Fixation of bioactive compounds to the cuticle of Artemia

Abstract

Artemia is extensively used in aquaculture to feed early stages of cultured marine species. A problem associated with this practice is that Artemia fails to supply some essential nutrients. As a possible solution, we have devised a procedure to make Artemia a vehicle for exogenous nutrients and other bioactive compounds. It consists of the construction of chimeric proteins composed of a chitin-binding domain, which binds to the cuticle of Artemia, and a carrier domain that conveys a functional property. As confirmatory examples, we describe the successful fixation to Artemia's metanauplii of two hybrid proteins: a β-galactosidase from the thermophilic bacterium Thermotoga maritima and the jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP), both linked to the CBM2 chitin-binding domain from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus. Positive results of experiments carried out ex vivo and in vivo show the validity of this approach. The methodology used could become a general procedure for the attachment of different kinds of bioactive compounds, such as enzymes, hormones, antibiotics, etc., to the cuticle of Artemia as well as other arthropods. Statement of relevanceOur results overcome shortcomings of Artemia as a feedstock.