This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of enzyme-treated soy protein (ETSP) supplementation in the low-protein diet on growth performance, digestive and absorptive capacities, and related signaling molecules' gene expressions in juvenile Jian carp. The results showed that percent weight gain (PWG), specific growth rate (SGR), and feed intake (FI) were decreased by reducing dietary protein from 34 to 32% (P < 0.05). Supplying low-protein diet with optimal ETSP increased previously mentioned indices of juvenile Jian carp (P < 0.05), which also had no significant difference with the high-protein diet (34%CP) (P > 0.05). Compared with the low-protein diet, appropriate ETSP supplementation in the low-protein diet increased (P < 0.05) (1) the trypsin, lipase, and amylase activities in the hepatopancreas; (2) cholecystokinin concentration in the proximal intestine; (3) the γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), and Na+/K+-ATPase activities in all intestinal segments; and (4) the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of trypsin, lipase, and amylase in hepatopancreas and γ-GT in the mid (MI) and distal (DI) intestine, alkaline phosphatase in MI, and Na+/K+-ATPase and target of rapamycin in all intestinal segments. At the same time, appropriate ETSP supplementation in the low-protein diet downregulated the mRNA levels of AKP in the DI and eIF4E-binding protein 2 in all intestinal segments (P < 0.05). In conclusion, adding 10 g ETSP/kg diet in the low-protein diet can restore the growth performance and digestive and absorptive abilities to the levels in group with 34% dietary protein. Supplementation of optimal ETSP in the low-protein diet enhanced the digestive and absorptive abilities and regulated the signaling molecules related to the TOR signaling pathway.
Keywords: Digestive and absorptive capacity; Enzyme-treated soy protein; Save protein.