University Research Sharing: BAs Alleviate Lipid Deposition and Spare Protein in Hybrid Grouper
Author：Lachance
Time：2026-02-28
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In the current aquaculture industry, high-fat diets (HFD) are increasingly utilized due to their "protein-sparing" benefits. However, they frequently lead to excessive lipid deposition in the livers of Hybrid Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × E. lanceolatus), which hinders the industry's efforts to improve quality and efficiency. While it is known that BAs regulate lipid metabolism in terrestrial animals via FXR and TGR5 receptors, related research in fish remains scarce.
Dr. Xu Jia’s team from Guangdong Ocean University employed multi-omics and other advanced technologies to systematically investigate the mitigation mechanisms of BAs, providing both significant theoretical depth and industrial value.
The study cloned the full-length sequences of FXR and TGR5 in grouper and identified their characteristics for the first time. Through a series of feeding, cell, and intraperitoneal injection experiments, the core mechanism was revealed: BAs can reshape the gut microbiota and expand the BA pool, activate the FXR/TGR5 signaling pathways, inhibit lipogenesis, and promote lipolysis, effectively alleviating lipid deposition; the study further clarified that the optimal BA supplementation level in high-fat diets is 900mg·kg-1
This research offers significant contributions to the aquaculture sector: it resolves a key bottleneck in the application of high-fat diets, providing precise technical support for the efficient and healthy farming of grouper; It enriches the understanding of lipid metabolism in fish and serves as a vital reference for nutritional regulation in similar aquatic species.
Dr. Xu Jia of Guangdong Ocean University has been deeply engaged in the field of nutritional regulation of grouper and has led systematic research, filling the gap in the mechanisms of bile acids (BAs) regulating lipid metabolism in fish. The findings were published in the internationally renowned journal Aquaculture Reports, demonstrating her profound professional expertise and academic influence in the field of grouper aquaculture.
Xu, J. (2022). Investigation on the Mechanism of Bile Acids Regulated Lipid Deposition in the Liver of Hybrid Grouper via TGR5 and FXR.
