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Coulson SZ, Guglielmo CG, Staples JF. Migration increases mitochondrial oxidative capacity without increasing reactive oxygen species emission in a songbird. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246849. [PMID: 38632979 PMCID: PMC11128287 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Birds remodel their flight muscle metabolism prior to migration to meet the physiological demands of migratory flight, including increases in both oxidative capacity and defence against reactive oxygen species. The degree of plasticity mediated by changes in these mitochondrial properties is poorly understood but may be explained by two non-mutually exclusive hypotheses: variation in mitochondrial quantity or in individual mitochondrial function. We tested these hypotheses using yellow-rumped warblers (Setophaga coronata), a Nearctic songbird which biannually migrates 2000-5000 km. We predicted higher flight muscle mitochondrial abundance and substrate oxidative capacity, and decreased reactive oxygen species emission in migratory warblers captured during autumn migration compared with a short-day photoperiod-induced non-migratory phenotype. We assessed mitochondrial abundance via citrate synthase activity and assessed isolated mitochondrial function using high-resolution fluororespirometry. We found 60% higher tissue citrate synthase activity in the migratory phenotype, indicating higher mitochondrial abundance. We also found 70% higher State 3 respiration (expressed per unit citrate synthase) in mitochondria from migratory warblers when oxidizing palmitoylcarnitine, but similar H2O2 emission rates between phenotypes. By contrast, non-phosphorylating respiration was higher and H2O2 emission rates were lower in the migratory phenotype. However, flux through electron transport system complexes I-IV, II-IV and IV was similar between phenotypes. In support of our hypotheses, these data suggest that flight muscle mitochondrial abundance and function are seasonally remodelled in migratory songbirds to increase tissue oxidative capacity without increasing reactive oxygen species formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soren Z. Coulson
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5B7
- Centre for Animals on the Move, Western University, London, ON, Canada, N6A 3K7
| | - Christopher G. Guglielmo
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5B7
- Centre for Animals on the Move, Western University, London, ON, Canada, N6A 3K7
| | - James F. Staples
- Department of Biology, Western University, London, ON, Canada, N6A 5B7
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Coughlan K, Sadowska ET, Bauchinger U. Repeat Sampling of Female Passerines During Reproduction Reveals Surprising Higher Plasma Oxidative Damage During Resting Compared to Active State. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:1197-1208. [PMID: 37698890 PMCID: PMC10755187 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2023] [Revised: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Traditional models of oxidative stress predict accumulation of damage caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) production as highly correlated with aerobic metabolism, a prediction under increasing scrutiny. Here, we repeat sampled female great tits (Parus major) at two opposite levels of energy use during the period of maximum food provisioning to nestlings, once at rest and once during activity. Our results were in contrast to the above prediction, namely significantly higher levels of oxidative damage during rest opposed to active phase. This discrepancy could not be explained neither using levels of "first line" antioxidant enzymes activity measured from erythrocytes, nor from total nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity measured from plasma, as no differences were found between states. Significantly higher levels of uric acid, a potent antioxidant, were seen in the plasma during the active phase than in rest phase, which may explain the lower levels of oxidative damage despite high levels of physical activity. Our results challenge the hypothesis that oxidative stress is elevated during times with high energy use and call for more profound understanding of potential drivers of the modulation of oxidative stress such as metabolic state of the animal, and thus also the time of sampling in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Coughlan
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Edyta T Sadowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ulf Bauchinger
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 3 Pasteura St., 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
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Eikenaar C, Ostolani A, Hessler S, Ye EY, Karwinkel T, Isaksson C. Stopovers Serve Physiological Recovery in Migratory Songbirds. Physiol Biochem Zool 2023; 96:378-389. [PMID: 37713714 DOI: 10.1086/726788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/17/2023]
Abstract
AbstractMigrating birds perform extreme endurance exercise when flying. This shifts the balance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the antioxidant defense system toward the former, potentially generating oxidative damages. In between migratory flights, birds make stopovers, where besides accumulating fuel (mainly fats), they are assumed to rest and recover from the strenuous flight. We performed a series of studies on both temporarily caged (northern wheatears) and free-flying (northern wheatears and European robins) migrants to investigate whether migrants recover during stopover by decreasing the amount of oxidative lipid damage (malondialdehyde [MDA]) and/or increasing the total nonenzymatic antioxidant capacity (AOX). In caged wheatears, MDA decreased within a single day. These birds were able to simultaneously accumulate considerable amounts of fuel. Also, in the free-flying wheatears, there was a decrease in MDA during stopover; however, this process seemed incompatible with refueling. The reason for this difference could relate to constraints in the wild that are absent in caged birds, such as food limitation/composition and locomotor activity. In the robins, there was a near significant decrease in MDA concentration in relation to how long the birds were already at stopover, suggesting that this species also physiologically recovers during stopover. AOX did not change during stopover in either of the wheatear studies. For the robins, however, uric acid-corrected AOX declined during stopover. Our results show that during stopover, migrating birds rapidly reduce oxidative lipid damage, thereby likely recovering their physiological state. In addition to the commonly accepted function of refueling, stopovers thus probably serve physiological recovery.
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Fowler MA, Wong JB, Harrison AL. Oxidative physiology of two small and highly migratory Arctic seabirds: Arctic terns ( Sterna paradisaea) and long-tailed jaegers ( Stercorarius longicaudus). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad060. [PMID: 37916041 PMCID: PMC10616233 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Arctic ecosystems are changing rapidly. The tundra supports nesting migratory seabirds that spend most of their year over the ocean. Migrations are demanding, but it is unclear how physiological capability may equip organisms to respond to their changing environments. For two migratory seabird species nesting in Alaska, USA, the Arctic tern (n = 10) and the long-tailed jaeger (n = 8), we compared oxidative physiology and aerobic capacity measured during incubation and we recorded individual movement paths using electronic tracking tags. Within species, we hypothesized that individuals with longer-distance migrations would show higher oxidative stress and display better aerobic capacity than shorter-distance migrants. We examined blood parameters relative to subsequent fall migration in jaegers and relative to previous spring migration in terns. We present the first measurements of oxidative stress in these species and the first migratory movements of long-tailed jaegers in the Pacific Ocean. Arctic terns displayed positive correlation of oxidative variables, or better integration than jaegers. Relative to physiological sampling, pre-breeding northward migration data were available for terns and post-breeding southward data were available for jaegers. Terns reached a farther maximum distance from the colony than jaegers (16 199 ± 275 km versus 10 947 ± 950 km) and rate of travel northward (447 ± 41.8 km/day) was positively correlated with hematocrit, but we found no other relationships. In jaegers, there were no relationships between individuals' physiology and southward rate of travel (193 ± 52.3 km/day) or migratory distance. While it is not clear whether the much longer migrations of the terns is related to their better integration, or to another factor, our results spark hypotheses that could be evaluated through a controlled phylogenetic study. Species with better integration may be less susceptible to environmental factors that increase oxidative stress, including thermal challenges or changes in prey distribution as the Arctic climate changes rapidly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melinda A. Fowler
- Department of Biology/Chemistry. Springfield College, 263 Alden Street, Springfield, MA 01109 USA
| | - Joanna B. Wong
- Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Department of Bird Migration, Swiss Ornithological Institute, 6204 Sempach, Switzerland
| | - Autumn-Lynn Harrison
- Smithsonian‘s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Migratory Bird Center, 3001 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC. 20008 USA
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Concerted phenotypic flexibility of avian erythrocyte size and number in response to dietary anthocyanin supplementation. Front Zool 2023; 20:9. [PMID: 36829190 PMCID: PMC9951440 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-023-00487-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Endurance flight impose substantial oxidative costs on the avian oxygen delivery system. In particular, the accumulation of irreversible damage in red blood cells can reduce the capacity of blood to transport oxygen and limit aerobic performance. Many songbirds consume large amounts of anthocyanin-rich fruit, which is hypothesized to reduce oxidative costs, enhance post-flight regeneration, and enable greater aerobic capacity. While their antioxidant benefits appear most straightforward, the effects of anthocyanins on blood composition remain so far unknown. We fed thirty hand-raised European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) two semisynthetic diets (with or without anthocyanin supplement) and manipulated the extent of flight activity in a wind tunnel (daily flying or non-flying for over two weeks) to test for their interactive effects on functionally important haematological variables. RESULTS Supplemented birds had on average 15% more and 4% smaller red blood cells compared to non-supplemented individuals and these diet effects were independent of flight manipulation. Haemoglobin content was 7% higher in non-supplemented flying birds compared to non-flying birds, while similar haemoglobin content was observed among supplemented birds that were flown or not. Neither diet nor flight activity influenced haematocrit. CONCLUSION The concerted adjustments suggest that supplementation generally improved antioxidant protection in blood, which could prevent the excess removal of cells from the bloodstream and may have several implications on the oxygen delivery system, including improved gas exchange and blood flow. The flexible haematological response to dietary anthocyanins may also suggest that free-ranging species preferentially consume anthocyanin-rich fruits for their natural blood doping, oxygen delivery-enhancement effects.
