Pyrosequencing-based characterization of gastrointestinal bacteria of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) within a commercial mariculture system

• Published in: Journal of Applied Microbiology
• Main Authors: Zarkasi, KZ, Abell, GCJ, Taylor, RS, Neuman, C, Hatje, E, Tamplin, ML, Katouli, M, Bowman, JP
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2014
• Subjects: Biological Sciences; Microbiology; Bacteriology; Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.12514; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24698479; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/92926

Aims: The relationship of Atlantic salmon gastrointestinal (GI) tract bacteriato environmental factors, in particular water temperature within a commercialmariculture system, was investigated. Methods and Results: Salmon GI tract bacterial communities commerciallyfarmed in south-eastern Tasmania were analysed, over a 13-month periodacross a standard commercial production farm cycle, using 454 16S rRNA-basedpyrosequencing. Faecal bacterial communities were highly dynamic butlargely similar between randomly selected fish. In postsmolt, the faecal bacteriapopulation was dominated by Gram-positive fermentative bacteria; however,by midsummer, members of the family Vibrionaceae predominated. As fishprogressed towards harvest, a range of different bacterial genera became moreprominent corresponding to a decline in Vibrionaceae . The sampled fish werefed two different commercial diet series with slightly different protein, lipidand digestible energy level; however, the effect of these differences wasminimal. Conclusions: The overall data demonstrated dynamic hind gut communitiesin salmon that were related to season and fish growth phases but were lessinfluenced by differences in commercial diets used routinely within the farmsystem studied. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study provides understanding offarmed salmon GI bacterial communities and describes the relative impact ofdiet, environmental and farm factors.