Browsing by Author "Yufera, Manuel"
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- Daily feeding and protein metabolism rhythms in Senegalese sole post-larvaePublication . Navarro, Carmen; Yufera, Manuel; Engrola, S.Fish hatcheries must adapt larval feeding protocols to feeding behavior and metabolism patterns to obtain more efficient feed utilization. Fish larvae exhibit daily ingesting rhythms rather than ingesting food continuously throughout the day. The aim of this study was to determine the daily patterns of feed intake, protein digestibility, protein retention and catabolism in Senegalese sole post-larvae (Solea senegalensis; 33 days post-hatching) using C-14-labeled Artemia protein and incubation in metabolic chambers. Sole post-larvae were fed at 09: 00, 15: 00, 21: 00, 03: 00 and 09: 00+1 day; and those fed at 09: 00, 21: 00, 03: 00 and 09: 00+1 day showed significantly higher feed intake than post-larvae fed at 15: 00 h (P=0.000). Digestibility and evacuation rate of ingested protein did not change during the whole cycle (P=0.114); however, post-larvae fed at 21: 00 and 03: 00 h showed the significantly highest protein retention efficiency and lowest catabolism (P=0.002). Therefore, results confirm the existence of daily rhythmicity in feeding activity and in the utilization of the ingested nutrients in Senegalese sole post-larvae.
- Effects of calcium carbonate inclusion in low fishmeal diets on growth, gastrointestinal pH, digestive enzyme activity and gut bacterial community of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) juvenilesPublication . Parma, Luca; Yufera, Manuel; Navarro-Guillen, Carmen; Moyano, Francisco J.; Soverini, Matteo; D'Amico, Federica; Candela, Marco; Fontanillas, Ramon; Gatta, Pier Paolo; Bonaldo, AlessioFishmeal (FM) possesses one of the highest buffering capacities in comparison to most alternative vegetable aquafeed ingredients and its decreasing content in current formulations might affect the ideal gastrointestinal environment for digestive enzyme action and gut bacterial community of carnivorous fish species. A study was undertaken, therefore, to assess growth response, gastrointestinal pH, digestive enzyme activity and gut bacterial community of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) juveniles fed low FM diets (10% FM) with or without a feed buffering additive, calcium carbonate (FM10 + B and FM10, respectively) in comparison to a standard FM diet (20% FM, FM20). Three isonitrogenous and isolipidic extruded diets were fed to triplicate fish groups of 80 individuals (initial weight: 23 g) to overfeeding over 64 days. No significant differences due to low FM dietary levels were observed in final body weight, specific growth rate, feed intake, feed and protein efficiency. Low FM diet did not affect gastrointestinal pH in the stomach, anterior intestine, mid-intestine and hindgut at 0, 4, 8 and 12 hours post meal (hpm) while the inclusion of calcium carbonate in low FM diet seems to slightly increase the pH in the hindgut at 12 hpm. The absence of significant differences of pepsin, chymotrypsin, amylase and lipase activity suggests a comparable digestive efficiency among treatments although trypsin activity was slightly reduced in low FM diets after 4 hpm. Decreasing FM content seems to exert an effect on the overall gut bacterial community analysed by next-generation sequencing even if no significant effects on specific bacterial component were detected. The gut bacterial community in all the treatments was particularly rich in lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus spp. which may provide important beneficial functions for the host and be associated with a healthy intestinal epithelium. According to the results, increasing the feed buffering capacity does not seem to improve digestive conditions while it is feasible to include 10% FM dietary level in practical formulation for European sea bass juveniles without negatively affecting growth, feed efficiency and digestive luminal conditions.
