Identification of intestinal bacteria from Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) and their ability to digest chitin

Aims: The aim of the present study was to clarify the taxonomic status of intestinal bacteria isolated from Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) and describe their ability to digest chitin. Methods and Results: Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) sequences showed that 82 representative isolates were closely related to three major species of marine vibrios, Vibrio scophthalmi-Vibrio ichthyoenteri group (41 isolates), Vibrio fischeri (39 isolates) and Vibrio harveyi (two isolates), with similarities of 97.2-99.8%, 96.4-100% and 98.6-99.5% respectively. These findings indicate that V. scophthalmi-V. ichthyoenteri group is indigenous to the intestinal tract of Japanese flounder. Moreover, the ability of 82 isolates to digest chitin was examined using the agar plate method and PCR amplification of the chiA gene. The two V. harveyi isolates and 36 of 41 V. scophthalmi-V. ichthyoenteri isolates digested chitin and were chiA PCR positive, whereas all 39 V. fischeri isolates digested chitin but were chiA PCR negative. Conclusions: Intestinal bacteria from Japanese flounder were mainly composed of Vibrio scophthalmi-V. ichthyoenteri group and V. fischeri. Taken together, the results showed that 81 of 82 isolates could digest chitin. However, only 38 of these isolates possessed a chiA homologue which could be identified by PCR. Significance of Impact of the Study: The present study shows that Japanese flounder harbours bacteria of the V. scophthalmi-V. ichthyoenteri group, and these results are similar to what has been found for turbot (Scophthalmus maximus).