Expression of the PEPT1, CAT, SOD2 and GPX1 genes in the zebrafish intestine supplemented with methionine dipeptide under predation risk

This study evaluated the effect of methionine supplementation, predation risk and their interaction on gut histology, whole-body cortisol levels, and intestinal gene expression in zebrafish. A total of 360 one-year-old animals were maintained under two environmental conditions and fed diets containing different methionine sources. Fish were fed either a control diet (CTL, without methionine supplementation), a diet supplemented with dl-methionine (DLM), or a diet supplemented with methionine dipeptide (MM) in the absence (AP) of a predator or in the presence of the predator (PP) for 48 h or 20 days. Predator-induced stress for 20 days resulted in lower body weight. Zebrafish fed methionine-supplemented diets had higher weight gain than control fish. We found no effect of predation stress or methionine supplementation on cortisol level. Predation risk and methionine supplementation showed no interaction effect on dipeptide transporter gene expression. After 48 h of predation pressure, zebrafish had higher mRNA expression of SOD2, CAT and GPX1 in the gut. After 20 days of exposure to the predator, zebrafish fed methionine-supplemented diets had lower expression of GPX1, SOD2 and CAT than those diet CTL. Methionine dipeptide and free methionine supplementation improved growth, intestinal health and survivability of zebrafish both conditions.