Discovering mechanisms of fatty acid nutrition in fish for aquaculture sustainability

到2050年，全球人口预计将超过90亿，作为食物来源的海洋资源面临的压力将对我们的环境和健康构成挑战。我们的海洋提供独特的omega-3 （n-3）长链多不饱和脂肪酸（LC-PUFA），它在脊椎动物的生理功能中起着至关重要的作用。鱼类通常是我们n-3 LC-PUFA的主要饮食来源，我们现在的大部分海鲜都是通过水产养殖生产的。然而，环境可持续性、海洋资源利用和气候变化等方面的挑战威胁着水产养殖中n-3 LC-PUFA的生产。传统上，养殖鱼的饲料由鱼粉和鱼油组成，从海洋渔业中收获。这为鱼提供了n-3 LC-PUFA的来源；然而，依靠有限的野生鱼类供应是不可持续的。此外，n-3 LC-PUFA受到气候变化的威胁，因为它们最适合在较冷的水域生产。气候变化对水产养殖造成的外部压力有可能进一步影响饲料的营养质量，特别是n-3 LC-PUFA，以及鱼类的代谢。从生理学、生态学和水产养殖的角度来看，了解鱼类如何改变和适应生物化学和代谢，以适应其饮食的基本变化是很重要的。我的项目的长期目标是在水产养殖的背景下了解和发现鱼类脂肪酸营养和代谢的新过程。这项工作对于从养殖鱼类中生产可持续供应的n-3 LC-PUFA至关重要，同时有效利用我们的海洋资源。总体目标是了解外部因素，如有限的必需营养素和气候变化，对养殖鱼类的生长和代谢的影响。这项发现基金有三个目标，重点关注鱼类中的n-3 LC-PUFA。目的1)发现替代鱼油的n-3 LC-PUFA的新来源，并了解其对鱼类生长、代谢和n-3 LC-PUFA储存的影响。目的2)了解和改进鱼体内n-3 LC-PUFA的合成。目的3)了解气候变化如何影响鱼类的营养资源和营养代谢。

With the global population expected to surpass nine billion by 2050, pressure on our ocean resources as a source of food will challenge both our environment and our health. Our oceans uniquely supply the omega-3 (n-3) long chain- polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) that have critical roles in the physiological functioning of vertebrates. Fish are typically our main dietary source of n-3 LC-PUFA, and the majority of our seafood is now produced through aquaculture. However, challenges concerning environmental sustainability, use of marine resources, and climate change threaten the production of n-3 LC-PUFA in aquaculture. Farmed fish were traditionally fed diets composed of fish meal and oil, harvested from marine fisheries. This supplied the fish with a source of n-3 LC-PUFA; however, reliance on the limited supply of wild fish is unsustainable. Further, n-3 LC-PUFA are threatened by climate change because they are optimally produced in colder waters. External pressures on aquaculture due to climate change have potential to further impact nutritional quality of feeds, especially n-3 LC-PUFA, as well as fish metabolism. Understanding how fish can change and adapt biochemically and metabolically to fundamental shifts in their diet is important from physiological, ecological, and aquaculture perspectives.The long-term goal of my program is to understand and discover novel processes in fatty acid nutrition and metabolism in fish, in the context of aquaculture. This work is critical toward producing a sustainable supply of n-3 LC-PUFA from farmed fish, while using our ocean resources effectively. The overall objective is to understand the impacts of external factors, such as limited essential nutrients and climate change, on the growth and metabolism of farmed fish. This Discovery grant has three objectives that focus on the n-3 LC-PUFA in fish.Objective 1) Discover novel sources of n-3 LC-PUFA to replace fish oil, and to understand the impact on growth, metabolism, and n-3 LC-PUFA storage in fish. Objective 2) Understand and improve n-3 LC-PUFA synthesis in fish. Objective 3) Understand how climate change may impact nutritional resources, and nutrient metabolism in fish.