Poly-β-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) increases growth performance and intestinal bacterial range-weighted richness in juvenile European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax

Abstract

The bacterial storage polymer poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) has the potential to be used as an alternative anti-infective strategy for aquaculture rearing. In this research, the effects of (partially) replacing the feed of European sea bass juveniles with PHB were investigated. During a 6-week trial period, the PHB showed the ability to act as an energy source for the fish. This indicated that PHB was degraded and used during gastrointestinal passage. The gut pH decreased from 7.7 to 7.2 suggesting that the presence of PHB in the gut led to the increased production of (short-chain fatty) acids. The diets supplemented with 2% and 5% PHB (w/w) induced a gain of the initial fish weight with a factor 2.4 and 2.7, respectively, relative to a factor 2.2 in the normal feed treatment. Simultaneously, these treatments showed the highest bacterial range-weighted richness in the fish intestine. Based on molecular analysis, higher dietary PHB levels induced larger changes in the bacterial community composition. From our results, it seems that PHB can have a beneficial effect on fish growth performance and that the intestinal bacterial community structure may be closely related to this phenomenon.

Antiadhesive activity of poly-hydroxy butyrate biopolymer from a marine Brevibacterium casei MSI04 against shrimp pathogenic vibrios

“…The synergistic effect of PHB-degrading probiotic and PHB as a synbioticum elicits a strong protection against luminescent vibriosis [30]. PHB increases growth rate and act as symbiotic of intestinal microglora of fish [31]. Therefore, the use of PHB in shrimp aquaculture could be biocompatible and elicit synergistic effect as antiadhesive as well as possibly as immunostimulant in treated shrimps.…”

Microbial Degradation of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate-co-4-Hydroxybutyrate) in Soil

“…The growing interest in the development of biodegradable plastics possessing properties similar to those of thermoplastics has focused attention on bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) [1][2][3]. PHA is one class of biodegradable and biocompatible polyesters.…”

Probiotics and Other Microbial Manipulations in Fish Feeds

“…The term "prebiotics" may be ambiguous, as some reports referred to the concept, but tested feed ingredients as immunostimulants, without considering the possible effects on gut microbiota. Some other new ingredients could be added to fish feed like poly-β-hydroxbutyrate, which is selectively degraded by gut microbes in sea bass, producing short-chain fatty acids, and stimulating fish growth (De Schryver et al, 2010). Vlkova et al, 2012;Wu et al, 2014).…”