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Bhardwaj N, Kumar A, Gupta NJ. Altered dynamics of mitochondria and reactive oxygen species in the erythrocytes of migrating red-headed buntings. Front Physiol 2023; 14:1111490. [PMID: 36846315 PMCID: PMC9947641 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1111490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Blood antioxidants provide propensity to mitigate reactive oxygen species (ROS) apart from other oxidative challenges during a high-energy state of migration in night migratory songbirds. The study investigated the modulation of erythrocytes, mitochondrial abundance, hematocrit changes, and relative expression of fat transport-related genes during migration in red-headed buntings (Emberiza bruniceps). We hypothesized an increase in antioxidants along with the mitigation of mitochondria-related reactive oxygen species elevation and consequential apoptosis occurring during migration. Methods: Male red-headed buntings (n = 6) were placed under short days (8 h of light and 16 h of dark, 8L:16D)/long days (14L:10D) and photo induced to simulated non-migratory, nMig; pre-migratory, pMig; and migratory, Mig, states. Erythrocyte shape, reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), reticulocyte proportion, and apoptosis were analyzed using flow cytometry and relative expression of fat metabolizing and antioxidant genes was measured by using qPCR. Results: There was a significant increase in hematocrit, erythrocyte area, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Reactive oxygen species and apoptotic erythrocyte proportion declined in the Mig state. The changes in antioxidant genes (SOD1 and NOS2), fatty acid translocase (CD36), and metabolic (FABP3, DGAT2, GOT2, and ATGL) genes showed a significant increment during the Mig state. Conclusion: These results suggested that adaptive changes occur in mitochondrial behavior and apoptosis of erythrocytes. The transition in erythrocytes, antioxidant genes, and fatty acid metabolism gene expressions suggested differences in regulatory strategies at the cellular/transcriptional level during different states of simulated migration in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitin Bhardwaj
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Science, Gurukula Kangri (Deemed to be University), Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Anit Kumar
- Department of Zoology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Neelu Jain Gupta
- Department of Zoology, Chaudhary Charan Singh University, Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, India,*Correspondence: Neelu Jain Gupta,
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Eikenaar C, Ostolani A, Brust V, Karwinkel T, Schmaljohann H, Isaksson C. The oxidative balance and stopover departure decisions in a medium- and a long-distance migrant. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:7. [PMID: 36747277 PMCID: PMC9903453 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00372-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Birds have extremely elevated metabolic rates during migratory endurance flight and consequently can become physiologically exhausted. One feature of exhaustion is oxidative damage, which occurs when the antioxidant defense system is overwhelmed by the production of damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS). Migrating birds have been shown to decrease the amount of oxidative lipid damage during stopovers, relatively stationary periods in between migratory flights. It has therefore been argued that, in addition to accumulating fuel, one of the functions of stopover is to restore the oxidative balance. If this is so, we would expect that migrating birds are unlikely to resume migration from stopover when they still have high amounts of lipid damage. METHODS To test this hypothesis, we measured parameters of the oxidative balance and related these to stopover departure decisions of song thrushes (Turdus philomelos) and northern wheatears (Oenanthe oenanthe), a medium- and long-distance songbird migrant, respectively. We measured malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, a biomarker for oxidative lipid damage, and total non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity (AOX), an overall biomarker of protection against ROS. Stopover departure decisions were determined using a fully automated telemetry system set-up on our small island study site. RESULTS The decision to resume migration was not related with MDA concentration in either study species, also not when this was corrected for circulating fatty acid concentrations. Similarly, AOX did not affect this decision, also not when corrected for uric-acid concentration. The time within the night when birds departed also was not affected by MDA concentration or AOX. However, confirming earlier observations, we found that in both species, fat individuals were more likely to depart than lean individuals, and fat northern wheatears departed earlier within the night than lean conspecifics. Northern wheatears additionally departed earlier in spring with more southerly winds. CONCLUSIONS We found no support for the idea that stopovers departure decisions are influenced by parameters of the oxidative balance. We discuss possible reasons for this unexpected finding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cas Eikenaar
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
| | | | - Vera Brust
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Thiemo Karwinkel
- Institute of Avian Research "Vogelwarte Helgoland", 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
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Davoodi P, Ghaderi-Zefrehei M, Dolatabady MM, Razmkabir M, Kianpour S, Esfahani EN, Smith J. In silico investigation of uncoupling protein function in avian genomes. Front Vet Sci 2023; 9:1085112. [PMID: 36744229 PMCID: PMC9893418 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1085112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are involved in lipid metabolism and belong to a family of mitochondrial anionic transporters. In poultry, only one UCP homologue has been identified and experimentally shown to be associated with growth, feed conversion ratio, and abdominal fat according to its predominant expression in bird muscles. In endotherm birds, cell metabolic efficiency can be tuned by the rate of mitochondrial coupling. Thus, avUCP may be a key contributor to controlling metabolic rate during particular environmental changes. Methods This study aimed to perform a set of in-silico investigations primarily focused on the structural, biological, and biomimetic functions of avUCP. Thereby, using in silico genome analyses among 8 avian species (chicken, turkey, swallow, manakin, sparrow, wagtail, pigeon, and mallard) and a series of bioinformatic approaches, we provide phylogenetic inference and comparative genomics of avUCPs and investigate whether sequence variation can alter coding sequence characteristics, the protein structure, and its biological features. Complementarily, a combination of literature mining and prediction approaches was also applied to predict the gene networks of avUCP to identify genes, pathways, and biological crosstalk associated with avUCP function. Results The results showed the evolutionary alteration of UCP proteins in different avian species. Uncoupling proteins in avian species are highly conserved trans membrane proteins as seen by sequence alignment, physio-chemical parameters, and predicted protein structures. Taken together, avUCP has the potential to be considered a functional marker for the identification of cell metabolic state, thermogenesis, and oxidative stress caused by cold, heat, fasting, transfer, and other chemical stimuli stresses in birds. It can also be deduced that avUCP, in migrant or domestic birds, may increase heat stress resistance by reducing fatty acid transport/b-oxidation and thermoregulation alongside antioxidant defense mechanisms. The predicted gene network for avUCP highlighted a cluster of 21 genes involved in response to stress and 28 genes related to lipid metabolism and the proton buffering system. Finally, among 11 enriched pathways, crosstalk of 5 signaling pathways including MAPK, adipocytokine, mTOR, insulin, ErbB, and GnRH was predicted, indicating a possible combination of positive or negative feedback among pathways to regulate avUCP functions. Discussion Genetic selection for fast-growing commercial poultry has unintentionally increased susceptibility to many kinds of oxidative stress, and so avUCP could be considered as a potential candidate gene for balancing energy expenditure and reactive oxygen species production, especially in breeding programs. In conclusion, avUCP can be introduced as a pleiotropic gene that requires the contribution of regulatory genes, hormones, pathways, and genetic crosstalk to allow its finely-tuned function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peymaneh Davoodi
