Bacillus cereus var. toyoi promotes growth, affects the histological organization and microbiota of the intestinal mucosa in rainbow trout fingerlings

In this preliminary study, we evaluated the effects of a gram-positive soil bacteria Bacillus cereus var. toyoi on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, intestinal morphology, and microbiota in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss fingerlings. Trout were maintained in a recirculation system and fed 2 diets: 1) a commercial trout feed deprived of the probiotic and 2) the same diet but with the spores of the probiotic bacteria dissolved in fish oil during the manufacturing of the feed (final concentration = 2 x 10(4) cfu/g). Each diet was tested in three 400-L cylindroconical tanks (125 fish per tank; initial density = 1.3 kg/m(3); 13.2 degrees C) for a period of 93 d. The probiotic-supplemented diet promoted growth, and the final mean BW and standard length in fish fed the probiotic were 3.4% and 2.1%, respectively, which was greater than the control group (P < 0.05). Fish fed the probiotic showed a more homogeneous distribution in the final BW, with a greater frequency of individuals around the modal of the normal distribution of the population. This result is of practical importance because homogenous production lots can improve rearing practices, reducing hierarchical dominance situations arising from individuals of larger sizes. In addition, the probiotic-supplemented diet increased the level of leukocyte infiltration in the lamina propria of the intestinal mucosa, the number of goblet cells (P < 0.010), and villi height (P < 0.001) but did not affect villi width. The administration of the probiotic changed the intestinal microbiota as indicated by 16S rDNA PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. In this sense, fish fed the probiotic formed a well-defined cluster composed of 1 super clade, whereas compared control fish had a greater degree of diversity in their gut microbiota. These changes in gut microbiota did not affect the specific activity of selected pancreatic and intestinal digestive enzymes. These results indicate that the inclusion of the probiotic bacteria in trout feeds could be beneficial for the host by enhancing its intestinal innate immune function and promoting growth.