Nutrition and Temperature Regulate the Expression of Heart-Type Fatty Acid Binding Protein Gene in Golden Pompano Larvae (Trachinotus ovata, Limmaeus, 1758)

This study examined the regulation of nutrition and temperature on the expression of heart-type Fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) gene in golden pompano to understand importance of protein development in fish larvae. Firstly, H-FABPs expression during ontogeny of larvae in the first 18 days after hatching was tested, and then the responses of H-FABPs to temperature (23, 26 and 29°C) on 12-days post hatching (DPH) and 18 DPH were compared. On 18 DPH, the response of H-FABPs to the manipulation of nutrients was evaluated. The expression of H-FABPs increased after transition to endogenous feeding, and was significantly affected by temperature. The expression of H-FABP at 23 and 26°C was higher than at 29°C on 12 DPH, and the expression of H-FABP at 29°C was higher than at other temperatures on 18 DPH, suggesting that H-FABP expression is determined by both temperature and fish age. The expression of H-FABP on 18 DPH was highest when Algamac 3080 enriched Artemia nauplii were fed to fish and lowest when fish were fed with Nannochloropsis sp. enriched Artemia nauplii. The correlation analysis between the expression of H-FABP and fatty acids shows that the ratio of fatty acids is more important than the relative quantity of single fatty acid in regulating the expression of H-FABP at the early stage of fish larvae. This study indicates that changes in environmental temperature and feed type influence H-FABP expression, growth and survival of golden pompano in early lif