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mostafa Ghaderi-Zefrehei
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran,*Correspondence: Mostafa Ghaderi-Zefrehei ✉ ; ✉
| | | | - Mohammad Razmkabir
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran
| | - Somayeh Kianpour
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Jacqueline Smith
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom,Jacqueline Smith ✉
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Bryla A, Zagkle E, Sadowska ET, Cichoń M, Bauchinger U. Measurements of body temperature and oxidative stress reveal differential costs associated with humoral immune function in a passerine bird. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:279339. [PMID: 36314237 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Eco-immunology considers resistance to antigens a costly trait for an organism, but actual quantification of such costs is not straightforward. Costs of the immune response are visible in impaired coloration and reduced growth or reproductive success. Activation of the humoral immune response is a slow, complex and long-lasting process, which makes the quantification of its energetic cost a potential losing game. We implemented near-continuous measurements of body temperature in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) as a proxy for the energetic cost, with a particular focus during activation of the humoral immune response until the peak of antibody release several days later. At the peak of the antibody release we additionally measured oxygen consumption (open-flow respirometry) and markers of oxidative stress (dROMs, OXY). Birds with an activated immune response maintained a higher night-time body temperature during the first 4 nights after an immune challenge in comparison to controls, implying increased night-time energy use. At peak antibody production, we did not find differences in night-time body temperature and oxygen consumption but observed differentiated results for oxygen consumption during the day. Immune-challenged females had significantly higher oxygen consumption compared with other groups. Moreover, we found that activation of the humoral immune response increases oxidative damage, a potential cost of maintaining the higher night-time body temperature that is crucial at the early stage of the immune response. The costs generated by the immune system appear to consist of two components - energetic and non-energetic - and these appear to be separated in time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amadeusz Bryla
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Elisavet Zagkle
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Edyta T Sadowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Mariusz Cichoń
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland
| | - Ulf Bauchinger
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Krakow, Poland.,Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
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Maggini I, Noakes MJ, Hawkes LA, Hegemann A. Editorial: Ecophysiological adaptations associated with animal migration. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1022173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Fernández-Eslava B, Cantarero A, Alonso D, Alonso-Alvarez C. Wild common crossbills produce redder body feathers when their wings are clipped. BMC ZOOL 2022; 7:47. [PMID: 37170309 PMCID: PMC10127331 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-022-00150-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
The animal signaling theory posits that conspicuous colorations exhibited by many animals have evolved as reliable signals of individual quality. Red carotenoid-based ornaments may depend on enzymatic transformations (oxidation) of dietary yellow carotenoids, which could occur in the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM). Thus, carotenoid ketolation and cell respiration could share the same biochemical pathways. Accordingly, the level of trait expression (redness) would directly reveal the efficiency of individuals’ metabolism and, hence, the bearer quality in an unfalsifiable way. Different avian studies have described that the flying effort may induce oxidative stress. A redox metabolism modified during the flight could thus influence the carotenoid conversion rate and, ultimately, animal coloration. Here, we aimed to infer the link between red carotenoid-based ornament expression and flight metabolism by increasing flying effort in wild male common crossbills Loxia curvirostra (Linnaeus). In this order, 295 adult males were captured with mist nets in an Iberian population during winter. Approximately half of the birds were experimentally handicapped through wing feather clipping to increase their flying effort, the other half being used as a control group. To stimulate the plumage regrown of a small surface during a short time-lapse, we also plucked the rump feathers from all the birds.
Results
A fraction of the birds with fully grown rump feathers (34 individuals) could be recaptured during the subsequent weeks. We did not detect any significant bias in recovery rates and morphological variables in this reduced subsample. However, among recaptured birds, individuals with experimentally impaired flying capacity showed body mass loss, whereas controls showed a trend to increase their weight. Moreover, clipped males showed redder feathers in the newly regrown rump area compared to controls.
Conclusions
The results suggest that wing-clipped individuals could have endured higher energy expenditure as they lost body mass. Despite the small sample size, the difference in plumage redness between the two experimental groups would support the hypothesis that the flying metabolism may influence the redox enzymatic reactions required for converting yellow dietary carotenoids to red ketocarotenoids.
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Zinßmeister D, Troupin D, Sapir N. Autumn migrating passerines at a desert edge: Do birds depart for migration after reaching a threshold fuel load or vary it according to the rate of fuel deposition? Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.874923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fuel deposition rate is predicted to determine departure fuel load during stopover in two models of optimal behavior of migrating birds. Yet, near ecological barriers, such as wide deserts, birds may switch to a different strategy of departing with just enough fuel to enable the long cross-barrier flight, thus reaching a threshold of fuel load regardless of the rate of fuel deposition. To test these predictions we studied autumn migrating Red-backed Shrikes (Lanius collurio) before they departed for a ∼2,000 km journey across the Sahara Desert. The body mass of fourteen individuals was measured on a daily basis throughout their stopover using field-deployed scales while being tracked by the ATLAS biotelemetry system in the Hula Valley, Israel. Statistical analysis found that the natural log of departure fuel load was positively related to both the capture fuel load and the fuel deposition rate. Hence, the results of this analysis suggest that bird condition at departure depended on the rate of fuel deposition, as predicted by models of time-minimization migration and the minimization of the total energy cost of migration. Departure fuel load and stopover duration were negatively related to each other as birds that remained for a long time in stopover departed with relatively low fuel loads. These findings suggest that even near a wide ecological barrier, departure fuel load is sensitive to the rate of fuel deposition, especially at lower values of fuel deposition rate. Birds that were able to accumulate fuel at higher rates showed a nearly constant departure fuel load and as such we could not exclude the possibility that the birds were trying to reach a certain threshold of fuel stores. Randomized 1,000 repeats of the aforementioned correlation suggest that the correlation between fuel deposition rate and the log of departure fuel load is valid and does not represent a spurious result. Following bird migration simulation using the program Flight, we conclude that fuel loads allowed most individual to accomplish the journey across the desert. Our findings suggest high between-individual variation in stopover parameters with likely consequences for bird migration performance and survival.
