Evaluation of Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) Health during a Superintensive Aquaculture Growout Using NMR-Based Metabolomics

Abstract

Success of the shrimp aquaculture industry requires technological advances that increase production and environmental sustainability. Indoor, superintensive, aquaculture systems are being developed that permit year-round production of farmed shrimp at high densities. These systems are intended to overcome problems of disease susceptibility and of water quality issues from waste products, by operating as essentially closed systems that promote beneficial microbial communities (biofloc). The resulting biofloc can assimilate and detoxify wastes, may provide nutrition for the farmed organisms resulting in improved growth, and may aid in reducing disease initiated from external sources. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomic techniques were used to assess shrimp health during a full growout cycle from the nursery phase through harvest in a minimal-exchange, superintensive, biofloc system. Aberrant shrimp metabolomes were detected from a spike in total ammonia nitrogen in the nursery, from a reduced feeding period that was a consequence of surface scum build-up in the raceway, and from the stocking transition from the nursery to the growout raceway. The biochemical changes in the shrimp that were induced by the stressors were essential for survival and included nitrogen detoxification and energy conservation mechanisms. Inosine and trehalose may be general biomarkers of stress in Litopenaeus vannamei. This study demonstrates one aspect of the practicality of using NMR-based metabolomics to enhance the aquaculture industry by providing physiological insight into common environmental stresses that may limit growth or better explain reduced survival and production.

Effects of bacilli, molasses, and reducing feeding rate on biofloc formation, growth, and gene expression in Litopenaeus vannamei cultured with zero water exchange

“…Regarding Hsp, this kind of proteins are expressed not only when there is a heat stress, but also in the presence of free oxygen radicals, anti-inflammatory drugs, heavy metals, malnutrition, excess feed, high density, and viral and bacterial infections (Hickey & Singer, 2004;Multhoff, 2007;Asea et al, 2008;Schock et al, 2013). In this work, higher expression of …”

“…In intensive shrimp culture systems, high density, the variation in environmental factors (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, and pH), excess feed, and toxic chemicals are considered as stressors (Hickey & Singer, 2004;Schock et al, 2013). Heat shock proteins (Hsp) are highly conserved proteins well known for their quick responses to stress (Qian et al, 2012).…”

Analysis of Eisenia fetida earthworm responses to sub-lethal C60 nanoparticle exposure using 1H-NMR based metabolomics

“…Difference class 1 H NMR spectra were then obtained by subtracting the buckets of the average controls from that of the average exposure treatments. The buckets representing the peaks of metabolites that weren't statistically significant from the controls were then replaced with a zero resulting in a t-test filtered 1 H NMR difference spectrum (Ekman et al, 2008;Lankadurai et al, 2012;Schock et al, 2013). The buckets were then imported into Origin 7 (version 7.0383, OriginLab Corporation, Northampton, MA) to plot the difference 1 H NMR spectra.…”

Proteomics and Metabolomics of Marine Organisms: Current Strategies and Knowledge

“…To assess shrimp health during a full growout cycle from the nursery phase through harvest in a minimal-exchange, superintensive, biofloc system, Schock et al (2013) used NMR-based metabolomic approaches. Aberrant shrimp metabolomes were detected from different stressors, such as a spike in total ammonia nitrogen in the nursery, a reduced feeding period that was the consequence of surface scum build-up in the raceway, and from the stocking transition from the nursery to the growout raceway.…”