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Growth-promoting effects of sustained swimming in fingerlings of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.)

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Abstract

Fish growth is strongly influenced by environmental and nutritional factors and changing culture conditions can help optimize it. The importance of early-life experience on the muscle phenotype later in life is well known. Here, we study the effects of 5 weeks of moderate and sustained swimming activity (5 BL s−1) in gilthead sea bream during early development. We analysed growth and body indexes, plasma IGF-I and GH levels, feed conversion, composition [proximate and isotopic (15N/13C)] and metabolic key enzymes (COX, CS, LDH, HOAD, HK, ALAT, ASAT) of white muscle. Moderate and continuous exercise in fingerlings of gilthead sea bream increased plasma IGF-I, whereas it reduced plasma GH. Under these conditions, growth rate improved without any modification to feed intake through an increase in muscle mass and a reduction in mesenteric fat deposits. There were no changes in the content and turnover of muscle proteins and lipid reserves. Glycogen stores were maintained, but glycogen turnover was higher in white muscle of exercised fish. A lower LDH/CS ratio demonstrated an improvement in the aerobic capacity of white muscle, while a reduction in the COX/CS ratio possibly indicated a functional adaptation of mitochondria to adjust to the tissue-specific energy demand and metabolic fuel availability in exercised fish. We discuss the synergistic effects of dietary nutrients and sustained exercise on the different mitochondrial responses.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Carlos Mazorra from Tinamenor S. L. and the personnel from the facilities at the School of Biology for the maintenance of the fish. We thank Pilar Teixidor and Pilar Rubio from the “Centre Científic i Tecnològic” (CCIT-UB) for valuable help during isotopic analyses. A.M.C and E.J.V. are supported by a predoctoral fellowship from the “Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación” (MICINN) and A.M.P. by a fellowship from the University of Barcelona (APIF-2012). This study was supported by the projects from the MICINN AGL2012-39768, and the “Xarxa de Refèrencia d’R+D+I en Aqüicultura” and the SGR2009-00402 from the “Generalitat de Catalunya”. The English version has been corrected by the Language Advisory Service of the University of Barcelona.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departament de Fisiologia i Immunologia, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal, 643, 08028, Barcelona, Spain

    Josefina Blasco, A. Moya, A. Millán-Cubillo, E. J. Vélez, E. Capilla, J. Gutiérrez & J. Fernández- Borrás

  2. Instituto de Acuicultura Torre de la Sal (IATS-CSIC), Castellón, Spain

    J. Pérez-Sánchez

Authors
  1. Josefina Blasco
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  2. A. Moya
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  3. A. Millán-Cubillo
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  4. E. J. Vélez
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  5. E. Capilla
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  6. J. Pérez-Sánchez
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  7. J. Gutiérrez
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  8. J. Fernández- Borrás
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Correspondence to Josefina Blasco.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

The experiments complied with the Guidelines of the European Union Council (86/609/EU), the Spanish Government (RD 1201/2005) and the University of Barcelona (specific ethics approval number for the protocol was CEEA-96/09) for the use of laboratory animals.

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Communicated by G. Heldmaier.

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Blasco, J., Moya, A., Millán-Cubillo, A. et al. Growth-promoting effects of sustained swimming in fingerlings of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.). J Comp Physiol B 185, 859–868 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-015-0933-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-015-0933-5

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