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Doyle T, Jimenez-Guri E, Hawkes WLS, Massy R, Mantica F, Permanyer J, Cozzuto L, Hermoso Pulido T, Baril T, Hayward A, Irimia M, Chapman JW, Bass C, Wotton KR. Genome-wide transcriptomic changes reveal the genetic pathways involved in insect migration. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:4332-4350. [PMID: 35801824 PMCID: PMC9546057 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Insects are capable of extraordinary feats of long‐distance movement that have profound impacts on the function of terrestrial ecosystems. The ability to undertake these movements arose multiple times through the evolution of a suite of traits that make up the migratory syndrome, however the underlying genetic pathways involved remain poorly understood. Migratory hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are an emerging model group for studies of migration. They undertake seasonal movements in huge numbers across large parts of the globe and are important pollinators, biological control agents and decomposers. Here, we assembled a high‐quality draft genome of the marmalade hoverfly (Episyrphus balteatus). We leveraged this genomic resource to undertake a genome‐wide transcriptomic comparison of actively migrating Episyrphus, captured from a high mountain pass as they flew south to overwinter, with the transcriptomes of summer forms which were non‐migratory. We identified 1543 genes with very strong evidence for differential expression. Interrogation of this gene set reveals a remarkable range of roles in metabolism, muscle structure and function, hormonal regulation, immunity, stress resistance, flight and feeding behaviour, longevity, reproductive diapause and sensory perception. These features of the migrant phenotype have arisen by the integration and modification of pathways such as insulin signalling for diapause and longevity, JAK/SAT for immunity, and those leading to octopamine production and fuelling to boost flight capabilities. Our results provide a powerful genomic resource for future research, and paint a comprehensive picture of global expression changes in an actively migrating insect, identifying key genomic components involved in this important life‐history strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toby Doyle
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Eva Jimenez-Guri
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Will L S Hawkes
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Massy
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Federica Mantica
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jon Permanyer
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Luca Cozzuto
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Toni Hermoso Pulido
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Tobias Baril
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Alex Hayward
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Manuel Irimia
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain.,Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jason W Chapman
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom.,Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom.,Department of Entomology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China
| | - Chris Bass
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Karl R Wotton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
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14
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Estimation of Redox Status in Military Pilots during Hypoxic Flight-Simulation Conditions—A Pilot Study. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11071241. [PMID: 35883732 PMCID: PMC9312332 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11071241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
At high altitude conditions, the low-pressure atmospheric oxygen reduces the generation of energy, thus inducing a decrease in oxygen availability. As a result, endurance flights evoke imbalance in redox signaling, posing a safety risk for the pilots involved. The aim of the present study was to assess changes in the redox status of military pilots during flight simulation conditions according to their flight hours (experts vs. novice). A total of seven expert pilots and an equal number of novice pilots (trainees) were recruited from the Center for Airforce Medicine of the Greek Military Airforce. Glutathione (GSH) levels, catalase activity (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), lipid peroxidation through the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS), and protein oxidative damage through the assay of protein carbonyls (PCs) levels were assessed at two time points, once prior to and once immediately post a scheduled flight simulation. In the experienced pilots’ arms, GSH was significantly increased post-flight simulation, with TAC being simultaneously reduced. On the other hand, in the trainees’ arms, CAT and TAC were both increased post-flight. No differences were noted with regard to the TBARS and PCs post-simulation. When the two groups were compared, TAC and PCs were significantly lower in the trainees compared to the experienced pilots. The present study provides useful insight into the physiological redox status adaptations to hypobaric hypoxic flight conditions among pilots. In a further detail, an increase in GSH response post-flight simulation is being evoked in more experienced pilots, indicating an adaptation to the extreme flight conditions, as they battle oxidative stress.
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15
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Alonso-Alvarez C, Fernández-Eslava B, Alonso D, Galicia D, Arizaga J. Bigger or long-winged male common crossbills exhibit redder carotenoid-based plumage coloration. Curr Zool 2022; 69:165-172. [PMID: 37091992 PMCID: PMC10120982 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoac038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Carotenoid-based ornaments are often considered reliable (honest) individual condition signals because their expression implies physiological costs unaffordable for low-quality animals (handicap signals). Recently, it has been suggested that efficient cell respiration is mandatory for producing red ketocarotenoids from dietary yellow carotenoids. This implies that red colorations should be entirely unfalsifiable and independent of expression costs (index signals). In a precedent study, male common crossbills Loxia curvirostra showing a red plumage reported higher apparent survival than those showing yellowish-orange colors. The plumage redness in this species is due to ketocarotenoid accumulation in feathers. Here, we correlated the male plumage redness (a four-level visual score: yellow, patchy, orange and red) and the body morphology in more than 1000 adult crossbills captured in three Iberian localities to infer the mechanisms responsible for color evolution. A principal component analysis summarized morphometry of ten variables (beak, wing, tarsus length, etc.). The overall body size (PC1) and the length of flight feathers regarding body size (PC3) showed significant positive relationships with plumage redness. Plumage redness was barely correlated to bill shape measures suggesting no constraint in acquiring carotenoids from pine cones. However, large body sizes or proportionally long flying feathers could help carotenoid acquisition via social competition or increased foraging ranges. Proportionally longer flight feathers might also be associated with a specific cell respiration profile that would simultaneously favor flying capacities and enzymatic transformations needed for ketocarotenoid synthesis. Such a phenotypic profile would agree with the hypothesis of ketocarotenoid-based colors acting as individual quality index signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Alonso-Alvarez
- Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (CSIC), Edificio Pinar, Spain
| | - Blanca Fernández-Eslava
- Ecología Evolutiva,Universidad de Navarra. Facultad de Ciencias, C/ Irunlarrea, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
| | - Daniel Alonso
- Ornitología,Sociedad de Ciencias de Aranzadi, Zorroagagaina, Donostia, San Sebastián, Spain
| | - David Galicia
- Biología Ambiental, Universidad de Navarra, Facultad de Ciencias, C/ Irunlarrea, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain
| | - Juan Arizaga
- Ornitología, Sociedad de Ciencias de Aranzadi, Zorroagagaina, Donostia, San Sebastián, Spain
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16
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Eikenaar C, Winslott E, Schmaljohann H, Wang HL, Isaksson C. Can differential fatty acid composition help migrating birds to limit oxidative lipid damage? Physiol Behav 2022; 249:113768. [PMID: 35247445 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
During migratory endurance flights, which are energetically very demanding, migrants have to deal with prolonged elevated generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). To limit the damaging actions that ROS have on lipids and proteins, migrating birds are known to upregulate their antioxidant defence system. However, there may be additional ways to limit oxidative damage incurred from flying. Migratory endurance flights are fuelled mainly with fatty acids (FAs), and the risk of their peroxidation (resulting in oxidative lipid damage) increases with the number of double bonds in a FA, with polyunsaturated FAs (2 or more double bonds, PUFAs) being most peroxidation-prone. By fuelling their flights with relatively few PUFAs, migratory birds could thus limit oxidative lipid damage. Within migratory birds, there is considerable variation in the length of their flights, with nocturnal migrants making lengthier flight bouts, thus more likely to experience lengthier periods of elevated ROS production, than diurnal migrants. However, whether migrants making lengthier flights incur more oxidative lipid damage is unknown. Neither is it known whether flight length and FA composition are associated. Therefore, we determined plasmatic malondialdehyde level, a marker of oxidative lipid damage, and FA composition of three nocturnal and two diurnal migrant species caught at an autumn stopover site. We found little inter-specific variation in malondialdehyde level, indicating that the amount of oxidative lipid damage was comparable across the species. In contrast, the species strongly differed in their plasmatic FA composition. The nocturnal migrants had significantly lower relative PUFA levels than both diurnal migrants, an effect mainly attributable to linoleic acid, an essential (strictly dietary) FA. Consequently, the susceptibility of plasmatic FAs to lipid peroxidation was significantly lower in the nocturnal than diurnal migrants. Because in birds, energy expenditure during flight decreases with the degree of FA unsaturation, we interpret our observation of lower PUFA levels in nocturnal migrants as support for the idea that utilizing PUFA-poor fuel can help migrating birds to curb oxidative lipid damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cas Eikenaar
- Institute of Avian Research, Wilhelmshaven, 26386, Germany.
