Nisin Z Production by Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris WA2-67 of Aquatic Origin as a Defense Mechanism to Protect Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum) Against Lactococcus garvieae

Probiotics represent an alternative to chemotherapy and vaccination to control fish diseases, including lactococcosis caused by Lactococcus garvieae. The aims of this study were (i) to determine the in vitro probiotic properties of three bacteriocinogenic Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris of aquatic origin, (ii) to evaluate in vivo the ability of L. cremoris WA2-67 to protect rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum) against infection by L. garvieae, and (iii) to demonstrate the role of nisin Z (NisZ) production as an anti-infective mechanism. The three L. cremoris strains survived in freshwater at 18 °C for 7 days, withstood exposure to pH 3.0 and 10 % (v/v) rainbow trout bile, and showed different cell surface hydrophobicity (37.93-58.52 %). The wild-type NisZ-producer L. cremoris WA2-67 and its non-bacteriocinogenic mutant L. cremoris WA2-67 ∆nisZ were administered orally (10(6) CFU/g) to rainbow trout for 21 days and, subsequently, fish were challenged with L. garvieae CLG4 by the cohabitation method. The fish fed with the bacteriocinogenic strain L. cremoris WA2-67 reduced significantly (p < 0.01) the mortality (20 %) compared to the fish treated with its non-bacteriocinogenic knockout isogenic mutant (50 %) and the control (72.5 %). We demonstrated the effectiveness of L. cremoris WA2-67 to protect rainbow trout against infection with the invasive pathogen L. garvieae and the relevance of NisZ production as an anti-infective mechanism. This is the first report demonstrating the effective in vivo role of LAB bacteriocin (NisZ) production as a mechanism to protect fish against bacterial infection. Our results suggest that the wild-type NisZ-producer strain L. cremoris WA2-67 could be used in fish farming to prevent lactococcosis in rainbow trout.