Microbial profiling of Penaeus indicus developmental stages using culture-independent molecular approach

Colonization of gut microbes is an essential and crucial process in the early developmental stages of an animal. The establishment of healthy microbiota will determine the health status of the host in later stages. Microbiota associated with the early life stages of Penaeus monodon and P. vannamei is well documented. Here we have examined the bacterial community associated at egg, nauplii, zoea, mysis, PL1, PL6 and PL12 stages of P. indicus. The bacterial profiles varied significantly in each stage, however Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Firmicutes, Actinibacterota and Verrucomicrobiota were the top 5 bacterial phyla associated with all the stages in different proportions