AUTHOR=Zhao Wei , Luo Hongjie , Zhu Wanqing , Yuan Xiaoqin , Shao Jianchun TITLE=Effects of Time-Dependent Protein Restriction on Growth Performance, Digestibility, and mTOR Signaling Pathways in Juvenile White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology VOLUME=12 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2021.661107 DOI=10.3389/fphys.2021.661107 ISSN=1664-042X ABSTRACT=

A 6-week feeding strategy experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of time-dependent protein restriction and subsequent recovery on shrimp. Diets with protein levels of 43 and 36% were used as adequate and restricted diets, respectively. Shrimp with an initial body weight of 6.52 ± 0.46 g were given four feeding strategies: feeding on an adequate diet for six weeks (T1, the control), having protein-restricted diet in weeks 1 and 4 (T2), being given a protein-restricted diet in weeks 1, 3, and 5 (T3), and having protein-restricted diet in weeks 1, 2, 4, and 5 (T4). WG, SGR, FE, and PER of shrimp in T1–T3 showed no significant difference (P > 0.05), these indicators of T4 were significantly reduced (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found in digestive enzyme activities of shrimp among all treatments (P > 0.05). Crude protein content of shrimp muscle in T4 was lower than that of T1–T3. The expression level of tor in T4 was lower than that in other treatments, while 4e-bp was higher than that of other treatments. To balance saving on feeding cost and growth performance, giving the shrimp a protein-restricted diet for 1 week with subsequent refeeding (T2 and T3) is suitable for shrimp under high-density conditions.