Summary
The flight muscles of the gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) were examined to determine if short term adjustments occur in the activity of key catabolic enzymes during preparation for long distance migration. The aerobic capacity of the pectoralis muscle as indicated by citrate synthase activity (CS) is among the highest reported for skeletal muscle (200 μmoles [min·g fresh mass]−1 at 25°C). The mass specific aerobic capacity as indicated by CS activity or cytochromec concentration does not change during premigratory fattening (Fig. 2) or in relation to the muscle hypertrophy that occurs concomitantly. The maintenance of mass specific aerobic capacity indicates that the total aerobic capacity increases in proportion to the increase in muscle size. The augmented potential for total aerobic power output is considered an adaptation to meet the increased power requirements of flight due to the increased body mass. Additionally, the capacity to oxidize fatty acids, as indicated by β-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity, approximately doubles during premigratory fattening (from 35 to 70 μmoles [min·g fresh mass]−1 at 25°C; Fig. 1A). This adaptation should favor fatty acid oxidation, thereby sparing carbohydrate and prolonging endurance. The activity of phosphofructokinase, a key glycolytic enzyme, does not change before migration.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
Abbreviations
- CPT :
-
carnitine palmitoyl transferase
- CS :
-
citrate synthase
- HOAD :
-
β-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase
- PFK :
-
phosphofructokinase
References
Alp PR, Newsholme EA, Zammit VA (1976) Activities of citrate synthase and NAD+-linked and NADP+-linked isocitrate dehydrogenase in muscle from vertebrates and invertebrates. Biochem J 154:689–700
American Ornithologists' Union Committee on Classification and Nomenclature (1957) Checklist of North American birds. Lord Baltimore Press, Baltimore, MD
Andersen P, Henriksson J (1977) Capillary supply of the quadriceps femoris muscle of man: adaptive response to exercise. J Physiol (London) 270:677–690
Baldwin KM, Cheadle WG, Martinez OM, Cooke DA (1977) Effect of functional overload on enzyme levels in different types of skeletal muscle. J Appl Physiol 42:312–317
Bass A, Brdiczka D, Eyer P, Hofer S, Pette D (1969) Metabolic differentiation of distinct muscle types at the level of enzymatic organization. Eur J Biochem 10:198–206
Beenakkers AMT (1969) Carbohydrate and fat as fuel for insect flight: a comparative study. J Insect Physiol 15:353–361
Beenakkers AMT, Dewaide JH, Henderson PT, Lutgerhorst A (1967) Fatty acid oxidation and some participating enzymes in animal organs. Comp Biochem Physiol 22:675–682
Berger M, Hagg SA, Goodman MM, Ruderman NB (1976) Glucose metabolism in perfused skeletal muscle: effects of starvation, diabetes, fatty acids, acetoacetate, insulin, and exercise on glucose uptake and disposition. Biochem J 158:191–202
Bergström J, Hultmann E (1967) A study of the glycogen metabolism during exercise in man. Scand J Clin Lab Invest 19:219–288
Berthold P (1975) Migration, control and metabolic physiology. In: Farner DS, King JR (eds) Avian biology, vol 5. Academic Press, New York, pp 77–128
Caldwell LD, Odum EP, Marshall SG (1963) Comparison of fat levels in migrating birds killed at a central Michigan and a Florida Gulf Coast television tower. Wilson Bull 75:428–434
Carey C, Dawson WR, Maxwell LC, Faulkner JA (1978) Seasonal acclimatization to temperature in cardueline finches. II. Changes in body composition and mass in relation to season and acute cold stress. J Comp Physiol 125:101–113
Crabtree B, Newsholme EA (1972a) The activities of phosphorylase, hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and the glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenases in muscles from vertebrates and invertebrates. Biochem J 126:49–58
Crabtree B, Newsholme EA (1972b) The activities of lipases and carnitine palmitoyltransferase in muscles from vertebrates and invertebrates. Biochem J 130:697–705
Crabtree B, Newsholme EA (1975) Comparative aspects of fuel utilization and metabolism by muscle. In: Usherwood PNR (ed) Insect muscle. Academic Press. New York, pp 405–500
Fry CH, Ash JS, Ferguson-Lees IJ (1970) Spring weights of some palaearctic migrants at Lake Chad. Ibis 112:58–82
