Global study of probiotic effect on gut microbial communities in fish larvae

Authors: Abernathy, Jason

Submitted to: National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI)
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/21/2016
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The goal of this project was to test the long term effects of early microbial colonization on fish gut microbiota composition. To do so, axenically raised tilapia larvae were either reared under conventional conditions in activated suspension tanks (AST) or first exposed to a single strain probiotic (Bacillus subtilis) for one week, before conventionalized in the AST. Microbial characterization was assessed between treatments by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons, detailed as follows. Barcoded amplicons from the V4 region of 16S rRNA genes were generated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using 515F and 806R primers in 50 microliter reactions. PCR was performed under the following cycling parameters: 98 degrees Celsius for 30 s, followed by 25 cycles consisting of denaturation at 98 degrees Celsius for 10 s, annealing at 56 degrees Celsius for 10 s, and elongation at 72 degrees Celsius for 10 s, and a final extension at 72 degrees Celsius for 7 min. PCR products were purified, separated on an agarose gel and bands visible at approximately 300 base pair (bp) were excised and purified. DNA concentrations were measured with a fluorometer. Using an Illumina Genome Analyzer IIx, 100 bp paired-end sequences were generated. Sequencing data is made available for the public at the NCBI SRA under the accession number SRP062681.