Zingiber officinalis an herbal appetizer in the tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon (Fabricius) larviculture

Penaeus monodon postlarvae were fed with different percentages (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) of the herbal appetizer Zingiber officinalis enriched Artemia. After 30 days of culture (i.e. PL-1-30), a very positive result was found in Z. officinalis-enriched Artemia-fed postlarvae. The unenriched Artemia-fed postlarvae consumed 91.0 mg/animal/30 days of feed, whereas the Z. officinalis-enriched Artemia increased their consumption to 127.9 mg/animal/30 days. A similar pattern was noticed in feed absorbed (110.2 mg), dry weight growth (26.7 mg) and feed catabolized (83.2 mg) in Z. officinalis-enriched Artemia because of enzymatic activities. The conversion efficiency of unenriched postlarva was 17.19%, whereas in 100% Z. officinalis-enriched Artemia, the maximum conversion efficiency was 20.85%. The net production efficiency increased significantly (P < 0.05) to 22% from that of the unenriched Artemia-fed postlarvae. The administration of Z. officinalis in all levels produced significantly (P < 0.05) higher weight gain and specific growth rate. The utilization efficiency of feed increased proportionately to the percentages of Z. officinalis. Digestive enzyme activity (amylase, protease and lipase) increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the 50%, 75% and 100% enrichment. Among the different percentages of enrichment, the 100% Z. officinalis-enriched Artemia-fed postlarvae performed better in the overall status.

Aplicações de nanoeletrodos como sensores na Química Analítica

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Physiological and metabolic effects of nutrient enrichment on adult Artemia franciscana

[EN] Brine shrimp nauplii (Artemia sp.) are used in aquaculture as the major food source for many cultured marine larvae, and also used in the adult phase for many juvenile and adult fish. One artemia species, Artemia franciscana is most commonly preferred, due to the availability of its cysts and to its ease in hatching and biomass production. The problem with A. franciscana is that its nutritional quality is relatively poor in essential fatty acids, so that it is common practice to enrich it with emulsions like SELCO and ORIGO. This “bioencapsulation”, enrichment method permits the incorporation of different kinds of products into the artemia. This brine-shrimp’s non-selective particle-feeding habits, makes it particularly suitable for this enrichment process. The bioencapsulation is done just prior to feeding the artemia to a predator organism. This allows the delivery of different substances, not only for nutrient enrichment, but also for changing pigmentation and administering medicine. This is especially useful in culturing ornamental seahorses and tropical fish in marine aquaria In this study the objectives were to determine, the relative nutrient value of ORIGO and SELCO as well as the optimal exposure to these supplements prior to their use as food-organisms.

Bioverkapselung lebender Bakterien (Escherichia coli) mit Poly-(Silicat) nach Transformation mit dem Silicatein-alpha-Gen

Die Bioverkapselung ist eine faszinierende Methode, um biologische Materialien einschließlich Zellen in Siliziumdioxid, Metalloxiden oder hybriden Sol-Gel-Polymeren zu immobilisieren. Bisher wurde nur die Sol-Gel-Vorläufertechnologie genutzt, um Bakterien- oder Hefezellen in Siliziumdioxid zu immobilisieren. Hierfür wurden verschiedene Reagenzien als wässrige Vorläufer getestet, um poly(Silicate) auf Biomolekülen (Bhatia et al., 2000) oder Zellen (Liu und Chen 1999; Coradin und Livage, 2007) zu bilden. Einer der erfolgreichsten bisherigen Methoden verwendet eine Mischung aus Silicaten und kolloidalem Silica. Diese initialen Vorläufer werden durch die Zugabe von Salzsäure neutralisiert, was die Gelbildung fortschreiten lässt und die Verkapselung von Bakterien in einem Silica-Netzwerk zur Folge hat (Nassif et al., 2003). Mit der Entdeckung von Silicatein, einem Enzym, das aus Demospongien isoliert wurde und die Bildung von poly(Silicat) katalysiert, wurde es möglich, poly(Silicat) unter physiologischen Bedingungen zu synthetisieren. Silicatein wurde rekombinant in E. coli hergestellt und ist in der Lage, bei Raumtemperatur, neutralem pH-Wert und in wässrigen Puffersystemen aus Siliziumalkoxiden poly(Silicat) zu bilden (Krasko et al., 2000; Müller et al., 2007b; Zhou et al., 1999). In vivo katalysiert Silicatein die Synthese der Silicathülle der Schwamm-Spiculae (Skelettelemente; Müller et al., 2005b; Müller et al., 2007a; Müller et al., 2007b; Schröder et al., 2007a). Dieses Biosilica wurde in Form von Silica-Nanospheren mit Durchmessern zwischen 100 nm und 250 nm organisiert vorgefunden (Pisera 2003; Tahir et al., 2005). Mit dieser Arbeit konnte gezeigt werden, dass Escherichia coli erfolgreich mit dem Silicatein-Gen transformiert werden kann. Das Level der Proteinexpression kann in Anwesenheit von Isopropyl-β-D-thiogalaktopyranosid (IPTG) effizient erhöht werden, indem man die Bakterienzellen gleichzeitig mit Kieselsäure inkubiert. Dieser Effekt konnte sowohl auf Ebene der Synthese des rekombinanten Proteins durch Western Blot als auch durch Immunfluoreszenzmikroskopie nachgewiesen werden. Das heterolog produzierte Silicatein besitzt enzymatische Aktivität und kann die Polymerisation von Kieselsäure katalysieren. Dies konnte sowohl durch Färbung mit Rhodamin123, als auch durch Reaktion der nicht polymerisierten, freien Kieselsäure mit dem ß-Silicomolybdato-Farbsystem (Silicomolybdänblau) nachgewiesen werden. Elektronenmikroskopische Untersuchungen zeigten, dass nur die silicateinexprimierenden Bakterien während des Wachstums in Anwesenheit von Kieselsäure eine viskose Hülle um Zelle herum bilden. Ebenfalls konnte gezeigt werden, dass Silicatein-α aus Suberites domuncula nach Transformation in E. coli an die Zelloberfläche dieser Zellen transportiert wurde und dort seine enzymatische Funktion beibehielt. Die Silicathülle wurde mittels Raster-Elektronenmikroskopie (REM) analysiert. Die Bakterien, die Silicatein exprimierten und poly(Silicat) an ihrer Oberfläche synthetisierten, zeigten die gleichen Wachstumsraten wie die Bakterien, die das Gen nicht enthielten. Schlussfolgernd lässt sich sagen, dass die silicateinvermittelte Verkapselung von Bakterien mit poly(Silicat) die Bandbreite der Anwendung von Bakterien für die Produktion von rekombinanten Proteinen verbessern, erweitern und optimieren könnte.