| | - Erica Winslott
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
| | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute of Avian Research, Wilhelmshaven, 26386, Germany; Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg,Oldenburg, 26129, Germany
| | - Hong-Lei Wang
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
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17
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Cooper-Mullin C, McWilliams SR. Fat Stores and Antioxidant Capacity Affect Stopover Decisions in Three of Four Species of Migratory Passerines With Different Migration Strategies: An Experimental Approach. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.762146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
During migratory stopovers, birds must make decisions about when and where to travel and these decisions are likely contingent on their fuel stores, food availability, and antioxidant capacity as well as seasonal changes in key environmental factors. We conducted a field experiment on an offshore stopover site (Block Island, Rhode Island, United States: 41°130N, 71°330W) during autumn migration to test the hypothesis that birds with greater fuel stores and non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity have shorter stopovers than lean birds with low antioxidant capacity, and to determine the extent to which this depends on migration strategy. We used a 2 × 2 factorial field experiment (two levels each of available food and dietary polyphenols) with four species of songbirds kept in captivity for 3–5 days to produce experimental groups with different fuel stores and antioxidant capacity. We attached digital VHF transmitters to assess stopover duration and departure direction using automated telemetry. Non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity increased during refueling for Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus) and Blackpoll Warblers (Setophaga striata) fed ad lib diets, and for ad lib fed Hermit Thrushes (Catharus guttatus) supplemented with polyphenols, but not for Yellow-rumped Warblers (Setophaga coronata coronata). Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) decreased during captivity and was influenced by dietary treatment only in Red-eyed Vireos. Oxidative damage decreased during captivity for all species except Yellow-rumped Warblers. Stopover duration was shorter for Vireos and Blackpolls fed ad lib as compared to those fed maintenance. Ad lib fed Hermit Thrushes supplemented with polyphenols had shorter stopovers than those fed ad lib, as did thrushes fed at maintenance and supplemented with polyphenols compared with those fed at maintenance alone. There was no influence of condition on stopover duration for Yellow-rumped Warblers. Departure direction was not strongly related to condition, and birds primarily reoriented north when departing Block Island. Thus, fat stores and oxidative status interacted to influence the time passerines spent on stopover, and condition-dependent departure decisions were related to a bird’s migration strategy. Therefore, seasonal variation in macro- and micro-nutrient resources available for refueling at stopover sites can affect body condition and antioxidant capacity and in turn influence the timing and success of migration.
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18
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Burraco P, Rendón MA, Díaz‐Paniagua C, Gomez‐Mestre I. Maintenance of phenotypic plasticity is linked to oxidative stress in spadefoot toad larvae. OIKOS 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.09078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Burraco
- Doñana Biological Station (CSIC) Seville Spain
- Inst. of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, Univ. of Glasgow Glasgow UK
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19
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Schmaljohann H, Eikenaar C, Sapir N. Understanding the ecological and evolutionary function of stopover in migrating birds. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1231-1252. [PMID: 35137518 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Global movement patterns of migratory birds illustrate their fascinating physical and physiological abilities to cross continents and oceans. During their voyages, most birds land multiple times to make so-called 'stopovers'. Our current knowledge on the functions of stopover is mainly based on the proximate study of departure decisions. However, such studies are insufficient to gauge fully the ecological and evolutionary functions of stopover. If we study how a focal trait, e.g. changes in energy stores, affects the decision to depart from a stopover without considering the trait(s) that actually caused the bird to land, e.g. unfavourable environmental conditions for flight, we misinterpret the function of the stopover. It is thus important to realise and acknowledge that stopovers have many different functions, and that not every migrant has the same (set of) reasons to stop-over. Additionally, we may obtain contradictory results because the significance of different traits to a migrant is context dependent. For instance, late spring migrants may be more prone to risk-taking and depart from a stopover with lower energy stores than early spring migrants. Thus, we neglect that departure decisions are subject to selection to minimise immediate (mortality risk) and/or delayed (low future reproductive output) fitness costs. To alleviate these issues, we first define stopover as an interruption of migratory endurance flight to minimise immediate and/or delayed fitness costs. Second, we review all probable functions of stopover, which include accumulating energy, various forms of physiological recovery and avoiding adverse environmental conditions for flight, and list potential other functions that are less well studied, such as minimising predation, recovery from physical exhaustion and spatiotemporal adjustments to migration. Third, derived from these aspects, we argue for a paradigm shift in stopover ecology research. This includes focusing on why an individual interrupts its migratory flight, which is more likely to identify the individual-specific function(s) of the stopover correctly than departure-decision studies. Moreover, we highlight that the selective forces acting on stopover decisions are context dependent and are expected to differ between, e.g. K-/r-selected species, the sexes and migration strategies. For example, all else being equal, r-selected species (low survival rate, high reproductive rate) should have a stronger urge to continue the migratory endurance flight or resume migration from a stopover because the potential increase in immediate fitness costs suffered from a flight is offset by the expected higher reproductive success in the subsequent breeding season. Finally, we propose to focus less on proximate mechanisms controlling landing and departure decisions, and more on ultimate mechanisms to identify the selective forces shaping stopover decisions. Our ideas are not limited to birds but can be applied to any migratory species. Our revised definition of stopover and the proposed paradigm shift has the potential to stimulate a fruitful discussion towards a better evolutionary ecological understanding of the functions of stopover. Furthermore, identifying the functions of stopover will support targeted measures to conserve and restore the functionality of stopover sites threatened by anthropogenic environmental changes. This is especially important for long-distance migrants, which currently are in alarming decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute for Biology and Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Straße 9-11, Oldenburg, 26129, Germany.,Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, Wilhelmshaven, 26386, Germany
| | - Cas Eikenaar
- Institute of Avian Research, An der Vogelwarte 21, Wilhelmshaven, 26386, Germany
| | - Nir Sapir
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology and the Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, 199 Aba Khoushy Ave, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
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20
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Gregarious locusts down-regulate muscular catabolic capacities yet fly far. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2122086119. [PMID: 35078939 PMCID: PMC8812529 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2122086119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
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21
