The influence of diet on the microbiota of live-feed rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) used in commercial fish larviculture

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Turgay E., Steınum T. M., Eryalçın K. M., Yardımcı R. E., Karataş S.

FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS, vol.367, 2020 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 367
  • Publication Date: 2020
  • Doi Number: 10.1093/femsle/fnaa020
  • Journal Name: FEMS MICROBIOLOGY LETTERS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Artic & Antarctic Regions, BIOSIS, Biotechnology Research Abstracts, CAB Abstracts, Chemical Abstracts Core, EMBASE, Environment Index, Food Science & Technology Abstracts, MEDLINE, Veterinary Science Database
  • Keywords: Rotifer, live feed, Brachionus plicatilis, targeted profiling, microbiota, diet, 16S RIBOSOMAL-RNA, SP-NOV., BACTERIAL COMMUNITIES, PHAEOBACTER STRAINS, DIVERSITY, CULTURE, ALGINATE, OYSTER, GROWTH, SPP.
  • Istanbul University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Live-feed is indispensable to commercial fish larviculture. However, high bacterial loads in rotifers could pose a biosecurity risk. While this may be true, live-feed associated bacteria could also be beneficial to fish larvae through improved feed utilization or pathogen inhibition following host microbiota modification. The study objective was to elucidate the largely unexplored microbiota of rotifers propagated on five different diets through bacterial community profiling by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Investigated rotifer samples had a median observed alpha-diversity of 338 +/- 87 bacterial species. Alpha- and Gamma-Proteobacteria dominated the rotifer microbiota followed by members of classes Flavobacteriia, Cytophagia, Mollicutes, Phycisphaerae and Bacteroidia. Different diets significantly altered the bacterial communities associated with rotifers according to PERMANOVA test results and beta dispersion calculations. A common core rotifer microbiome included 31 bacterial species present in relative abundances over 0.01%. We discuss the functional role of some microbiome members. Our data suggested the presence of several known fish pathogens in stock rotifers. However, we found no evidence for increased loads of these presumptive taxa in propagated live-feed rotifers during this field trial.