Project description:High-quality sources of protein for the formulation of feeds of carnivorous fish species such as Atlantic salmon are currently being sought. In an earlier screening trial we evaluated for the first time in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) the applicability of air-classified faba bean (Vicia faba) protein concentrate (BPC) inclusions in combination with soy protein concentrate (SPC) and fishmeal (FM) using parr as a model. Based on the results in parr in freshwater, the present study tested the hypothesis that BPC can effectively replace SPC as a dietary protein source in post-smolt Atlantic salmon in seawater. Herein we compare three dietary treatments, including BPC0 (no BPC), BPC20 (20% BPC) and BPC40 (40% BPC). Full details on diet formulation are available in the publication.
Project description:In the present study, a faba bean protein isolate (wBPC) with almost ~80 % crude protein produced by a wet process was investigated in feeds for Atlantic salmon in seawater. Four dietary treatments were tested including one treatment with high inclusion of fishmeal (400 g kg-1, named FM) and three treatments with low fishmeal (216 g kg-1) and increasing inclusions of faba bean protein concentrate (0, 70 and 140 g kg-1) substituting soy protein concentrate (236, 125 and 45 g kg-1), named SPC, BPC7 and BPC14 respectively.
Project description:The aim of the present study was to generate an experimental model to characterize the nutrigenomic profile of a plant-derived nutritional stress (S30 = 300 g Kg-1 Soybean Meal). Our results provided: a) a snapshot of molecular signatures describing a chronic and advanced nutritional stress to which future nutrigenomic studies might refer to; and b) a platform for the identification of candidate genes for the molecular phenotyping of several physiological parameters in liver and distal intestine. Atlantic salmon was used as a model. The nutritional stress was induced by inclusions of dietary defatted soybean meal (SBM) up to a level of 300 g kg-1, being this ingredient extensively demonstrated to induce reduced performance and enteropathy in the distal intestine (Baeverfjord and Krogdahl, 1996;Urán et al., 2009;URÁN et al., 2008). A control treatment with no SBM (S0) as well as intermediate levels of inclusion (100 g kg-1 and 200 g kg-1 SBM) were included to span a range of optimal and sub-optimal conditions. Performance parameters were measured and impaired growth was taken as an indicator of pronounced and chronic nutritional stress. Molecular analyses were performed in two tissues, liver and distal intestine. Distal intestine was chosen for being the site most morphologically and physiologically affected during the development of intestinal pathologies associated with plant ingredients such as SBM (Baeverfjord and Krogdahl, 1996;Kortner et al., 2011), while liver for being arguably the most metabolic active tissue. These tissues have been the most investigated targets in nutritional studies on fish so far. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the most comprehensive of its kind to report on the transcriptomic profile of the distal intestine and the liver, hence highlighting the supporting role of this tissue, in fish undergoing SBM-induced nutritional stress. Skugor et al (, 2011) described gene expression profiles of liver and intestine in fish fed 200 g kg-1 SBM inclusion using a 11K trout array. By investigating a larger number of probes (44K) in a more severe nutritional stress (300 g kg-1), our work will add further nutrigenomic information to the current literature.
Project description:The production of carnivorous fish such as Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is dependent on the availability of high quality protein required as a sustainable substitute for the formulation of the feeds. Plants have arguably the greatest potential, however a major limitation is associated with the presence of anti-nutritional factors. Investigating novel raw materials involves understanding the physiological consequences of the substitution. The primary aim of the present study was to assess the metabolic response of salmon to increasing inclusion of air-classified faba bean protein concentrate (BPC) in feeds as a replacement for soy (SPC). Specifically, we focused on the hepatic transcriptome response to dietary BPC inclusion over a range including commercially relevant levels (e.g. 11-22%) to levels giving impaired performance (45 %). The present investigation provided a profile of the salmon hepatic response to BPC indicating that fish tolerated moderate substitution of dietary SPC with BPC with no evident negative effects on the hepatic physiology of the fish. The analysis of extreme levels of substitution provided insights into physiological mechanisms that are significantly altered providing the basis for further investigation and improvement.
Project description:A common-garden experiment was carried out to compare two genetically distinct strains of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fed diets formulated with either high (CHO) or low (NoCHO) carbohydrate (starch). Twenty salmon from either a commercial farmed strain or a land-locked population were placed in two tanks (10 fish of each population in each tank) and fed either CHO or NoCHO feeds for 32 days. At the end of the experimental period fish were fasted for 8 h, euthanized and samples of blood and liver collected. Both diet and population had an effect on circulating glucose levels with land-locked salmon showing hypoglycaemia and dietary starch increasing this parameter. In contrast, land-locked salmon showed increased plasma triacylglycerol levels regardless of dietary treatment. This enhanced ability to metabolise dietary starch in land-locked compared to farmed salmon stock was also reflected at a molecular (gene) level as most of the metabolic pathways evaluated in the present study were mainly affected by the factor population rather than by diet. In particular, lower expression of genes for mitochondrial metabolism in land-locked salmon reflects drastic differences in energy metabolism between the populations. The liver transcriptome analysis highlighted some new gene candidates such as elovl6 to evaluate in future studies assessing the capacity of salmonids to cope with feeds containing higher levels of dietary starch.