Browsing by Author "Conceicao, L. E. C."
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- Fast growing greater amberjack post-larvae require a high energy-high protein weaning dietPublication . Navarro-Guillén, Carmen; Conceicao, L. E. C.; Pinto, W.; Siguero, I; Urrutia, P.; Moyano, F. J.; Yufera, M.Larvae and early juveniles of fast-growing fish species show tremendous growth potential, leading to higher requirements for protein, high-unsaturated fatty acids, and other nutrients. Several commercial weaning diets with relatively high success have been developed for low/moderate-growing species however, additional challenges are outlined to meet growth potential and energy requirements of such fast-growing species. The objective of the present study was to evaluate two commercial microdiets for marine fish, one having simultaneously a very high protein and high lipid contents (HIGH), and another (MOD) with a high protein and moderate lipid content, in a growth performance trial with greater amberjack post-larvae from 33 to 78 days after hatching. Moreover, histological preparations of liver, anterior and posterior intestine were assessed for hepatic and intestinal lipid inclusions quantification and gut epithelial brush height measurement. Activities of the digestive enzymes: pepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, lipase and amylase were also analyzed. Post-larvae fed HIGH microdiet exhibited higher final weight and lower feed conversion ratio that those fed on MOD microdiet. Liver displayed a higher level of lipid inclusions for the MOD diet than for HIGH diet. Moreover, enterocytes of posterior intestine presented a much higher level of supranuclear vacuoles for the HIGH diet compared to MOD diet. The lower Trypsin/Chymotrypsin ratio observed at the end of the experiment in larvae fed on MOD diet may indicate a deficiency in protein of this diet. Together, these results support that larvae of greater amberjack, and likely other fast-growing marine fish species, require high protein-high lipid microdiets. The use of microdiets developed targeting slower growing marine species may lead to sub-optimal performances in fast-growing larvae.
- Health status in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) juveniles fed diets devoid of fishmeal and supplemented with Phaeodactylum tricornutumPublication . Reis, B.; Ramos-Pinto, L.; Martos-Sitcha, J. A.; Machado, M.; Azeredo, R.; Fernandez-Boo, S.; Engrola, S.; Unamunzaga, C.; Calduch-Giner, J.; Conceicao, L. E. C.; Silva, T.; Dias, J.; Costas, B.; Perez-Sanchez, J.To enhance fish general health, feeds can be supplemented with health-promoting additives, reducing the need to use chemotherapeutics. Incorporation of marine algae biomasses in aquafeeds has been shown to improve fish immune status by enhancing innate immune response. This study evaluated the effects of Phaeodactylum tricornutum incorporation in feed by two different processes, either as freeze-dried biomass or broken cell wall biomass, on fish health status and performance. Triplicate groups of gilthead seabream juveniles (13.3 +/- 0.3 g) were either fed a control diet (CTRL) with an extreme (i.e., 0% fishmeal), nutritionally balanced, formulation, or two experimental diets formulated as the CTRL with 1% inclusion of the microalga P. tricornutum at the expense of wheat meal: BC diet contains P. tricornutum broken cells and WC diet microalgae whole cells. After 2 and 12 weeks of feeding, blood was collected for hematological procedures, whereas plasma and mucus were sampled for immune parameters. Head-kidney, liver, and white skeletal muscle were also collected for gene expression measurements. No major differences were observed in hematological nor plasma humoral parameters after 12 weeks irrespective of dietary treatment. Arrays of 29-31 genes were analyzed in the different tissues, revealing an early dietary effect (2 weeks) in a tissue-specific pattern. In the liver, the major effect was found in the GH/IGF axis and in muscle there was a late downregulation of myostatin (mstn) gene, mainly due to WC diet, even though all fish had similar growth performance. Regarding the head-kidney, BC diet led to alpha-2-macroglobulin (a2m) gene upregulation. Also, the same treatment showed increased mucus alternative complement pathway and bactericidal activity at 2 and 12 weeks, respectively. Hence, it seems that BC diet has a potential stimulatory effect that might be relevant as a prophylactic measure before a predictable stressful event.
- Modulation of the immune condition in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) juveniles through long-term methionine supplementationPublication . Machado, M.; Engrola, Sofia; Colen, R.; Conceicao, L. E. C.; Dias, J.; Costas, B.Methionine is the first limiting AA in fish diets, particularly in those containing high levels of plant protein sources (e.g. soybean). It is also important to highlight that methionine presents a key role in the immune system of many vertebrate animal models, including fish.