Abstract:
Feeding aquatic animals with bacterial encapsulated heat shock proteins (Hsps) is potentially a new
method to combat Vibriosis, an important disease affecting aquatic animals used in aquaculture. In
this study, food pellets containing Escherichia coli over-expressing either DnaK-DnaJ-GrpE, the
prokaryotic equivalents of Hsp70-Hsp40-Hsp20 (pellet P3+), or only DnaK (pellet YS2+), were
prepared and the viability of bacteria on the pellets was determined. Maintaining pellets at different
temperatures for varying lengths of time reduced the number of live adhering E. coli, as did contact
with seawater, demonstrating that storage and immersion adversely affected bacterial survival and
attachment to pellets. Thus, freshly coated pellets were fed to Penaeus vannamei juveniles and
protection against pathogenic Vibrio harveyi was determined weekly for 1 month, work that included
verification of their immune status upon bacterial Hsp uptake.
