Reports of the beneficial health effects of some peptides have begun to make their way into the scientific literature. Peptides can act as immunomodulators, and have been shown to have a positive influence on calcium absorption, and on regulation of serum cholesterol. A number of peptides may also possess antimicrobial properties that enhance the b

This book is a collection of comprehensive and latest information on all aspects of vaccination in fish and shellfish. It provides the basic understanding about the immune system of both fish and crustaceans, besides giving the latest information on adjuvants, vaccine delivery methods, adverse effects of vaccines and methods to assess the efficacy of vaccines. Separate chapters on the role of pattern recognition receptors and interferons in fish vaccination, biofilm vaccines and biosafety and regulatory requirements for fish vaccines are also included. Aquaculture, being the fastest growing food producing industry in the world, is looked upon for alleviating the malnutrition especially among the under privileged population. However, intensive aquaculture practices have led to increased incidences of diseases and significant production losses. Among various health management measures employed in aquaculture, vaccination has been proven to be the best approach to protect fish against pathogens. It is considered to be safe and is a key factor for sustainable aquaculture. In this background, apart from the basic understanding of fish and shellfish immune system, updated knowledge on various types of vaccines and the vaccination strategies currently employed in aquaculture are also covered. The book is designed to provide the latest and comprehensive knowledge on all these aspects as a compiled resource material which is useful to students, researchers and other professionals in the field of aquaculture.

The papers included in this Special Issue "Bioactive Molecules from Extreme Environments" provide an overview of the growing interest in species biodiversity, highlighting the importance of marine extreme environments as sources of a unique marine chemical diversity of molecules. It is worth noting that six articles in this Special Issue are focused on molecules and enzymes isolated from Antarctica. This means that there is a growing interest in this habitat, most probably due to being perceived as an important source of drug discovery. In fact, the unique environment and ecological pressures of marine polar regions might be the major drivers of a selection of unique biological communities that are able to biosynthesize new compounds with diverse biological activities. It is expected that, in the near future, more marine molecules from polar regions, as well as from other extreme habitats, will find their way into biomedical and biotechnological applications.