High-throughput sequencing-based analysis of bacterial communities associated with the gut microbiota of Indian and Pacific white shrimps

Abstract

White shrimps, Penaeus vannamei and Penaeus indicus are important species for brackishwater aquaculture diversification in India. Intestinal microbiota strongly influences the overall physiological processes of aquatic organisms. This study investigates the gut bacterial composition of two economically important penaeid shrimps, employing 16S rRNA gene highthroughput sequencing. The α-diversity indices of P. vannamei showed increased richness compared to P. indicus. The β- diversity indices showed strong clustering based on the host phylogeny. A total of 29 phyla were found in P. vannamei where Proteobacteria was the top phyla followed by Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Fusobacteria, while the gut of P. indicus harboured 23 major phyla where Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria are the major phyla. The analysis showed that the gut microbiota of P. vannamei and P. indicus varied significantly, indicating the role of host species in shaping the gut microbiota. The study provides valuable information to devise species specific intervention strategies to enhance health and production in aquaculture.