Response of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) intestinal microbiota to commercial probiotic application

Probiotics have emerged as promising alternatives to antibiotics for maintaining the health of the Chinese mitten crab (CMC, Eriocheir sinensis). However, the efficacy of probiotic application in CMC culture ecosystems remains uncertain. Intestinal microbiota is often as comprehensive indicators of aquatic animal health, but the effects of probiotics on CMC intestinal microbiota remain poorly understood. In this study, we used 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to investigate the mechanisms underlying the changes of the intestinal microbial communities following short-term probiotic application in CMC culture. Our data showed there was poor probiotic colonization in the intestines of pond-cultured CMCs. The short-term application of probiotics had no significant impact on the alpha-diversity for the microbial communities; however, it significantly changed the beta-diversity. Remarkably, the probiotics promoted butanoate metabolism of the CMC intestinal microbiota. According to network analysis, the microbiome of the CMC intestine manifested rapid responses to probiotic application, and cooperation between intestinal microbial communities may have been enhanced. Taken together, our results provide preliminary insights into the roles of probiotics in the CMC intestinal microbial ecosystem.