Community structure of lactic acid producing bacteria in the guts of freshwater shrimps

Abstract

The lactic acid producing bacteria (LAB) play a crucial role in the health of aquatic animals through controlling and competing against pathogens. In this study, based on the high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, we examined the LAB in the gut of freshwater shrimps (Macrobrachium nipponense) and their living environments (sediment and pond water) and analyzed the correlations between the shrimp production and abundance of LAB. A high diversity and abundance of LAB (27 genera) were observed among the freshwater shrimp gut samples, and the results indicated that dissolved oxygen and temperature could affect the LAB community in the shrimp guts. In addition, shared and unique LAB among the shrimp guts, sediment and pond water were further analyzed. Linear regression analysis showed that the relative abundance of LAB was positively correlated with the levels of shrimp production. Moreover, comparison of the LAB community among different animals indicated that some LAB in shrimp guts may also play a beneficial role in fish, houseflies, pig and other animals. Collectively, this study provides comprehensive information for better understanding LAB in shrimp guts and their environments and further improving the ecological management of aquatic ecosystems regarding the application of probiotics and disease prevention.