- Fish larval nutrition and feed formulation: knowledge gaps and bottlenecks for advances in larval rearingPublication . Hamre, Kristin; Yufera, Manuel; Ronnestad, Ivar; Boglione, Clara; Conceicao, Luis E. C.; Izquierdo, MarisolDespite considerable progress in recent years, many questions regarding fish larval nutrition remain largely unanswered, and several research avenues remain open. A holistic understanding of the supply line of nutrients is important for developing diets for use in larval culture and for the adaptation of rearing conditions that meet the larval requirements for the optimal presentation of food organisms and/or microdiets. The aim of the present review is to revise the state of the art and to pinpoint the gaps in knowledge regarding larval nutritional requirements, the nutritional value of live feeds and challenges and opportunities in the development of formulated larval diets.
- Ghrelin in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) post-larvae: Paracrine effects on food intakePublication . Navarro-Guillén, Carmen; Yufera, Manuel; Engrola, SofiaSuccessful food consumption and digestion depend on specifics anatomical and behavioral characteristics and corresponding physiological functions that should be ready to work at the appropriate time. The physiological regulation of appetite and ingestion involves a complex integration of peripheral and central signals by the brain. Ghrelin is a peptide hormone involved in the control of energy homeostasis and increases food intake in mammals, however ghrelin has species-specific actions on food intake in fish. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this peptide has an orexigenic or anorexigenic role in Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) in order to improve the knowledge of the physiological basis underlying feeding activity. Feed intake was measured at several sampling points to determine the overall action time of the peptide and its effect in Senegalese sole food intake. Artemia protein digestibility and retention were determined in order to analyze the ghrelin effect in fed and fasted Senegalese sole post-larvae. Results suggested that ghrelin acts as orexigenic hormone in Senegalese sole, with a response time around 25 min. Results indicated that Senegalese sole post-larvae are able to maintain absorption and retention capacities independently of feeding rate and nutritional status. Furthermore, the present study gives insight for the first time of the fate of the retained amino acids, being mainly used for protein accretion (86.79% of retained amino acids recovered in protein and FAA fractions). (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
- Teleost fish larvae adapt to dietary arachidonic acid supply through modulation of the expression of lipid metabolism and stress response genesPublication . Alves Martins, Dulce; Rocha, Filipa; Martinez-Rodriguez, Gonzalo; Bell, Gordon; Morais, Sofia; Castanheira, Maria Filipa; Bandarra, Narcisa; Coutinho, Joana; Yufera, Manuel; Conceicao, LuisDietary fatty acid supply can affect stress response in fish during early development. Although knowledge on the mechanisms involved in fatty acid regulation of stress tolerance is scarce, it has often been hypothesised that eicosanoid profiles can influence cortisol production. Genomic cortisol actions are mediated by cytosolic receptors which may respond to cellular fatty acid signalling. An experiment was designed to test the effects of feeding gilthead sea-bream larvae with four microdiets, containing graded arachidonic acid (ARA) levels (0.4, 0.8, 1.5 and 3.0 %), on the expression of genes involved in stress response (steroidogenic acute regulatory protein, glucocorticoid receptor and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), lipid and, particularly, eicosanoid metabolism (hormone-sensitive lipase, PPAR alpha, phospholipase A(2), cyclo-oxygenase-2 and 5-lipoxygenase), as determined by real-time quantitative PCR. Fish fatty acid phenotypes reflected dietary fatty acid profiles. Growth performance, survival after acute stress and similar whole-body basal cortisol levels suggested that sea-bream larvae could tolerate a wide range of dietary ARA levels. Transcription of all genes analysed was significantly reduced at dietary ARA levels above 0.4%. Nonetheless, despite practical suppression of phospholipase A(2) transcription, higher leukotriene B-4 levels were detected in larvae fed 3.0% ARA, whereas a similar trend was observed regarding PGE(2) production. The present study demonstrates that adaptation to a wide range of dietary ARA levels in gilthead sea-bream larvae involves the modulation of the expression of genes related to eicosanoid synthesis, lipid metabolism and stress response. The roles of ARA, other polyunsaturates and eicosanoids as signals in this process are discussed.