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New Innovation Feeds the World With More Fish Protein

posted by mrpg on Thursday June 29 2017, @05:44AM   Printer-friendly
from the protein-is-good dept.

Phoenix666 writes:

One of the challenges to aquaculture is that reproduction, as an energy intensive endeavor, makes fish grow more slowly. To solve this problem, Prof. Berta Levavi-Sivan at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem identified tiny molecules named Neurokinin B (NKB) and Neurokinin F (NKF) that are secreted by the brains of fish and play a crucial role in their reproduction. Prof. Levavi-Sivan, a specialist in aquaculture at the Hebrew University's Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, then developed molecules that neutralize the effect of NKB and NKF. The molecules inhibited fish reproduction and consequently led to increased growth rates.

These inhibitors can now be included in fish feed to ensure better growth rates. For example, young tilapia fed the inhibitors in their food supply for two months gained 25% more weight versus fish that did not receive the supplement. So far, NKB has been found in 20 different species of fish, indicating that this discovery could be effective in a wide variety of species.

Piscine growth hormone.

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  • (Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday June 29 2017, @10:34AM

    by c0lo (156) Subscriber Badge on Thursday June 29 2017, @10:34AM (#532891) Journal

    Neurokinin B [wikipedia.org]

    During the ovarian cycle, GnRH secretion along with that of luteinizing hormone (LH) is highly regulated. This regulation occurs by a negative feedback system. Neurokinin B along with its sister peptides of the KNDy subpopulation regulate this feedback. The NK3R receptor group when activated with a synthetic agonist of NKB, senktide, has been shown to stimulate the secretion of luteinizing hormone.

    Seems that, like in the case of fish species, Neurokinin B delays ovulation. Remains to be seem if it promotes... mmm... growth (I hate the "does my butt looks big in this?" question).

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