Evaluation of candidate probiotic strains for gilthead sea bream larvae (Sparus aurata) using an in vivo approach.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of six bacterial strains on gilthead sea bream larvae (Sparus aurata).


RESULTS
Six bacterial strains isolated from well-performing live food cultures were identified by sequencing fragments of their 16s rDNA genome to the genus level as Cytophaga sp., Roseobacter sp., Ruergeria sp., Paracoccus sp., Aeromonas sp. and Shewanella sp. Survival rates of gilthead sea bream larvae transferred to seawater added these bacterial strains at concentrations of 6 +/- 0.3 x 10(5) bacteria ml(-1) were similar to those of larvae transferred to sterilized seawater and showed an average of 86% at 9 days after hatching, whereas, survival rates of larvae transferred to filtered seawater were lower (P < 0.05), and showed an average of 39%, 9 days after hatching.


CONCLUSIONS
Several bacterial strains isolated from well-performing live food cultures showed a positive effect for sea bream larvae when compared with filtered seawater.


CONCLUSIONS
The approach used in this study could be applied as an in vivo evaluation method of candidate probiotic strains used in the rearing of marine fish larvae.
Makridis
P
P
Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro, Portugal. makridis@ualg.pt
Martins
S
S
Vercauteren
T
T
Van Driessche
K
K
Decamp
O
O
Dinis
M T
MT
D000333:Aeromonas / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017756:Aquaculture / Q000379:methods; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D003589:Cytophaga / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020459:Genes, rRNA / Q000235:genetics; D010230:Paracoccus / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D019936:Probiotics; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics; D041904:Roseobacter / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D021541:Sea Bream / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D020592:Shewanella / Q000145:classification / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014871:Water Microbiology
D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S