Investigation on possibility of survival and growth enhancing by selected seaweeds from Persian Gulf in post larvae shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

The use of antibiotics in aquaculture has been limited. Scientifics seeking for natural substitutes to prevent of aquatic animals diseases. Considering seaweeds are rich of nutritions and bioactive compounds, the purpose of this study is: investigation the potential and use possibility of native seaweeds from Persian Gulf in shrimp aquculture industry to improve growth, survival of postlarvae and to resistance against pathogens such as vibriosis. For this propose 7 macroalgae species from Bushehr province coast, inclouding: green algae (C. iyengarii), brown algae (S. angutifolium and S. ilicifolium) and red algae (L. snyderiae, K. alvarezii and G. corticata) were collected and identified. Then seaweed extracts abtained by Water, Ethanol, Methanol and Chloroform solvents by soaking method. In vitro antibacterial activity of extracts against Gr+ bacteria (S. aureus and B. subtilis) and Gr- bacteria (V. harveyi, V. alginolyticus and E. coli) was conducted by Agar diffusion, MIC and MBC methods. Antioxidant activity also by DPPH and EC50 methods was investigated. According to results of these two tests four seaweeds species (S. angutifolium, L. snyderiae, K. alvarezii and G. corticata) were selected for use in shrimp postlarvae (PL22) diets by Bio-Encapsulation (Artemia enrichment). Before of enrichment, toxicity effect of extracts to Artemia nauplii were evaluated by determination of LC50 24 h method. From results of this section Ethanol extracts were selected to bioencapsulation. After encapsulation shrimp postlarvae divided to 12 groups in triplicate, namely: C-, C+, S (200), S (400), S (600), L(200), L(400), L(600), G(300), G(600), K(300) and K(600). During 30 days of reared period C- and C+ use of basal diet and unenriched Artemia, but the other groups use of basal diet and enriched Artemia. Except C-, the shrimps in first day of culture put in 107 cfu/ml v. harveyi suspension for 30 minutes, and after water exchange 10 ml of this dose was added to reared aquaria. After 30 days survival percentage, obtained weight and SGR% were investigated. To evaluate vibrio loading, every 10 days 5 postlarvae were sampled randomly for vibrio count. Results showed that vibrio count in C- was less than the others and in C+ was more than the others. In treatments vibrio count in L(200) was the most and L(600) was the less. Survival rate in C- was the most and after that G(600) with 79.4±6.6% and then S(300) and K(600) were 73.3±7.3% and 70.6±6.6% respectively that were significantly compare the other (P < 0.01). Also the C+ was the less with 33.3±6.6% that difference was significant (P< 0.01). In this study growth parameters of all groups that fed by enriched Artemia were better than C+ (P<0.05). After cultre period 10 shrimp of every aquarium disinfected and reared for 10 days like before treatment. After 10 days the shrimps were challenged by 3×108 cfu/ml V. harveyi and mortality was recorded for 7 days. The all of animals in C- were survive but more than 90% of C+ were dead. And survival in all of treatments were better the C+ (P<0.05). The study showed the ethanol extracts of selected seaweed from Persian Gulf is a good source for growth, Survival and disease control in shrimp larviculture.