A differential proteomic approach to assess the effects of chemotherapeutics and production management strategy on giant tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon

The intensification of shrimp farming has been related to the increasing use of chemotherapeutics and potentially suboptimal rearing conditions. For the purpose of assessing the stress level of cultured giant tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon, a proteomic analysis (2D-DIGE) was performed on hemolymph. On the one hand, shrimp were exposed for 7 days to the antibiotics enrofloxacin or furazolidone via feed (4 g kg−1) under laboratory conditions. On the other hand, shrimp were submitted to enrofloxacin directly in field conditions in Vietnam, for which two different culture systems were distinguished (intensive and improved extensive). No significant different protein abundance pattern was induced by antibiotics under laboratory conditions, while only one protein spot displayed a 1.53-fold reduction in intensity after exposure to enrofloxacin in improved extensive ponds. When we compared the proteome of shrimp bred either in intensive or in improved extensive system, we observed 9 protein spots displaying significant difference in abundance. Among them, 3 spots of hemocyanin were under-expressed in shrimp from improved extensive ponds. At the opposite 2 spots corresponding to Sarcoplasmic Calcium-binding Protein (SCP) were less abundant in hemolymph of shrimp from intensive ponds. These results demonstrate that the very subtle effects of tested antibiotics on patterns of hemolymph protein expression are overwhelmed by the effects of conditions encountered in different production management systems, such as different oxygen and nitric concentrations.