Physiological and metabolic responses of juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) to dietary hydrolyzed anchovy-cottonseed protein and amino acid supplementation.
- 2026-08
- Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part B, Biochemistry & molecular biology 285
- Ziqi Cao
- Yingying Lin
- Wei Li
- Long He
- Han Wang
- Luyu Sun
- Xiaodan Wang
- Liqiao Chen
- Erchao Li
- PubMed: 42055311
- DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2026.111238
Study Design
- Population
- juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)
- Methods
- 56-day feeding trial with dietary inclusion of coenzymatically hydrolyzed anchovy-cottonseed protein (HACP) at graded levels (5%, 10%, and 15%) with or without arginine and methionine supplementation
- Duration
- 56 days
- Funding
- Unclear
This study investigated the physiological and metabolic responses of juvenile Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) to dietary inclusion of coenzymatically hydrolyzed anchovy-cottonseed protein (HACP) with or without arginine and methionine supplementation. A 56-day feeding trial was conducted. Juvenile crabs were fed a control diet containing 15% fishmeal and experimental diets in which fishmeal was partially replaced by HACP at graded levels (5%, 10%, and 15%). Increasing dietary HACP levels significantly affected growth performance, feed intake, digestive enzyme activities, hepatopancreatic condition, and intestinal microbial composition. The 5% HACP inclusion maintained growth performance and protein utilization comparable to the control, whereas higher inclusion levels reduced feed intake and digestive enzyme activity, suggesting potential alterations in digestive enzyme activity and metabolic status. Arginine and methionine supplementation partially alleviated these effects by enhancing trypsin and lipase activities, reducing hepatopancreatic stress indicators, and improving antioxidant status, suggesting potential improvements in nutrient utilization and metabolic responses. Microbiota and metabolomic analyses further revealed coordinated shifts in intestinal microbial composition and metabolic pathways associated with amino acid, lipid, and energy metabolism. Overall, these findings indicate that dietary HACP influences physiological function through integrated effects on digestion, metabolism, and microbiome-metabolome interactions, and highlight the role of amino acid balance in mediating metabolic response under altered dietary protein composition.