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Padda SS, Stahlschmidt ZR. Evaluating the effects of water and food limitation on the life history of an insect using a multiple-stressor framework. Oecologia 2022; 198:519-530. [PMID: 35067802 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-022-05115-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Many environmental stressors naturally covary, and the frequency and duration of stressors such as heat waves and droughts are increasing globally with climate change. Multiple stressors may have additive or non-additive effects on fitness-related traits, such as locomotion, reproduction, and somatic growth. Despite its importance to terrestrial animals, water availability is rarely incorporated into multiple-stressor frameworks. Water limitation often occurs concurrently with food limitation (e.g., droughts can trigger famines), and the acquisition of water and food can be linked because water is necessary for digestion and metabolism. Thus, we investigated the independent and interactive effects of water and food limitation on life-history traits using female crickets (Gryllus firmus), which exhibit a wing dimorphism mediating a life-history trade-off between flight and fecundity. Our results indicate that traits vary in their sensitivities to environmental factors and factor-factor interactions. For example, neither environmental factor affected flight musculature, only water limitation affected survival, and food and water availability non-additively (i.e., interactively) influenced body and ovary mass. Water availability had a larger effect on traits than food availability, affected more traits than food availability, and mediated the effects of food availability. Further, life-history strategy influenced the costs of multiple stressors because females investing in flight capacity exhibited greater reductions in body and ovary mass during stress relative to females lacking flight capacity. Therefore, water is important in the multiple-stressor framework, and understanding the dynamics of covarying environmental factors and life history may be critical in the context of climate change characterized by concurrent environmental stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sugjit S Padda
- University of the Pacific, 3601 Pacific Avenue, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA.,Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA, 16801, USA
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22
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Degut A, Fischer K, Quque M, Criscuolo F, Michalik P, Beaulieu M. Irreversible impact of early thermal conditions: an integrative study of developmental plasticity linked to mobility in a butterfly species. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:273908. [PMID: 34989809 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Within populations, phenotypic plasticity may allow adaptive phenotypic variation in response to selection generated by environmental heterogeneity. For instance, in multivoltine species, seasonal changes between and within generations may trigger morphological and physiological variation enhancing fitness under different environmental conditions. These seasonal changes may irreversibly affect adult phenotypes when experienced during development. Yet, the irreversible effects of developmental plasticity on adult morphology have rarely been linked to life-history traits even though they may affect different fitness components such as reproduction, mobility and self-maintenance. To address this issue, we raised larvae of Pieris napi butterflies under warm or cool conditions to subsequently compare adult performance in terms of reproduction performance (as assessed through fecundity), displacement capacity (as assessed through flight propensity and endurance) and self-maintenance (as assessed through the measurement of oxidative markers). As expected in ectotherms, individuals developed faster under warm conditions and were smaller than individuals developing under cool conditions. They also had more slender wings and showed a higher wing surface ratio. These morphological differences were associated with changes in the reproductive and flight performances of adults, as individuals developing under warm conditions laid fewer eggs and flew larger distances. Accordingly, the examination of their oxidative status suggested that individuals developing under warm conditions invested more strongly into self-maintenance than individuals developing under cool conditions (possibly at the expense of reproduction). Overall, our results indicate that developmental conditions have long-term consequences on several adult traits in butterflies. This plasticity likely acts on life history strategies for each generation to keep pace with seasonal variations and may facilitate acclimation processes in the context of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Degut
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Klaus Fischer
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.,Institute for Integrated Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Universität Str. 1, 56070 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Martin Quque
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien
- IPHC · Department of Ecology, Physiology and Ethology, Strasbourg, France
| | - François Criscuolo
- Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien
- IPHC · Department of Ecology, Physiology and Ethology, Strasbourg, France
| | - Peter Michalik
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Michaël Beaulieu
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.,German Oceanographic Museum, Katharinenberg 14-20, 18439 Stralsund, Germany
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23
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DeMoranville KJ, Carter WA, Pierce BJ, McWilliams SR. Flight and dietary antioxidants influence antioxidant expression and activity in a migratory bird. Integr Org Biol 2021; 4:obab035. [PMID: 35112051 PMCID: PMC8802218 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obab035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecologically relevant factors such as exercise and diet quality can directly influence how physiological systems work including those involved in maintaining oxidative balance; however, to our knowledge, no studies to date have focused on how such factors directly affect expression of key components of the endogenous antioxidant system (i.e., transcription factors, select antioxidant genes, and corresponding antioxidant enzymes) in several metabolically active tissues of a migratory songbird. We conducted a three-factor experiment that tested the following hypotheses: (H1) Daily flying over several weeks increases the expression of transcription factors NRF2 and PPARs as well as endogenous antioxidant genes (i.e., CAT, SOD1, SOD2, GPX1, GPX4), and upregulates endogenous antioxidant enzyme activities (i.e., CAT, SOD, GPx). (H2) Songbirds fed diets composed of more 18:2n-6 PUFA are more susceptible to oxidative damage and thus upregulate their endogenous antioxidant system compared with when fed diets with less PUFA. (H3) Songbirds fed dietary anthocyanins gain additional antioxidant protection and thus upregulate their endogenous antioxidant system less compared with songbirds not fed anthocyanins. Flight training increased the expression of 3 of the 6 antioxidant genes and transcription factors measured in the liver, consistent with H1, but for only one gene (SOD2) in the pectoralis. Dietary fat quality had no effect on antioxidant pathways (H2), whereas dietary anthocyanins increased the expression of select antioxidant enzymes in the pectoralis, but not in the liver (H3). These tissue-specific differences in response to flying and dietary antioxidants are likely explained by functional differences between tissues as well as fundamental differences in their turnover rates. The consumption of dietary antioxidants along with regular flying enables birds during migration to stimulate the expression of genes involved in antioxidant protection likely through increasing the transcriptional activity of NRF2 and PPARs, and thereby demonstrates for the first time that these relevant ecological factors affect the regulation of key antioxidant pathways in wild birds. What remains to be demonstrated is how the extent of these ecological factors (i.e., intensity or duration of flight, amounts of dietary antioxidants) influences the regulation of these antioxidant pathways and thus oxidative balance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wales A Carter
- Dept. of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston RI 02881
| | | | - Scott R McWilliams
- Dept. of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston RI 02881
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24
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Frawley AE, DeMoranville KJ, Carbeck KM, Trost L, Bryła A, Działo M, Sadowska ET, Bauchinger U, Pierce BJ, McWilliams SR. Flight training and dietary antioxidants have mixed effects on the oxidative status of multiple tissues in a female migratory songbird. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272431. [PMID: 34632505 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Birds, like other vertebrates, rely on a robust antioxidant system to protect themselves against oxidative imbalance caused by energy-intensive activities such as flying. Such oxidative challenges may be especially acute for females during spring migration, as they must pay the oxidative costs of flight while preparing for reproduction; however, little previous work has examined how the antioxidant system of female spring migrants responds to dietary antioxidants and the oxidative challenges of regular flying. We fed two diets to female European starlings, one supplemented with a dietary antioxidant and one without, and then flew them daily in a windtunnel for 2 weeks during the autumn and spring migration periods. We measured the activity of enzymatic antioxidants (glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase and catalase), non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity (ORAC) and markers of oxidative damage (protein carbonyls and lipid hydroperoxides) in four tissues: pectoralis, leg muscle, liver and heart. Dietary antioxidants affected enzymatic antioxidant activity and lipid damage in the heart, non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity in the pectoralis, and protein damage in leg muscle. In general, birds not fed the antioxidant supplement appeared to incur increased oxidative damage while upregulating non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant activity, though these effects were strongly tissue specific. We also found trends for diet×training interactions for enzymatic antioxidant activity in the heart and leg muscle. Flight training may condition the antioxidant system of females to dynamically respond to oxidative challenges, and females during spring migration may shift antioxidant allocation to reduce oxidative damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abigail E Frawley
