Succession of the intestinal bacterial community in Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis) larvae

PLoS One. 2022 Oct 6;17(10):e0275211. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0275211. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

We investigated the succession process of intestinal bacteria during seed production in full-cycle aquaculture of Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis). During the seed production, eggs, healthy fish, rearing water, and feeds from three experimental rounds in 2012 and 2013 were collected before transferring to offshore net cages and subjected to a fragment analysis of the bacterial community structure. We identified a clear succession of intestinal bacteria in bluefin tuna during seed production. While community structures of intestinal bacteria in the early stage of larvae were relatively similar to those of rearing water and feed, the bacterial community structures seen 17 days after hatching were different. Moreover, although intestinal bacteria in the late stage of larvae were less diverse than those in the early stage of larvae, the specific bacteria were predominant, suggesting that the developed intestinal environment of the host puts selection pressure on the bacteria in the late stage. The specific bacteria in the late stage of larvae, which likely composed 'core microbiota', were also found on the egg surface. The present study highlights that proper management of the seed production process, including the preparation of rearing water, feeds, and fish eggs, is important for the aquaculture of healthy fish.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aquaculture*
  • Larva
  • Tuna*
  • Water

Substances

  • Water

Grants and funding

ME, the Global COE program “International education and research center for aquaculture science of bluefin tuna and other cultured fish” from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan (https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/index.html); JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 25450286 (https://www.jsps.go.jp/english/index.html). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.