Exploring bacterial community composition and immune gene expression of European eel larvae (Anguilla anguilla) in relation to first-feeding diets.

ABSTRACT: European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a commercially important species for fisheries and aquaculture in Europe and the attempt to close the lifecycle in captivity is still at pioneering stage. The first feeding stage of this species is characterized by a critical period between 20 to 24 days post hatch (dph), which is associated with mortalities, indicating the point of no return. We hypothesized that this critical period might also be associated with larvae-bacterial interactions and the larval immune status. To test this, bacterial community composition and expression of immune and stress-related genes of hatchery-produced larvae were explored from the end of endogenous feeding (9 dph) until 28 dph, in response to three experimental first-feeding diets (Diet 1, Diet 2 and Diet 3). Changes

SUBMITTER: Bandara KA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10373994 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature