Understanding Tenacibaculum virulence factors to control the disease in farmed fish

enacibaculum is a bacterial pathogen causing skin ulcers and tissue degradation in farmed fish. Despite the fact that the economic losses due to these infections are significant, very little is known about the pathogenicity mechanisms of the species or its virulence factors. Moreover, attempts to create efficacious vaccines have been challenging, in part due to difficulties in culturing the species in large scales. In this project, we aim at establishing methods for large-scale cultivation of Tenacibaculum strains, and are using genome sequencing, proteomics, bioinformatics and recombinant DNA techniques and protein expression to detect and study potential key virulence factors. Using fish cell cultures as in vitro infection models, we then aim at increasing the understanding of how Tenacibaculum uses these factors to infect and damage fish skin and tissue.

The fish-pathogenic species Tenacibaculum is notorious for causing skin ulcers and tissue degradation in farmed fish. Despite the fact that the economic losses due to these infections are significant, almost nothing is known about the pathogenicity mechanisms of the species or its virulence factors. Moreover, attempts to create whole-cell vaccines have failed so far, in part due to difficulties in culturing the species in large scales. In this project, we will establish protocols for the large-scale cultivation of Tenacibaculum strains, and will use genome sequencing, proteomics, bioinformatics and recombinant DNA techniques and protein expression to detect and study key virulence factors. Using fish cell cultures as in vitro infection models, we will increase the understanding of how Tenacibaculum uses these factors to infect and damage fish skin and tissue. The project partners SINTEF, University of Oslo and Memorial University of Newfoundland holds the complementary expertise and infrastructure necessary to fulfil the challenging tasks of the proposed project. Furthermore, involvement of important stakeholders is secured through the association of Pharmaq and Pharmaq Analytiq in the project reference group.