Fry CH, Ferguson-Lees IJ, Dowsett RJ (1972) Flight muscle hypertrophy and ecophysiological variation of the yellow wagtailMotacilla flava races at Lake Chad. J Zool (London) 167:293–306
George JC, Berger AJ (1966) Avian myology. Academic Press, New York
George JC, Talesara CL (1961) The succinic dehydrogenase levels of the pectoral muscles of a few representative types of birds and a bat in relation to the fiber diameter, muscle weight, and body weight. Comp Biochem Physiol 3:267–273
George JC, Vallyathan NV (1964) Capacity for fatty acid oxidation by the breast muscle of the starling (Sturnus roseus) in the pre- and post-migratory periods. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 42:447–452
Gonyea W, Bonde-Petersen F (1978) Alteration in muscle contractile properties and fiber composition after weight-lifting exercise in cats. Exp Neurol 59:75–84
Hansford RG (1978) Lipid oxidation by heart muscle mitochondria from young adult and senescent rats. Biochem J 170:285–295
Henriksson J (1977) Training induced adaptation of skeletal muscle and metabolism during submaximal exercise. J Physiol (London) 270:661–675
Hochachka PW, Neely JR, Driedzic WR (1977) Integration of lipid utilization with Krebs cycle activity in muscle. Fed Proc 36:2009–2014
Holloszy JO, Booth FW (1976) Biochemical adaptations to endurance exercise in muscle. Ann Rev Physiol 38:273–291
Lighthill J (1977) Introduction to the scaling of aerial locomotion. In: Pedley TJ (ed) Scale effects in animal locomotion. Academic Press, New York, pp 365–404
MacDougall JD, Sale DG, Moroz JR, Elder GCB, Sutton JR, Howald H (1979) Mitochondrial volume density in human skeletal muscle following heavy resistance training. Med Sci Sports 11:164–166
Mansour TE (1966) Phosphofructokinase. II. Heart muscle. In: Wood WA (ed) Methods in enzymology, vol IX, Carbohydrate metabolism. Academic Press, New York, pp 430–436
Marsh RL (1979) Seasonal adjustments in size and biochemistry of the flight muscles in a long distance migrant, the gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis). Ph D Diss University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Molé PA, Oscai LB, Holloszy JO (1971) Adaptation of muscle to exercise. Increase in levels of palmityl CoA synthetase, carnitine palmityltransferase, and palmityl CoA dehydrogenase, and in the capacity to oxidize fatty acids. J Clin Invest 50:2323–2330
Newsholme EA, Start C (1973) Regulation in metabolism. Wiley, New York
Opie LH, Newsholme, EA (1967) The activities of fructose 1, 6-diphosphatase, phosphofructokinase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase in white muscle and red muscle. Biochem J 103:391–399
Oscai LB, Molé PA, Holloszy JO (1971) Effects of exercise on cardiac weight and mitochondria in male and female rats. Am J Physiol 220:1944–1948
Paul P, Holmes WL (1975) Free fatty acid and glucose metabolism during increased energy expenditure and after training. Med Sci Sports 7:176–184
Pennycuick CJ (1975) Mechanics of flight. In: Farner DS, King JR (eds) Avian biology, vol 5. Academic Press, New York, pp 1–75
Rennie MJ, Johnson RH (1974) Alteration of metabolic and hormonal responses to exercise by physical training. Eur J Appl Physiol 33:215–226
Srere PA (1969) Citrate synthase. In: Lowenstein JM (ed) Methods in enzymology, vol XIII, Citric acid cycle. Academic Press, New York, pp 3–11
Staudte HW, Pette D (1972) Correlations between enzymes of energy-supplying metabolism as a basic pattern of organization in muscle. Comp Biochem Physiol 41 B:533–540
Stevenson HM (1957) The relative magnitude of the trans-Gulf and circum-Gulf spring migrations. Wilson Bull 69:39–77
Williams JN, Jr, Thorp SL (1969) Re-evaluation of cytochromec concentrations in rat organs using a new method for cytochromec. Biochem Biophys Acta 189:25–28
Williams TC, Williams JM, Ireland LC, Teal JM (1977) Autumnal bird migration over the Western North Atlantic Ocean. Am Birds 31:251–267
Williamson JR (1979) Mitochondrial heart function. Ann Rev Physiol 41:485–506
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Marsh, R.L. Catabolic enzyme activities in relation to premigratory fattening and muscle hypertrophy in the gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis). J Comp Physiol B 141, 417–423 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01101461
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01101461