Characterizing Sources of Thiaminase in Great Lakes Food Webs: Assessing De Novo Production of Thiaminase by Fish

Grant: # 1073

Grant Amount: $351,864.00

Board Decision Year: 2009

Oregon State University - Office of Post Award Administration (Corvallis)

Office of Post Award Administration

Heppell, Scott ([email protected]) 541-737-1086

GLFT - Ecosystem Health and Sustainable Fish Populations-D - Ecological and biological fisheries research to inform management

Project Details

Thiamine Deficiency Complex (TDC), caused by thiaminase in the diet, adversely affects reproduction in Great Lakes lake trout, resulting in fry mortality. Thiaminase in prey may come from thiaminase-producing bacteria or may be produced de novo by the fish themselves. Preliminary data indicate that thiaminase-producing bacteria Paenibacillus thiaminolyticus are undetectable in some alewife with high thiaminase activity. Oregon State University used genetic and biochemical approaches to determine if alewife produce thiaminase de novo.