Effect of graded levels of taurine on growth performance and Ptry expression in the tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) postlarvae

Abstract

The effect of graded levels of dietary taurine on growth, enzyme activities and pretrypsinogen (Ptry) mRNA expression in the tongue sole postlarvae was evaluated in this study. Four microdiets supplemented with 0 (T0), 5 (T0.5), 10 (T1.0) or 20 (T2.0) g kg−1 taurine were prepared. These diets were fed to the postlarvae with an average initial body dry weight of 3.32 ± 0.06 mg for 28 days. Survival and growth performance of the tongue sole postlarvae were significantly (P < 0.05) influenced by dietary taurine. Survival rate of fish fed with 20 g kg−1 dietary taurine was significantly lower than other treatments. The growth of fish initially increased with increasing dietary taurine level and then decreased. Postlarvae fed with 10 g kg−1 dietary taurine showed the best growth performance. Trypsin activities showed a significant increase with increasing dietary taurine level and then reached a plateau, while amylase activities and alkaline phosphatase activities increased in the start with increasing dietary taurine and then decreased. Ptry mRNA expression was stimulated by dietary taurine. Excessive dietary taurine (20 g kg−1) had adverse effects on survival, growth, digestive enzyme activities of the experimental fish. The suggested dietary taurine supplementation in microbound diets was 10 g kg−1 for the tongue sole postlarvae.