Induction of Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90 in formalin exposed white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) stress test

Exposure to formalin was investigated as possible stress tests for evaluating the quality of white shrimp (L. vannamei) PLs. For the formalin stress test, PL10 was stocked in 300 ml cup with seawater of 0 (control), 300, and 600 mg/L formalin for the solution test. The PLs from the same batches were used for seed production to monitor their performance and validate the results of stress tests. Exposure of post larvae to 600 mg/L formalin for 3 hr appeared to be a reliable and practical method for post-larval quality assessment as the survival of larvae in the mass production tanks validated the classification of good and poor qualities batches in the stress tests. On this basis, a hatchery operator can decide which batch should be cultured further. Finally, there appears to be a link between the mortality of PLs and the expression of heat shock proteins. HSP are a highly conserved protein sequence available in the prokaryotic and eukaryotic organism that is known for its rapid response to environmental stresses. During the formalin stress test, the Hsp60 showed the highest expression in comparison with Hsp70 and Hsp90.