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Kristen J DeMoranville
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Katherine M Carbeck
- Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6T1Z4
| | - Lisa Trost
- Department for Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, D-82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Amadeusz Bryła
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Maciej Działo
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Edyta T Sadowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ulf Bauchinger
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.,Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS, 02-093 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Barbara J Pierce
- Department of Biology, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT 06825, USA
| | - Scott R McWilliams
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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McWilliams S, Carter W, Cooper-Mullin C, DeMoranville K, Frawley A, Pierce B, Skrip M. How Birds During Migration Maintain (Oxidative) Balance. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.742642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals dynamically adjust their physiology and behavior to survive in changing environments, and seasonal migration is one life stage that demonstrates these dynamic adjustments. As birds migrate between breeding and wintering areas, they incur physiological demands that challenge their antioxidant system. Migrating birds presumably respond to these oxidative challenges by up-regulating protective endogenous systems or accumulating dietary antioxidants at stopover sites, although our understanding of the pre-migration preparations and mid-migration responses of birds to such oxidative challenges is as yet incomplete. Here we review evidence from field and captive-bird studies that address the following questions: (1) Do migratory birds build antioxidant capacity as they build fat stores in preparation for long flights? (2) Is oxidative damage an inevitable consequence of oxidative challenges such as flight, and, if so, how is the extent of damage affected by factors such as the response of the antioxidant system, the level of energetic challenge, and the availability of dietary antioxidants? (3) Do migratory birds ‘recover’ from the oxidative damage accrued during long-duration flights, and, if so, does the pace of this rebalancing of oxidative status depend on the quality of the stopover site? The answer to all these questions is a qualified ‘yes’ although ecological factors (e.g., diet and habitat quality, geographic barriers to migration, and weather) affect how the antioxidant system responds. Furthermore, the pace of this dynamic physiological response remains an open question, despite its potential importance for shaping outcomes on timescales ranging from single flights to migratory journeys. In sum, the antioxidant system of birds during migration is impressively dynamic and responsive to environmental conditions, and thus provides ample opportunities to study how the physiology of migratory birds responds to a changing and challenging world.
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Hedlund JSU, Lv H, Lehmann P, Hu G, Anderson RC, Chapman JW. Unraveling the World’s Longest Non-stop Migration: The Indian Ocean Crossing of the Globe Skimmer Dragonfly. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.698128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Insect migration redistributes enormous quantities of biomass, nutrients and species globally. A subset of insect migrants perform extreme long-distance journeys, requiring specialized morphological, physiological and behavioral adaptations. The migratory globe skimmer dragonfly (Pantala flavescens) is hypothesized to migrate from India across the Indian Ocean to East Africa in the autumn, with a subsequent generation thought to return to India from East Africa the following spring. Using an energetic flight model and wind trajectory analysis, we evaluate the dynamics of this proposed transoceanic migration, which is considered to be the longest regular non-stop migratory flight when accounting for body size. The energetic flight model suggests that a mixed strategy of gliding and active flapping would allow a globe skimmer to stay airborne for up to 230–286 h, assuming that the metabolic rate of gliding flight is close to that of resting. If engaged in continuous active flapping flight only, the flight time is severely reduced to ∼4 h. Relying only on self-powered flight (combining active flapping and gliding), a globe skimmer could cross the Indian Ocean, but the migration would have to occur where the ocean crossing is shortest, at an exceptionally fast gliding speed and with little headwind. Consequently, we deem this scenario unlikely and suggest that wind assistance is essential for the crossing. The wind trajectory analysis reveals intra- and inter-seasonal differences in availability of favorable tailwinds, with only 15.2% of simulated migration trajectories successfully reaching land in autumn but 40.9% in spring, taking on average 127 and 55 h respectively. Thus, there is a pronounced requirement on dragonflies to be able to select favorable winds, especially in autumn. In conclusion, a multi-generational, migratory circuit of the Indian Ocean by the globe skimmer is shown to be achievable, provided that advanced adaptations in physiological endurance, behavior and wind selection ability are present. Given that migration over the Indian Ocean would be heavily dependent on the assistance of favorable winds, occurring during a relatively narrow time window, the proposed flyway is potentially susceptible to disruption, if wind system patterns were to be affected by climatic change.
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Bianchini K, Crump D, Farhat A, Morrissey CA. Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Alter the Hepatic Expression of Genes Involved in Sanderling (Calidris alba) Pre-migratory Fueling. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:1983-1991. [PMID: 33818817 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) impaired pre-migratory fueling in 49 orally dosed Sanderling (Calidris alba). In the present study, 8 genes related to fat deposition and PAH exposure were measured in liver subsamples from these same shorebirds. At the highest dose (1260 µg total PAH [tPAH]/kg body wt/day), PAH exposure decreased liver basic fatty acid binding protein 1 (Lbfabp) and hepatic lipase (Lipc) expression. The present study reveals candidate molecular-level pathways for observed avian pre-migratory refueling impairment. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1983-1991. © 2021 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin Bianchini
- Long Point Waterfowl and Wetlands Research Program, Birds Canada, Port Rowan, Ontario, Canada
- Biology Department, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Doug Crump
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Amani Farhat
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christy A Morrissey
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Photoperiodically driven transcriptome-wide changes in the hypothalamus reveal transcriptional differences between physiologically contrasting seasonal life-history states in migratory songbirds. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12823. [PMID: 34140553 PMCID: PMC8211672 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-91951-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigated time course of photoperiodically driven transcriptional responses in physiologically contrasting seasonal life-history states in migratory blackheaded buntings. Birds exhibiting unstimulated winter phenotype (photosensitive state; responsive to photostimulation) under 6-h short days, and regressed summer phenotype (photorefractory state; unresponsiveness to photostimulation) under 16-h long days, were released into an extended light period up to 22 h of the day. Increased tshβ and dio2, and decreased dio3 mRNA levels in hypothalamus, and low prdx4 and high il1β mRNA levels in blood confirmed photoperiodic induction by hour 18 in photosensitive birds. Further, at hours 10, 14, 18 and 22 of light exposure, the comparison of hypothalamus RNA-Seq results revealed transcriptional differences within and between states. Particularly, we found reduced expression at hour 14 of transthyretin and proopiomelanocortin receptor, and increased expression at hour 18 of apolipoprotein A1 and carbon metabolism related genes in the photosensitive state. Similarly, valine, leucine and isoleucine degradation pathway genes and superoxide dismutase 1 were upregulated, and cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript and gastrin-releasing peptide were downregulated in the photosensitive state. These results show life-history-dependent activation of hypothalamic molecular pathways involved in initiation and maintenance of key biological processes as early as on the first long day.
