title: The bacterial storage compound poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate protects Artemia franciscana from pathogenic Vibrio campbellii.
abstract: Infections caused by antibiotic-resistant luminescent Vibrios can cause dramatic losses in aquaculture. In this study, the short-chain fatty acid beta-hydroxybutyrate and its polymer poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate were investigated as possible new biocontrol agents. beta-Hydroxybutyrate was shown to completely inhibit the growth of pathogenic Vibrio campbelli at 100 mM. Moreover, the addition of 100 mM of this fatty acid to the culture water of Artemia nauplii infected with the V. campbelli strain significantly increased the survival of the nauplii. As Artemia is a non-selective and particle filter feeder, we also investigated whether poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate particles could be used to protect Artemia from the pathogenic V. campbellii. The addition of 100 mg l(-1) poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate or more to the Artemia culture water offered a preventive and curative protection from the pathogen as a significantly enhanced survival was noticed. If added as a preventive treatment, a complete protection of infected nauplii (no significant mortality compared with uninfected nauplii) was observed at 1000 mg l(-1) poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate. Our data indicate that the use of poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate might constitute an ecologically and economically sustainable alternative strategy to fight infections in aquaculture.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Defoirdt
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Halet
authors.forename: Han
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Vervaeren
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boon
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Van de Wiele
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sorgeloos
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bossier
authors.forename: Willy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Verstraete
mesh_terms: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture; D001156:Artemia / Q000382:microbiology*; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002479:Inclusion Bodies / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011091:Polyesters / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014733:Vibrio / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates
chemical_list: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid; D006885:Hydroxybutyrates; D011091:Polyesters; C003182:poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate; D000094122:Polyhydroxybutyrates