Transcriptome Analysis Suggests Dietary Tributyrin Enhances Feeding Intensity via Modulating Steroid Biosynthesis in...

Area of Science:

• Aquaculture nutrition
• Fish physiology
• Molecular biology

Background:

• Tributyrin (TB), a butyric acid derivative, is used in animal feed for health benefits.
• Mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) intestinal health is crucial for aquaculture.
• Understanding TB's molecular mechanisms in fish is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• Evaluate dietary TB's efficacy in improving mandarin fish intestinal health.
• Elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying TB's effects.
• Provide a theoretical basis for TB application in aquaculture.

Main Methods:

• 300 juvenile mandarin fish were fed diets with 0, 500, or 1000 mg/kg TB for one month.
• Intestinal villus height was measured.
• Transcriptome analysis and co-expression network analysis were performed.

Main Results:

• TB supplementation significantly increased intestinal villus height, particularly at the high dose.
• TB altered gene expression related to energy metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, and steroid biosynthesis.
• Key genes (e.g., gls2b, cpt1b, sqlea, dhcr24h) and hub genes (e.g., etfb, il20ra, foxp1b, cdc20, ccnb1) were identified.

Conclusions:

• Dietary TB effectively enhances intestinal health in mandarin fish.
• TB acts by modulating energy metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, immune regulation, and cell cycle pathways.
• Findings support TB as a functional feed additive for aquaculture to improve fish gut health.