Widespread episodic thiamine deficiency in Northern Hemisphere wildlife

Lennart Balk; Per-Åke Hägerroth; Hanna Gustavsson; Lisa Sigg; Gun Akerman; Yolanda Ruiz Muñoz; Dale C. Honeyfield; Ulla Tjarnlund; Kenneth Oliveira; Karin Strom; Stephen D. McCormick; Simon Karlsson; Marika Strom; Mathijs van Manen; Anna-Lena Berg; Halldór P. Halldórsson; Jennie Stromquist; Tracy K. Collier; Hans Borjeson; Torsten Morner; Tomas Hansson

doi:10.1038/srep38821

Widespread episodic thiamine deficiency in Northern Hemisphere wildlife

Scientific Reports

By: Lennart Balk, Per-Åke Hägerroth, Hanna Gustavsson, Lisa Sigg, Gun Akerman, Yolanda Ruiz Muñoz, Dale C. Honeyfield, Ulla Tjarnlund, Kenneth Oliveira, Karin Strom, Stephen D. McCormick, Simon Karlsson, Marika Strom, Mathijs van Manen, Anna-Lena Berg, Halldór P. Halldórsson, Jennie Stromquist, Tracy K. Collier, Hans Borjeson, Torsten Morner, and Tomas Hansson

https://doi.org/10.1038/srep38821

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Abstract

Many wildlife populations are declining at rates higher than can be explained by known threats to biodiversity. Recently, thiamine (vitamin B₁) deficiency has emerged as a possible contributing cause. Here, thiamine status was systematically investigated in three animal classes: bivalves, ray-finned fishes, and birds. Thiamine diphosphate is required as a cofactor in at least five life-sustaining enzymes that are required for basic cellular metabolism. Analysis of different phosphorylated forms of thiamine, as well as of activities and amount of holoenzyme and apoenzyme forms of thiamine-dependent enzymes, revealed episodically occurring thiamine deficiency in all three animal classes. These biochemical effects were also linked to secondary effects on growth, condition, liver size, blood chemistry and composition, histopathology, swimming behaviour and endurance, parasite infestation, and reproduction. It is unlikely that the thiamine deficiency is caused by impaired phosphorylation within the cells. Rather, the results point towards insufficient amounts of thiamine in the food. By investigating a large geographic area, by extending the focus from lethal to sublethal thiamine deficiency, and by linking biochemical alterations to secondary effects, we demonstrate that the problem of thiamine deficiency is considerably more widespread and severe than previously reported.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Widespread episodic thiamine deficiency in Northern Hemisphere wildlife
Series title	Scientific Reports
DOI	10.1038/srep38821
Volume	6
Year Published	2016
Language	English
Publisher	Nature
Contributing office(s)	Leetown Science Center
Description	Article 38821; 13 p.
First page	1
Last page	13
Google Analytic Metrics	Metrics page