Fishing for the right probiotic: Investigating the mechanism of mucosal-bacterial interactions at the interface of health and productivity in salmonid aquaculture
Abstract
Aquaculture is vital for the global food supply, but the high incidence of infectious diseases threatens the industry’s productivity. The intestinal mucosa is a key port of entry for pathogens and provides an extensive interface for host-microbe interactions. Tight junctions are at the core of gut barrier function and the mucosal health of finfish. Disruption of these complexes gives rise to sepsis, which leads to systemic inflammation and death. The present study employs a combinatorial approach that integrates in vitro and in vivo analyses to gain actionable insights into the mechanism of microbial-mediated modulation of host health. The experiments outlined in chapters 2 and 3 examine the suitability of several candidate probiotics for promoting gut barrier function, immunity, and mitigating the deleterious effects of the highly virulent aquatic pathogen Vibrio anguillarum. These studies demonstrate the importance of investigating the mechanism underlying host-microbe and microbe-microbe interactions for maximizing salmonid health.