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Preparing for migration? The effects of photoperiod and exercise on muscle oxidative enzymes, lipid transporters, and phospholipids in white-crowned sparrows.

Preparing for migration? The effects of photoperiod and exercise on muscle oxidative enzymes, lipid transporters, and phospholipids in white-crowned sparrows.

Authors :
Price ER
McFarlan JT
Guglielmo CG
Source :
Physiological and biochemical zoology : PBZ [Physiol Biochem Zool] 2010 Mar-Apr; Vol. 83 (2), pp. 252-62.
Publication Year :
2010

Abstract

The extreme energetic demands of avian migration result in various physiological changes that can be observed during the migratory period. However, the degree to which birds alter muscle physiology in advance of migration has been poorly studied. We studied the effects of "migratory" photoperiod and exercise on metabolic enzymes, fatty acid transporter mRNA expression, and muscle phospholipid fatty acid composition in captive white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys). Ten sparrows were held on short photoperiod (8L:16D) for 58 d then switched to long days (16L:8D) for 3 wk before sampling. Increased nightly activity indicated that the birds were indeed in migratory condition. Another 13 birds were held on short days during the entire experiment, and a subset (5) were exercised for 1 h every other day for the last 2 wk. "Migratory" photoperiod did not change the activities of citrate synthase, carnitine palmitoyl transferase, and 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase or the expression of FAT/CD36, FABPpm, and H-FABP mRNA in pectoralis muscle, suggesting that these cannot be increased in advance of migratory flight. Docosahexaenoic acid increased in pectoralis muscle phospholipids with exercise but was negatively correlated with catabolic enzyme activity, indicating that the presence of this fatty acid may not aid migratory performance as suggested by other studies.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1537-5293
Volume :
83
Issue :
2
Database :
MEDLINE
Journal :
Physiological and biochemical zoology : PBZ
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
20078207
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1086/605394