Ontogeny changes and weaning effects in gene expression patterns of digestive enzymes and regulatory digestive factors in spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus) larvae

The study of digestive physiology is an important issue in species that have been introduced in aquaculture like the spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus). The aims of this study were to describe the expression of digestive enzymes (trypsinogen, chymotrypsinogen, α-amylase, lipoprotein lipase, phospholipase A and pepsinogen) and their relation with orexigenic (neuropeptide Y, NPY) and anorexigenic (cholecystokinin, CCK) factors during the larval development and to evaluate the effect of weaning in their expression. The results showed that the transcripts of all the assayed digestive enzymes, with the exception of pepsinogen, and NPY and CCK were already present in L. guttatus from the hatching stage. The expression of all the enzymes was low during the yolk-sac stage (0-2 days after hatching, DAH), whereas after the onset of exogenous feeding at 2 DAH, their expression increased and fluctuated throughout larval development, which followed a similar pattern as in other marine fish species and reflected changes in different types of food items and the progressive maturation of the digestive system. On the other hand, weaning of L. guttatus larvae from live prey onto a microdiet between 25 and 35 DAH significantly affected the relative expression of most pancreatic digestive enzymes during the first weaning days, whereas chymotrypsinogen 2 and lipoprotein lipase remained stable during this period. At the end of co-feeding, larvae showed similar levels of gene expression regardless of the diet (live prey vs. microdiet), which indicated that larvae of L. guttatus were able to adapt their digestive capacities to the microdiet. In contrast, feeding L. guttatus larvae with live feed or microdiet did not affect the expression of CCK and NPY. The relevance of these findings with regard to current larval rearing procedures of L. guttatus is discussed.

Development of digestive enzyme activity in spotted rose snapper, Lutjanus guttatus (Steindachner, 1869) larvae

We describe digestive enzyme activity during the larval development of spotted rose snapper, Lutjanus guttatus. Trypsin, chymotrypsin, leucine aminopeptidase, pepsin, amylase, lipase, and acid and alkaline phosphatase activities were evaluated using spectrophotometric techniques from hatching through 30 days. The spotted rose snapper larvae present the same pattern of digestive enzyme activity previously reported for other species in which pancreatic (i.e., trypsin, chymotrypsin, amylase, and lipase) and intestinal (i.e., acid and alkaline phosphatases and leucine aminopeptidase) enzymatic activities are present from hatching allowing the larvae to digest and absorb nutrients in the yolk-sac and live prey by the time of first feeding. The digestive and absorption capacity of the spotted rose snapper increases during the larval development. A significant increase in individual activity of all enzymes occurs at 20 DAH, and around 25 DAH, the juvenile-type of digestion is observed with the appearance of pepsin secreted by the stomach, suggesting that maturation of the digestive function occurs around 20-25 DAH. Our results are in agreement with a previous suggestion that early weaning may be possible from 20 DAH. However, the patterns of enzymatic activities reported in our study should be considered during the formulation of an artificial diet for early weaning of the spotted rose snapper.