An oil containing EPA and DHA from transgenic Camelina sativa to replace marine fish oil in feeds for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.): Effects on intestinal transcriptome, histology, tissue fatty acid profiles and plasma biochemistry

PLoS One. 2017 Apr 12;12(4):e0175415. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175415. eCollection 2017.

Abstract

New de novo sources of omega 3 (n-3) long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) are required as alternatives to fish oil in aquafeeds in order to maintain adequate levels of the beneficial fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic (EPA and DHA, respectively). The present study investigated the use of an EPA+DHA oil derived from transgenic Camelina sativa in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) feeds containing low levels of fishmeal (35%) and fish oil (10%), reflecting current commercial formulations, to determine the impacts on tissue fatty acid profile, intestinal transcriptome, and health of farmed salmon. Post-smolt Atlantic salmon were fed for 12-weeks with one of three experimental diets containing either a blend of fish oil/rapeseed oil (FO), wild-type camelina oil (WCO) or transgenic camelina oil (DCO) as added lipid source. The DCO diet did not affect any of the fish performance or health parameters studied. Analyses of the mid and hindgut transcriptomes showed only mild effects on metabolism. Flesh of fish fed the DCO diet accumulated almost double the amount of n-3 LC-PUFA than fish fed the FO or WCO diets, indicating that these oils from transgenic oilseeds offer the opportunity to increase the n-3 LC-PUFA in farmed fish to levels comparable to those found a decade ago.

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed*
  • Animals
  • Brassicaceae / chemistry*
  • Brassicaceae / genetics
  • Docosahexaenoic Acids / biosynthesis
  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid / biosynthesis
  • Fish Oils / chemistry
  • Fish Proteins / genetics
  • Fish Proteins / metabolism
  • Fisheries
  • Goblet Cells / cytology
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Intestines / cytology
  • Lipid Metabolism
  • Plant Oils / metabolism*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / chemistry*
  • Plants, Genetically Modified / genetics
  • Salmo salar / growth & development*
  • Salmo salar / metabolism
  • Transcriptome*

Substances

  • Fish Oils
  • Fish Proteins
  • Plant Oils
  • Docosahexaenoic Acids
  • Eicosapentaenoic Acid

Grants and funding

This project was funded by a Research Council of Norway-Havbruk Programme Award (project no. 245327) where 2.2% of the total project cost was met by the industrial partner. The Research Council of Norway had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. KM was employed by and received salary from the commercial partner BioMar AS, and contributed to the study design and preparation of the manuscript. No additional external funding was received for this study.