Location: Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research
Project Number: 8082-32000-007-005-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 20, 2021
End Date: Sep 19, 2025
Objective:
Genetic techniques will be used to characterize mechanisms of Flavobacterium virulence and identify potential strategies to control bacterial disease in rainbow trout aquaculture.
Approach:
Flavobacterium columnare and F. psychrophilum are common pathogens of farmed freshwater fishes including rainbow trout. However, host-pathogen interactions are poorly understood and measures to control these pathogens need improvement.
Previously-identified proteins secreted by these pathogens that are potential virulence factors and the genes that encode these proteins have been specifically targeted using gene deletion. In this project we will analyze the resulting gene deletion mutants to determine whether the capacity to infect and cause disease has been disrupted. Information obtained from these studies will increase our knowledge of virulence mechanisms and identify potential control strategies.
