Effect of spectral composition on growth, oxidative stress responses, and apoptosis-related gene expression of the shrimp, Penaeus vannamei

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of spectral composition on growth, oxidative stress responses, and apoptosis-related gene expression of the shrimp, Penaeus vannamei. Shrimps (wet weight 10.02 ± 0.59 g) were maintained at six different spectral compositions (full spectrum, peak at 400–800 nm; blue, peak at 445 nm; green, peak at 510 nm; yellow, peak at 590 nm; red, peak at 645 nm; and dark) in triplicate tanks for 30 days. After 30 days, shrimps were weighed and sampled to obtain haemolymph, eyestalk and hepatopancreas tissues which were used for analyses of biochemical parameters and genes expression. The results showed that blue light treatment obviously enhanced the growth performance and suppressed the mortality (P < 0.05). In haemolymph, the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase and alkaline phosphatase of shrimps in the blue and green group were significantly higher than those in the other groups (P < 0.05). In eyestalk and hepatopancreas, red light treatment resulted in up-regulation of apoptosis related genes (Bcl 2, p53, cytochrome c, caspase 3, and caspase 8) mRNA levels (P < 0.05). Also, the expression levels of these genes in the eyestalk of shrimps in the blue, green, and yellow groups were obviously lower than levels in the other groups (P < 0.05). The results of this study indicate that spectral composition can affect shrimp growth and oxidative stress physiology, and blue light were most suitable for P. vannamei health. Moreover, this information would help to understand the spectral components in shrimp farming and their relation with stress response and health status in shrimp.