Nucleotides are organic molecules that serve as the building blocks of nucleic acids such as DNA and RNA. They are essential for energy transfer and cell signalling. Fish meal and yeast products are full of nucleotides. Traditionally, nucleotides are not considered to be an essential nutrient because they can be produced endogenously under normal conditions via a salvage pathway.
However, in shrimp diets containing higher plant ingredients, the endogenous production of nucleotides may be insufficient to fulfill its demand in certain conditions such as infection, stress, or during rapid growth. Therefore, synthetic nucleotides such as AMP, IMP and GMP are usually supplemented to improve energy metabolism.
Nucleotides can improve hepatopancreas function and spare energy needed for de novo synthesis, redirecting it toward growth. Shrimp fed 0.2% nucleotides usually show10-15% higher weight gain.
Nucleotides can stimulate Toll-like receptors and activate pro-inflammatory cytokines to enhance disease resistance. In Vibrio challenging situation, adding 0.2% nucleotides reduced the mortality by 30%.
Nucleotides supplementation could support gill regeneration during ammonia/ osmotic stress. Adding 0.1% nucleotides was reported to achieve 50% higher survival rate after salinity swings.
In a recent trial conducted in Thailand, adding 0.5 g/kg nucleotides containing IMP, AMP, and GMP improved the body weight gain of Pacific white shrimp by 19% (1.73 g vs 2.06 g). The survival rate was increased by 6% (83.33% vs 89.58%)
A study compiled by our Redox Animal Nutritionists.