Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Volume 106, Issue 29, Pages 12001-12006Publisher
NATL ACAD SCIENCES
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0902903106
Keywords
alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase; avian; extinction; transketolase
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Funding
- Signhild Engkvists Stiftelse
- Stiftelsen Olle Engkvist Byggmastare
- Vanerns vattenvardsforbund
- Stockholm Vatten
- Sormlands Sparbank
- Stockholm County Council
- County Administrative Board of Sodermanland
- Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
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Wild birds of several species are dying in large numbers from an idiopathic paralytic disease in the Baltic Sea area. Here, we demonstrate strong relationships between this disease, breeding failure, and thiamine (vitamin B(1)) deficiency in eggs, pulli, and full-grown individuals. Thiamine is essential for vertebrates, and its diphosphorylated form functions as a cofactor for several life sustaining enzymes, whereas the triphosphorylated form is necessary for the functioning of neuronal membranes. Paralyzed individuals were remedied by thiamine treatment. Moreover, thiamine deficiency and detrimental effects on thiamine-dependent enzymes were demonstrated in the yolk, liver, and brain. We propose that the mortality and breeding failure are part of a thiamine deficiency syndrome, which may have contributed significantly to declines in many bird populations during the last decades.
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