Gut Microbiota in Aquatic Animals Nutrition, Immunity, and Host–Microbe Interactions
A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbiology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2026 | Viewed by 16
Special Issue Editor
2. Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081 China
Interests: fish immunology; virus; AMPs; toxicology; cell lines; vaccines; aquaculture; biotechnology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Intestinal microbiota play a crucial role in aquatic animals' physiological processes, acting as a "second genome" that regulates nutrition, immunity, and overall health. By participating in energy metabolism, vitamin synthesis, and pathogen defense, gut microbes significantly influence host fitness and adaptation. Advances in high-throughput sequencing and metabolomics have deepened our understanding of host–microbiota relationships, yet key challenges remain—particularly in unraveling mechanistic pathways and developing effective microbial management strategies.
This Special Issue explores the interdisciplinary frontier of gut microbiota in aquatic animals, emphasizing the following:
- Nutrient utilization mechanisms shaped by microbial communities, enhancing metabolic efficiency;
- Microbial–immune system crosstalk, offering insights into disease resistance and probiotic applications;
- Resilience of gut ecosystems under environmental stressors, informing conservation and husbandry practices.
We welcome original research on topics such as host–microbe coevolution, functional probiotic screening, and multi-omics approaches to decode microbiota dynamics. Contributions may span wild or captive aquatic species, from invertebrates to vertebrates, providing a holistic perspective on microbial roles in aquatic ecosystems.
Prof. Dr. Qunlan Zhou
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- gut microbiota
- aquatic animal health
- host–microbe interactions
- functional probiotics
- immunomodulation
- nutrient metabolism
- multi-omics integration
- microbial ecology
- environmental adaptation
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
