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. 2023 Feb 12;11(2):463.
doi: 10.3390/microorganisms11020463.

Dietary Effects of a Short-Term Administration of Microalgae Blend on Growth Performance, Tissue Fatty Acids, and Predominant Intestinal Microbiota in Sparus aurata

Jorge García-Márquez  1 , Rosa María Rico  2 , Francisco Gabriel Acién  3 , Juan Miguel Mancera  4 , Félix L Figueroa  2 , Antonio Jesús Vizcaíno  5 , Francisco Javier Alarcón  5 , Miguel Ángel Moriñigo  1 , Roberto Teófilo Abdala-Díaz  2
Affiliations

Dietary Effects of a Short-Term Administration of Microalgae Blend on Growth Performance, Tissue Fatty Acids, and Predominant Intestinal Microbiota in Sparus aurata

Jorge García-Márquez et al. Microorganisms. .

Abstract

Given the potential of microalgae as new aquafeed ingredients, this study focuses on using a blend of microalgae, Tisochrysis lutea, Nannochloropsis gaditana, and Scenedesmus almeriensis, as a dietary ingredient for feeding Sparus aurata juveniles. The growth performance, carcass composition, tissue fatty acid profile, and intestinal microbiota were evaluated after a 30 day-feeding period. A microalgae-free diet was used as control, and three experimental diets were formulated containing 5%, 15%, and 25% of the microalgae blend (MB-5%, MB-15%, and MB-25%, respectively). After 7, 15, and 30 days of feeding experimental diets, biological samples were taken. Growth performance and nutrient utilization were not significantly modified at the end of the experiment. Microalgae inclusion tended to decrease body lipids and affected the fatty acid profile, especially MB-25 diet increased DHA levels. Diet MB-25 promoted appropriate microbial diversity, favoring the presence of probiotic bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, and significantly influencing the fatty acid composition and lipid metabolism in fish. In conclusion, using a short pulse of dietary administration of 25% microalgal blend in S. aurata modulates the intestinal microbiota and lipid composition while maintaining growth performance.

Keywords: Nannochloropsis gaditana; Scenedesmus almeriensis; Sparus aurata; Tisochrysis lutea; fatty acid composition; microbiota.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Clustering based on pairwise similarity index of DGGE patterns obtained from intestinal samples of juvenile S. aurata fed experimental diets for 30 days. Codes are: MB-5: 5% microalgae blend meal inclusion; MB-15: 15% microalgae blend meal inclusion; MB-25: 25% microalgae blend meal inclusion.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Pareto–Lorenz distribution curves based on PCR-DGGE patterns from intestinal samples) of juvenile S. aurata fed experimental diets for 30 days at day 0, 7, 15, and 30 ((a–d), respectively). Codes are: MB-5: 5% microalgae blend meal inclusion; MB-15: 15% microalgae blend meal inclusion; MB-25: 25% microalgae blend meal inclusion.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Phylogenetic tree of clusters based on 16S rRNA sequences showing the relationships of the predominant bands obtained from intestinal samples of juvenile S. aurata with their closest species of Vibrio, Photobacterium, Pseudomonas, and Serratia genera.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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