RT journal article
T1 From invasion to fish fodder: Inclusion of the brown algae Rugulopteryx okamurae in aquafeeds for European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax (L., 1758)
A1 Fonseca, Filomena
A1 Fuentes, Juan
A1 Martínez Rodríguez, Gonzalo
A1 Vizcaíno, Antonio Jesús
A1 Alarcón, Francisco Javier
A1 Mancera Romero, Juan Miguel
A1 Martos Sitcha, Juan Antonio
A2 Biología
K1 Algae-based aquafeeds
K1 Fish gut microbiota
K1 Fish immune-related genes
K1 Fish intestinal epithelium
K1 Fish intestine electrophysiology
AB In keeping with the premises of Blue Circular Economy in the European Union, the present study explored the possibility of using the invasive brown alga Rugulopteryx okamurae in aquafeeds for European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Assuming the raw algae biomass could negatively impact animal performance, four experimental formulations were prepared, by including macroalgae material at 5%, using crude (CR), enzymatically hydrolysed and fermented (EF), enzymatically hydrolysed (E), or fermented (F) R. okamurae biomass, which we tested against a control feed (CT). To evaluate the effects of the experimental diets, besides animal growth performance and biometric parameters, we devised a toolbox focused on the intestine and intestinal function: i) ex-vivo epithelial resistance and permeability in Ussing chambers; ii) microbiota composition through NGS; iii) expression profiles of selected markers for epithelial integrity, transport, metabolism, and immune response, by qPCR. Our results show differentiated allometric growth among diets, coupled with intestinal epithelium alterations in permeability, integrity, and amino acid transport. Additionally, evidence of microbiota dysbiosis and contrasting immune responses between experimental diets, i.e. pro-inflammatory vs. anti-inflammatory, are also described. In conclusion, we believe that R. okamurae could be a suitable resource for aquafeeds for the European sea bass, although its use requires a pre-treatment before inclusion. Otherwise, while the fish still have a positive growth performance, the gastrointestinal tract pays a toll on the integrity, transport, and inflammatory processes.
PB Elsevier
SN 0044-8486
YR 2023
FD 2023-02-04
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/29406
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/29406
LA eng
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 11-nov-2026