Dietary choline can partially spare methionine to improve the feeds utilization and immune response in juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides): Based on phenotypic response to gene expression

The roles of soybean lecithin in aquafeed: a crucial need and update

“…Betaine, the oxidized form of choline, usually serves as a methyl group donor that transfers methyl groups (CH 3 ) to metabolic compounds such as DNA, RNA, protein and lipid ( 69 ). With the addition of methyl group from betaine and alteration to the structure of DNA molecule, betaine regulates gene expression for growth development and immune responses ( 70 ). Furthermore, methylation process is essential for the synthesis of structural proteins and enzymes in aquaculture species.…”

“…By regulating the activity of enzymes involved in the synthesis and breakdown of fatty acids, betaine impacts on fish lipid metabolism, which modifies the composition of body fat and cell membrane consequently ( 73 ). On top of that, betaine is also known to serve as an osmoprotectant in the energy production in fish by lowering the energy demands to regulate ions and cell volume, and supporting the conversion of homocysteine into methionine, an essential amino acid required for protein synthesis ( 70 ). Hence, the availability of methyl groups in the diet and functionality of soybean lecithin imparts a number of advantages to aquaculture species.…”