Diets containing sea cucumber (Isostichopus badionotus) meals are hypocholesterolemic in young rats

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The use of lactic acid bacteria isolated from intestinal tract of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), as growth promoters in fish fed low protein diets

In this study, the effect as growth promoter of five lactic acid strains (Enterococcus faecium, E. durans, Leuconostoc sp., Streptococcus sp. I and Streptococcus sp. II), isolated from intestinal tract of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), was evaluated. Eight isocaloric diets were formulated: one containing 40% of protein as positive control, and seven with 27% protein. Five diets with 27% protein were supplemented with one of the isolated lactic acid bacteria in a concentration of 2.5x10(6) cfu g-1 of diet. A commercial probiotic based on S. faecium and Lactobacillus acidophilus was added at the same concentration to one 27% protein diet as a comparative diet, and the last diet was not supplemented with bacteria (negative control). Tilapia fry (280 mg basal weight) stocked in 15 L aquaria at a density of two per liter were fed for 12 weeks with experimental diets. Results showed that fry fed with native bacteria supplemented diets presented significantly higher growth and feeding performance than those fed with control diet. Treatment with Streptococcus sp. I isolated from the intestine of Tilapia produced the best growth and feeding efficiency, suggesting that this bacteria is an appropriate native growth promoter

Distribución geográfica actual de Procambarus (Austrocambarus) llamasi (Cambaridae) en la Península de Yucatán

There are two species of astacids of the genus Procambarus reported for the Yucatan Peninsula: Procambarus pilosimanus (Villalobos, 1955) and Procambarus llamasi (Villalobos, 1955). P. pilosimanus was only found in Quintana Roo, while P. llamasi is present from south Veracrzu to Campeche. This research was carried out with 129 collecting sites to determine P. llamasi distribution in the three states of the Yucatan Peninsula. In the present study P. llamasi was also found in Quinatana Roo, but P. pilosimanus was not collected in any of the sampling sites. At the northern region of Yucatan and Quintana Roo small number of organism were collected as it is  karstic area. High number of organism were easily found in the south part of Yucatan Peninsula where less permeable soils exist. The distribution of P. llamasi depend on the rainy season (July - October). It was difficult to collect them during the dry season (January - June) as part of its burying adaptation made it hard to found.Se conocen dos especies de astácidos del género Procambarus en la península de Yucatán: Procambarus polisimanus (Villalobos, 1995) y Procambarus llamasi (Villalobos, 1995). La primera fue registrada para el Estado de Quintana Roo, mientras que P. llamasi presenta una distribución del sur de Veracruz hasta el sur de Campeche. A partir del estudio de 129 sitios de colecta se determinó la presencia de Procambarus llamasi en los tres Estados de la Península de Yucatán. Se recolecto en Quintana Roo, donde no se había registrado anteriormente y sólo había registros de P. pilosimanus. En el norte de Yucatán y Quintana Roo, una zona cárstica, se recolectó un bajo número de ejemplares de P. llamasi, mientras que en el sur se facilitó su recolecta dado la menor permeabilidad de los suelos. La distribución de P. llamasi depende de los arrastres ocasionados durante la época de lluvias (julio a octubre). Difícilmente se le puede encontrar durante la época de secas (enero a junio) debido a su adaptación de enterramiento y deslizamiento entre las piedras

Comparative Transcriptomes of the Body Wall of Wild and Farmed Sea Cucumber Isostichopus badionotus

Overfishing of sea cucumber Isostichopus badionotus from Yucatan has led to a major population decline. They are being captured as an alternative to traditional species despite a paucity of information about their health-promoting properties. The transcriptome of the body wall of wild and farmed I. badionotus has now been studied for the first time by an RNA-Seq approach. The functional profile of wild I. badionotus was comparable with data in the literature for other regularly captured species. In contrast, the metabolism of first generation farmed I. badionotus was impaired. This had multiple possible causes including a sub-optimal growth environment and impaired nutrient utilization. Several key metabolic pathways that are important in effective handling and accretion of nutrients and energy, or clearance of harmful cellular metabolites, were disrupted or dysregulated. For instance, collagen mRNAs were greatly reduced and deposition of collagen proteins impaired. Wild I. badionotus is, therefore, a suitable alternative to other widely used species but, at present, the potential of farmed I. badionotus is unclear. The environmental or nutritional factors responsible for their impaired function in culture remain unknown, but the present data gives useful pointers to the underlying problems associated with their aquaculture