Transcriptional response of immune-related genes in Litopenaeus vannamei cultured in recirculating aquaculture systems with elevated CO2

This short-term study evaluated the effect of non-lethal high CO2 concentration on the transcriptional response of immune-related genes of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) cultured in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Two experimental groups were created: high CO2 (47.67±2.04 mg L−1) and low CO2 (2.0±1.93 mg L−1). Shrimp of 8.85±1.20 g were placed randomly at a density equivalent to 100 individuals m−3 and were monitored at 6, 12, 18, and 24 h. The transcriptional response of immune-related genes was analyzed by qPCR. Gene expression of hemocyanin, prophenoloxidase, and heat shock protein 60 was downregulated at 24 h, suggesting affectations on oxygen transportation, melanization, and protein functioning of L. vannamei under high CO2 concentrations. Also, gene up-regulation of lipopolysaccharide- and ß-glucan-binding protein and cytosolic manganese superoxide dismutase can impair the bacterial recognition and antioxidant defense of shrimp exposed to high CO2 concentrations. These results suggest that concentration at about 47 mg L−1 of CO2 can significantly influence the transcriptional response modulation of immune-related genes.

Implementation and Evaluation of Open-Source Hardware to Monitor Water Quality in Precision Aquaculture.

Precision aquaculture is a new field that allows farmers to have better control over aquaculture processes, facilitating decision-making and improving efficiency. The implementation and evaluation of a low-cost water-quality monitoring system based on open-source hardware, which is easy to rebuild for scientific applications, is reported in this paper. The proposed system measures temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pH, taking records and sending information through a wireless protocol (ZigBee) to a graphical user interface which can display information numerically and graphically, as well as simultaneously storing the information in a database. These variables are very important for aquaculture, as they have a direct influence on critical culture parameters such as growth and survival. Although it is a low-cost system, it offers good quality data and demonstrates efficiency for its use in precision aquaculture.