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Antimicrobial Peptides in Fish: Mechanisms of Action and Applications in Aquaculture
by
, and
Fan Zhou
1, 
Leyi Zhou
1,
Pengfei Wang
2,
Mariano Elisio
3,
Sally Salaah
4,
Bakhtiyor Karimov
5,* and
Quanquan Cao
1,*
1
Fisheries College Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
2
Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhejiang Academic of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
3
Instituto Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo Pesquero, Mar del Plata B7602HSA, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina
4
National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF), Cairo 11796, Egypt
5
Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers, National Research University, Tashkent 100000, Uzbekistan
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Biology 2026, 15(10), 790; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology15100790 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 5 March 2026
/
Revised: 7 April 2026
/
Accepted: 10 April 2026
/
Published: 15 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pathology and Physiology Insights in Animals)
Simple Summary
This study systematically reviews fish-derived AMPs’ classification, tissue distribution, and extraction/synthesis techniques with respective pros and cons. It elucidates fish AMPs’ dual mechanisms: direct antibacterial and immune regulation. It highlights fish AMPs’ aquaculture applications: disease control, aquatic product preservation, and low-resistance antibiotic alternatives.
Abstract
With the rapid development of global aquaculture, the frequent occurrence of fish diseases has had a serious impact on the efficiency of aquaculture and the ecological environment. Antimicrobial peptides, as a kind of natural immune active substance existing in organisms, participate in innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Due to their extensive antibacterial properties and low toxicity, they have gradually become a hot topic in scientific research. This article reviews the classification, tissue distribution, mechanism of action, extraction, and synthesis techniques of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) derived from fish, as well as their applications in disease prevention in aquaculture, product preservation, and antibiotic substitution. Although antimicrobial peptides are expected to become alternatives to antibiotics, challenges such as environmental stability, production costs, and regulatory frameworks remain to be addressed. This article holds that antimicrobial peptides derived from fish are a feasible strategy for sustainable aquaculture. The future development direction lies in biotechnology-driven optimization, carrier innovation, and combined application with traditional antibiotics.
