Gene expression profiles associated with the positive impact of an early plant-based diet exposure on its future acceptance in rainbow trout

ABSTRACT: Sustainable aquaculture, which entails proportional replacement of fish-based feed sources by plant-based ingredients, is impeded by the poor growth response frequently seen in fish fed high levels of plant ingredients. To evaluate the potential to improve, by means of early nutritional exposure, the growth of fish fed plant-based feed, rainbow trout swim-up fry were fed for 3 weeks either a plant-based diet (diet V, V-fish) or a diet containing fishmeal and fish oil as protein and fat source (diet M, M-fish). After this 3-week nutritional history period, all V- or M-fish received diet M for a 7-month intermediate growth phase. Both groups were then challenged by feeding diet V for 25 days during which voluntary feed intake, growth, and nutrient utilization were monitored (V-challenge). The results of the V-challenge showed a higher growth rate and higher feed intake in fish of nutritional history V compared to M (see PMID:24386155). To identify the molecular mechanisms that govern the enhancement of feed acceptance following early-feed exposure of diet V, we performed microarray expression analysis using swim-up fry collected at the end of early-feeding exposure (diet M and diet V), as well as brain and liver of juveniles sampled at the end of the V-challenge (M-his and V-his), and employing a rainbow trout microarray platform with 8 X 60K probes per slide. Persistently differentially expressed genes were identified by isolating probes that were differentially expressed (fold change ≥ 1.5 and p {nutritional history} ≤ 0.05), both at the end of the early exposure, and in either brain or liver of juvenile trout at the end of the V-challenge. Overall, 1787 (3-week + Brain) and 924 (3-week + Liver) mRNA probes were found to be persistently affected by nutritional history of early-feeding exposure. This positive response is encouraging as a potential strategy to improve the use of plant-based feed in fish, of interest in the field of fish farming and animal nutrition in general. Furthermore, the genes associated with mediating this positive early feeding effect, could serve as potential biomarkers to evaluate increasing acceptability of plant-based diets in fish farming.

ORGANISM(S): Oncorhynchus mykiss

PROVIDER: GSE60010 | GEO | 2016/06/23

SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA257273

REPOSITORIES: GEO