects of environmental challenges, and emphasise the need for measuring several factors including behavioural parameters when assessing fish welfare. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Future expansion of aquaculture relies on the use of alternatives to fish oil in fish feed. This study examined to what extent the nature of the feed oil affects intestinal lipid uptake properties in rainbow trout. The fish were fed a diet containing fish (FO), rapeseed (RO) or linseed (LO) oil for 8 weeks after which absorptive properties were assessed. Differences in digestibility due to feed oil history were measured using diet FO with an indigestible marker. Intestinal integrity, paracellular permeability, in vitro transepithelial fatty acid transport (3H-18:3n −3 and 14C-16:0) and their incorporation into intestinal epithelia were compared using Ussing chambers. Feed oil history did not affect the triacylglycerol/phosphatidylcholine ratio (TAG/PC) of the newly synthesized lipids in the segments. The lower TAG/PC ratio with 16:0 (2:1) than with 18:3 (10:1) showed the preferential incorporation of 16:0 into polar lipids. The FO-feeding history decreased permeability and increased transepithelial resistance of the intestinal segments. Transepithelial passage rates of 18:3n −3 were higher when pre-fed LO compared to RO or FO. Similarly, pre-feeding LO increased apparent lipid and fatty acid digestibilities compared to RO or FO. These results demonstrate that the absorptive intestinal functions in fish can be altered by the feed oil history and that the effect remains after a return to a standard fish oil diet. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Several major market operators argue that the current level of knowledge about quality is too scant to justify a switch to a large-scale production of triploid salmon. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to elucidate how rearing conditions (5, 10 and 15 °C) affect the flesh quality of triploid Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L., 1.6 ± 0.3 kg). As a reference, diploid salmon kept under equal conditions and with equal genetics were used. The main design discriminant was the holding temperature; increased temperature gave increased blood lactate, rigor index (I r ), drip loss (DL), content of astaxanthin and intensity of redness, but reduced muscle pH, cathepsin activity and fillet lightness. Salmon kept at 10 °C grew the fastest. It is concluded that ploidy gave less variation than temperature. Triploids were characterized by lower blood haematocrit (Hct) and I r , higher DL and collagenase activity, and on average, paler and less yellowish fillets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility to prepare for and respond to challenges in a propermanner is essential to cope with a changing environment, and learning allows fish to up or downregulate the stress response based on experience. The regulation of the response to predicted needs should be easier inmore predictable environments.Weexposed salmon parr to chasing of either 15 s (weak stressor) or 5min (strong stressor) twice daily for a 7-day learning period, with chasing either announced by a 30 s light signal (conditioned) or not announced (unconditioned). The behavioural response to the light signalwas different between the conditioned and unconditioned groups, demonstrating that conditioned groups associated the signal with chasing. We could, however, not demonstrate any effect on the stress response of anticipation. The fish habituated to repeated stress exposures with a similar decrease in oxygen hyperconsumption in all groups. Due to habituation, possible effects of predictable announcement of a stressor on the physiological stress response may not have been expressed in this study. Plasma cortisol concentrations 1 h after light signal and chasing the day after the training period was moderate in all groups although higher after 5 min chasing (13 ng ml-1) than 15 s chasing (7 ng ml-1). There was no physiological stress response after exposure to the light signal only after the learning period. We argue that the benefit of predictability of stressors is limited when the fish have no way to avoid the stressor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]