Olfactory and gustatory response of goldfish (Carassius auratus) to amino acids: effects on tissue distribution and gene expression of appetite regulating hormones

• Grant number: 18/22703-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• Start date: May 01, 2019
• End date: April 30, 2020
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Physiology of Organs and Systems
• Principal Investigator: José Eurico Possebon Cyrino
• Grantee: Rafael Estevan Sabioni
• Supervisor: Helene Volkoff
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN), Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 15/23796-0 - Fishmeal replacement for soybean protein concentrate in dourado (Salminus brasiliensis) and pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) feeding: zootechnical, physiological and molecular aspects, BP.PD

Abstract

Aquaculture has grown considerably worldwide in last decades, but it faces the challenging problem of overcoming the economic and environmental impacts of fish meal, the main protein source in fish feed. Plant based diets alternatives are being studied, but the lack of palatability of vegetable protein sources to fish represents an obstacle. Fish have a developed sensory system for olfaction and tasting and, for being important in fish energetic metabolism, amino acids have a role as food attractants. Food consumption is thus influenced by gustatory and olfactory sensory stimuli that are regulated by appetite-regulating hormones, produced in both the brain and peripheral tissues. Little is known about how the lack of palatability in vegetable sources might affect appetite regulating hormones release and gene expression levels. The objectives of this research are to access food intake and the gene expression levels of appetite regulating hormones in goldfish fed with pellets containing different levels of amino acids and after olfactory stimulation by solutions of free amino acids. This study may provide valuable information that might lead to the development of more effective food attractants and better feeding levels in aquaculture fish. (AU)