Bacillus spp. have emerged as key microbial tools for advancing sustainable aquaculture. Their spore-forming capacity ensures resilience during feed processing and under environmental conditions, and their metabolic versatility enables improving host health and growth performance, as well as water quality. Within aquaculture, Bacillus spp. are widely applied as probiotics in both feed and water, as producers of bioactive enzymes and antimicrobial compounds, and as innovative platforms for biotechnological solutions (e.g., antigen delivery, bioremediation).
The growing demand for antibiotic-free, eco-friendly aquaculture has increased global interest in Bacillus-based solutions. Recent advances in genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics have broadened our understanding of strain-specific traits and functional mechanisms, emphasizing their potential as safe, multi-functioning probiotics. However, despite these promising advancements, turning laboratory success into consistent field performance remains challenging. Issues include high strain variability, limited understanding of host–microbe and microbe–microbe interactions, incomplete formulation optimization, and regulatory uncertainties. Additionally, there continues to be a gap between mechanistic research and scalable applications that can deliver reliable results across different species and production systems.
This Research Topic aims to consolidate emerging knowledge on Bacillus spp. applications in aquaculture, advance understanding of their modes of action and benefits, and identify clear pathways for effective and reproducible implementation; ultimately bridging the gap between experimental success and practical practice to support sustainable aquatic food production. We invite studies that address: - Rigorous strain characterization and selection criteria to identify promising candidates. - Mechanistic insights linking Bacillus spp. bioactivities (e.g., production of secondary metabolites and enzymes, immune modulation, competitive exclusion) to host health and microbiota dynamics. - Formulations and delivery of innovative technologies that preserve Bacillus spp. viability and functional activity during feed processing and under farm conditions. - Comprehensive safety and risk assessments, including horizontal gene transfer and environmental impacts. - Pilot and/or field trials demonstrating reproducible benefits under real production settings. By integrating multidisciplinary research (e.g., microbiology, biotechnology, and aquaculture production), this Research Topic aims to provide a clear roadmap for researchers, feed manufacturers, and aquaculture producers to adopt Bacillus-based solutions that improve fish and shellfish health and productivity while improving environmental sustainability.
This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, systematic reviews, short communications, and perspectives.
Submissions may address, but are not limited to: Bacillus spp. isolation and genomic/phenotypic characterization; in vitro and in vivo efficacy studies; elucidation of Bacillus spp. modes of action (metabolomics, secretome, enzyme activities); interactions with host microbiomes and immune systems; formulation, and stability under processing and storage; biotechnological innovations; environmental applications (bioaugmentation, bioremediation); safety and regulatory assessments; and pilot trials across aquaculture species and production systems.
Prospective contributors are encouraged to highlight studies’ relevance, reproducibility, and scalability in their cover letters.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Data Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Opinion
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
