Frontiers in Nutrition (Jun 2021)

Effect of Dietary Tryptophan on Growth, Intestinal Microbiota, and Intestinal Gene Expression in an Improved Triploid Crucian Carp

  • Yawei Fu,
  • Yawei Fu,
  • Xiaoxiao Liang,
  • Xiaoxiao Liang,
  • Donghua Li,
  • Hu Gao,
  • Yadong Wang,
  • Yadong Wang,
  • Wenting Li,
  • Kang Xu,
  • Kang Xu,
  • Fangzhou Hu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.676035
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8

Abstract

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Tryptophan (Trp) has received increasing attention in the maintenance of intestinal function. In this study, improved triploid crucian carp (ITCC) fed diets containing 6.35 g kg−1 Trp had higher average daily gain (ADG) and improved villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) in the intestine compared to the control group. To elucidate the potential mechanisms, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to investigate changes in the intestinal transcriptome and 16S rRNA gene sequencing to measure the intestinal microbiota in response to 6.35 g kg−1 Trp feeding in ITCC. Dietary Trp altered intestinal gene expression involved in nutrient transport and metabolism. Differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) were highly enriched in key pathways containing protein digestion and absorption and the AMPK signaling pathway. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that 6.35 g kg−1 Trp significantly increased the abundance of the genus Cetobacterium, and the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio at the phylum level (P < 0.05). In addition, bacterial richness indices (Simpson index) significantly increased (P < 0.05) community evenness in response to 6.35 g kg−1 Trp. In conclusion, appropriate dietary Trp improves the growth performance, and influences the intestinal flora of ITCC. This study might be helpful to guide the supply of dietary exogenous Trp in ITCC breeding.

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