Unveiling the Bacterial Community across the Stomach, Hepatopancreas, Anterior Intestine, and Posterior Intestine of Pacific Whiteleg Shrimp

• Published in: Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 34; no. 6; pp. 1260 - 1269
• Main Authors: Chaudhary, Dhiraj Kumar, Kim, Sang-Eon, Park, Hye-Jin, Kim, Kyoung-Ho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) 한국미생물·생명공학회 28.06.2024
• Subjects: Animals; Aquaculture; Bacteria - classification; Bacteria - genetics; Bacteria - isolation & purification; Biodiversity; DNA, Bacterial - genetics; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Hepatopancreas - microbiology; Intestines - microbiology; Penaeidae - microbiology; Phylogeny; Republic of Korea; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S - genetics; Stomach - microbiology; 생물학; Republic of Korea; aquaculture; bacterial community; Pacific whiteleg shrimp; gastrointestinal tract; gut microbiome
• ISSN: 1017-7825; 1738-8872
• DOI: 10.4014/jmb.2403.03039

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract of shrimp, which is comprised of the stomach, hepatopancreas, and intestine, houses microbial communities that play crucial roles in immune defense, nutrient absorption, and overall health. While the intestine's microbiome has been well-studied, there has been limited research investigating the stomach and hepatopancreas. The present study addresses this gap by profiling the bacterial community in these interconnected GI segments of Pacific whiteleg shrimp. To this end, shrimp samples were collected from a local aquaculture farm in South Korea, and 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed. The results revealed significant variations in bacterial diversity and composition among GI segments. The stomach and hepatopancreas exhibited higher Proteobacteria abundance, while the intestine showed a more diverse microbiome, including Cyanobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, and Verrucomicrobia. Genera such as , , , , and dominated the intestine, while , , and prevailed in the stomach and hepatopancreas. It is particularly notable that , which is associated with nitrate reduction and pollutant degradation, was prominent in the hepatopancreas. Overall, this study provides insights into the microbial ecology of the Pacific whiteleg shrimp's GI tract, thus enhancing our understanding of shrimp health with the aim of supporting sustainable aquaculture practices.