Spore-Forming Lactic Acid Bacteria Probiotics Successfully Reduced the Mortality of Cultured Fishes
January 8, 2025
Mitsubishi Chemical Group and Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University (Nara City, Nara Prefecture, Japan) demonstrated that a spore-forming lactic acid bacteria probiotic, Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK70258*1 (hereinafter referred to as H. coagulans), increased the number of goblet cells involved in the reinforcement of the mucosal barrier in red sea bream and reduced mortality.*2 The study results*3 were published in the November 22, 2024 issue of “Frontiers in Aquaculture.”
【Significance of this article】
The fish culture industry contributes to sustainable food production and is gaining in importance all over the world. However, controlling mortality from infections is still a huge challenge for the fish culture industry. The outcome of this study suggests the potential of H. coagulans to increase immune function as a solution to this challenge.
【Key points of this article】
・Consumption of H. coagulans improves the survival rate of red sea bream
・Consumption of H. coagulans increases the number of goblet cells that secrete mucin*4
【Overview of the study】
Lactobacilli are known to have a wide variety of functions as effective microorganisms and unlike other common lactobacillus, spore-forming H. coagulans is resistant to acid and heat, thereby allowing it to survive the trip to the intestine where it can germinate and grow. In this study, we examined whether consumption of H. coagulans had an impact on the improvement of immune function and survival in fishes.
During the study, 45-day-old red sea bream were divided into two groups, H. coagulans group (H. coagulans was fed) and control group (no H. coagulans was fed), and bred for 63 days. The obtained results indicated that the survival rate was significantly higher in the H. coagulans group than in the control group during the study. It was also made clear that in association with these changes, the red sea bream in the H. coagulans group had significantly more goblet cells producing mucins playing a role in intestinal immunity and mucosal barrier function than those in the control group.
As evident from the above, the consumption of H. coagulans increased the number of goblet cells and induced enhanced immunity, suggesting its potential to increase the survival rate.
【Members of the study group in this article】
・Food & Healthcare Group, Wellness Technology Dept., Technology Strategy Div. Advanced Solutions Domain, Specialty Materials Business Group, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
Ryouichi Yamada, section leader
Masanori Aida, principal scientist
・Major in Fishery Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University
Shuji Shirakashi, Master's Program (2nd Year) (at the time of the research)
・Amami Station, Aquaculture Research Institute, Kindai University
Ryuichiro Aoki, research associate
・Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, Kindai University
Yasuhisa Kobayashi, associate professor
Akito Taniguchi, lecturer
H. coagulans
*1 Heyndrickxia coagulans（Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK70258）
Heyndrickxia coagulans is a spore-forming lactic acid bacteria discovered by Professor Ooki Nakayama (Professor Emeritus of University of Yamanashi) in 1949 and has been used as a probiotic over the years. It has the ability to survive stomach acid and reach the intestine alive. It has been reported that H. coagulans improves bowel movements, alleviates cold-like symptoms, and improves the condition of the skin in humans. H. coagulans has also been reported to contribute to somatic growth, antiinflammation, and infection control in livestock. The scientific name for Bacillus coagulans was changed to Weizmannia coagulans in 2020 and Heyndrickxia coagulans in 2023, and Bacillus coagulans SANK70258 and Weizmannia coagulans SANK70258 are the same strains as Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK70258.
*2 Mortality
Sudden death from infection or other causes.
*3 Information on the article
Title: Exploring spore-forming lactic acid bacterium Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK70258 as a promising probiotic for red sea bream (Pagrus major)
Authors: Shuji Shirakashi, Ryuichiro Aoki, Yasuhisa Kobayashi, Masanori Aida, Ryouichi Yamada, Akito Taniguchi
Journal title: Frontiers in Aquaculture
Linked page: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aquaculture/articles/10.3389/faquc.2024.1450537/full
*4 Mucin
The main component of mucus secreted by the gastrointestinal tract or trachea, playing a role in protecting the host from pathogenic bacteria and infections
【Significance of this article】
The fish culture industry contributes to sustainable food production and is gaining in importance all over the world. However, controlling mortality from infections is still a huge challenge for the fish culture industry. The outcome of this study suggests the potential of H. coagulans to increase immune function as a solution to this challenge.
【Key points of this article】
・Consumption of H. coagulans improves the survival rate of red sea bream
・Consumption of H. coagulans increases the number of goblet cells that secrete mucin*4
【Overview of the study】
Lactobacilli are known to have a wide variety of functions as effective microorganisms and unlike other common lactobacillus, spore-forming H. coagulans is resistant to acid and heat, thereby allowing it to survive the trip to the intestine where it can germinate and grow. In this study, we examined whether consumption of H. coagulans had an impact on the improvement of immune function and survival in fishes.
During the study, 45-day-old red sea bream were divided into two groups, H. coagulans group (H. coagulans was fed) and control group (no H. coagulans was fed), and bred for 63 days. The obtained results indicated that the survival rate was significantly higher in the H. coagulans group than in the control group during the study. It was also made clear that in association with these changes, the red sea bream in the H. coagulans group had significantly more goblet cells producing mucins playing a role in intestinal immunity and mucosal barrier function than those in the control group.
As evident from the above, the consumption of H. coagulans increased the number of goblet cells and induced enhanced immunity, suggesting its potential to increase the survival rate.
【Members of the study group in this article】
・Food & Healthcare Group, Wellness Technology Dept., Technology Strategy Div. Advanced Solutions Domain, Specialty Materials Business Group, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
Ryouichi Yamada, section leader
Masanori Aida, principal scientist
・Major in Fishery Science, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kindai University
Shuji Shirakashi, Master's Program (2nd Year) (at the time of the research)
・Amami Station, Aquaculture Research Institute, Kindai University
Ryuichiro Aoki, research associate
・Department of Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture, Kindai University
Yasuhisa Kobayashi, associate professor
Akito Taniguchi, lecturer
H. coagulans
*1 Heyndrickxia coagulans（Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK70258）
Heyndrickxia coagulans is a spore-forming lactic acid bacteria discovered by Professor Ooki Nakayama (Professor Emeritus of University of Yamanashi) in 1949 and has been used as a probiotic over the years. It has the ability to survive stomach acid and reach the intestine alive. It has been reported that H. coagulans improves bowel movements, alleviates cold-like symptoms, and improves the condition of the skin in humans. H. coagulans has also been reported to contribute to somatic growth, antiinflammation, and infection control in livestock. The scientific name for Bacillus coagulans was changed to Weizmannia coagulans in 2020 and Heyndrickxia coagulans in 2023, and Bacillus coagulans SANK70258 and Weizmannia coagulans SANK70258 are the same strains as Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK70258.
*2 Mortality
Sudden death from infection or other causes.
*3 Information on the article
Title: Exploring spore-forming lactic acid bacterium Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK70258 as a promising probiotic for red sea bream (Pagrus major)
Authors: Shuji Shirakashi, Ryuichiro Aoki, Yasuhisa Kobayashi, Masanori Aida, Ryouichi Yamada, Akito Taniguchi
Journal title: Frontiers in Aquaculture
Linked page: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aquaculture/articles/10.3389/faquc.2024.1450537/full
*4 Mucin
The main component of mucus secreted by the gastrointestinal tract or trachea, playing a role in protecting the host from pathogenic bacteria and infections
