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Updated: Jun 3, 2026
04:54
Assessing Mineral Availability in Fish Feeds using Complementary Methods Demonstrated with the Example of Zinc in Atlantic Salmon
Published on: October 29, 2021
Transcriptomic responses to functional feeds in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).
Luca Tacchi1, Ralph Bickerdike, Alex Douglas
1Scottish Fish Immunology Research Centre, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB242TZ, UK.
Fish & Shellfish Immunology
|March 8, 2011
Summary
Functional feeds enhance fish health and growth by providing extra nutrients. A study on Atlantic salmon showed these diets reduce metabolic demands and immune gene expression, leading to improved growth performance.
Area of Science:
- Aquaculture nutrition
- Animal genomics
- Fish health
Background:
- Functional feeds offer health and growth benefits beyond basic nutrition.
- Common additives include probiotics, prebiotics, and vitamins.
- These diets can improve feed efficiency and immune response in fish.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of a novel functional feed health premix on Atlantic salmon.
- To utilize a genomic approach (microarray analysis) to understand nutritional responses.
- To elucidate the impact on biological processes in the liver.
Main Methods:
- Feeding trials with Atlantic salmon comparing standard and functional diets.
- Transcriptome analysis using microarray to assess gene expression.
- Analysis of biological processes affected by the functional feed in liver tissue.
Main Results:
- Functional feed significantly altered liver biological processes compared to standard diet.
- Observed reduction in expression of genes related to protein turnover.
- Down-regulation of genes involved in immune response and reduced circulating plasma proteins.
Conclusions:
- Functional feed may decrease metabolic demands, including protein turnover and oxygen consumption.
- Suppression of innate immune system genes suggests reduced energy expenditure.
- These changes collectively enhance growth and performance by minimizing energy wastage in fish.
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