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Peros CS, Kriz R, Proudfoot GA. Account and Utilization of Blood Lipid Profiles: Lipid Levels Predicted Hemosporidian Infection in Migrating Northern Saw-Whet Owls of Eastern North America. J Parasitol 2021; 107:147-154. [PMID: 33662113 DOI: 10.1645/20-114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Noting lipidomic changes following the parasitism of migrating birds, the metabolic needs of which are primarily fueled by lipids, can deepen our understanding of host-parasite interactions. We identified lipids of migrating Northern saw-whet owls (Aegolius acadicus) using collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry, compared the lipidomic signatures of hemoparasite-infected and noninfected individuals, and performed cross-validation analyses to reveal associations between parasite infection and lipid levels. We found significantly lower levels of lipid classes phosphatidic acid (PA), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and sphingomyelin (SM) in infected Northern saw-whet owls than in the noninfected individuals. Conversely, we found higher levels for certain lysoPS and lysoPE species, and variable lipid level changes for free fatty acid (FFA) species. Reporting lipidomic changes observed between hemosporidian-infected and noninfected Northern saw-whet owls can strengthen our understanding of the mechanisms governing parasite proliferation in this species. Furthermore, our analysis indicated that lipidomic signatures are better predictors of parasite infection than the log-adjusted mass/wing chord body index, a metric commonly used to assess the influence of hemosporidia infection on the health of birds. Establishing a lipidomic profile for Northern saw-whet owls that provides baseline lipid levels during fall migration may assist future studies assessing causes of reductions in breeding brought about from subtle differences in behaviors such as delayed migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin Scott Peros
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604
| | - Reno Kriz
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604.,Department of Computer Science, University of Pennsylvania, 3330 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Glenn A Proudfoot
- Department of Biology, Vassar College, 124 Raymond Avenue, Poughkeepsie, New York 12604
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Marasco V, Sebastiano M, Costantini D, Pola G, Fusani L. Controlled expression of the migratory phenotype affects oxidative status in birds. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb233486. [PMID: 33536304 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.233486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
High caloric intake can increase production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. We examined whether the emergence of the migratory phenotype, primarily signalled by increased food intake and fuelling, is accompanied by changes in oxidative status. We induced autumn migration followed by a non-migratory wintering phase in common quails (Coturnix coturnix). We compared three markers of oxidative status - oxidative damage to lipids expressed as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS); superoxide dismutase (SOD); and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) - between birds sampled during the migratory and non-migratory phase. We found that the emergence of the migratory phenotype was associated with: (i) higher levels of TBARS in the liver; (ii) lower levels of SOD in red blood cells and, marginally, in the liver; (iii) higher levels of GPx in the pectoral muscle; and (iv) sex-specific changes in red blood cells and liver. We found no link between food intake and variation in markers of oxidative status in any of the tissues examined, despite food intake being higher in the migratory birds. However, the increase in body mass was positively correlated with muscle GPx activity as birds entered the pre-migratory fattening phase, while the amount of decrease in body mass was negatively correlated with muscle GPx as birds transitioned to the non-migratory phase. Such correlations were absent in red blood cells and liver. Our work suggests that during the emergence of the migratory phenotype, birds might strategically displace oxidative costs on the liver in order to safeguard the pectoral muscles, which have a fundamental role in successfully completing the migratory flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Marasco
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Manrico Sebastiano
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS-Univ, La Rochelle, France
| | - David Costantini
- Unité Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS; CP32, 57 rue Cuvier 75005, Paris, France
| | - Gianni Pola
- Istituto Sperimentale Zootecnico per la Sicilia, via Roccazzo 85, 90135, Palermo, Italia
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Savoyenstrasse 1a, 1160 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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31
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Ensminger DC, Salvador-Pascual A, Arango BG, Allen KN, Vázquez-Medina JP. Fasting ameliorates oxidative stress: A review of physiological strategies across life history events in wild vertebrates. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2021; 256:110929. [PMID: 33647461 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.110929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Fasting is a component of many species' life history due to environmental factors or behavioral patterns that limit access to food. Despite metabolic and physiological challenges associated with these life history stages, fasting-adapted wild vertebrates exhibit few if any signs of oxidative stress, suggesting that fasting promotes redox homeostasis. Here we review mammalian, avian, reptilian, amphibian, and piscine examples of animals undergoing fasting during prolonged metabolic suppression (e.g. hibernation and estivation) or energetically demanding processes (e.g. migration and breeding) to better understand the mechanisms underlying fasting tolerance in wild vertebrates. These studies largely show beneficial effects of fasting on redox balance via limited oxidative damage. Though some species exhibit signs of oxidative stress due to energetically or metabolically extreme processes, fasting wild vertebrates largely buffer themselves from the negative consequences of oxidative damage through specific strategies such as elevating antioxidants, selectively maintaining redox balance in critical tissues, or modifying behavioral patterns. We conclude with suggestions for future research to better elucidate the protective effects of fasting on oxidative stress as well as disentangle the impacts from other life history stages. Further research in these areas will facilitate our understanding of the mechanisms wild vertebrates use to mitigate the negative impacts associated with metabolically-extreme life history stages as well as potential translation into therapeutic interventions in non-fasting-adapted species including humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Ensminger
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | | | - B Gabriela Arango
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
| | - Kaitlin N Allen
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, USA
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32
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Carter WA, DeMoranville KJ, Pierce BJ, McWilliams SR. Dietary linoleic acid, antioxidants, and flight training influence the activity of oxidative enzymes in European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). J Comp Physiol B 2021; 191:357-370. [PMID: 33559031 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-021-01345-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Multiple studies have demonstrated that diet (e.g., fatty acid composition, antioxidants) and exercise training affect the metabolic performance of songbirds during aerobic activity, although the physiological mechanisms that cause such an effect remain unclear. We tested the hypothesis that elevated proportions of dietary linoleic acid (18:2n6) and amounts of dietary anthocyanins (a hydrophilic antioxidant class) influence the activity and protein expression of oxidative enzymes in flight and leg muscle of European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris N = 96), a subset of which were flown over 15 days in a wind tunnel. Carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT) and citrate synthase (CS) activity displayed 18:2n6-dependent relationships with soluble protein concentration. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was similarly related to protein concentration although also dependent on both dietary anthocyanins and flight training. 3-Hydroxyacyl CoA Dehydrogenase (HOAD) activity increased throughout the experiment in flight muscle, whereas this relationship was dependent on dietary anthocyanins in the leg muscle. Soluble protein concentration also increased throughout the experiment in the flight muscle, but was unrelated to date in the leg muscle, instead being influenced by both dietary anthocyanins and flight training. Training also produced additive increases in CPT and leg muscle HOAD activity. FAT/CD36 expression was related to both dietary 18:2n6 and training and changed over the course of the experiment. These results demonstrate a notable influence of our diet manipulations and flight training on the activity of these key oxidative enzymes, and particularly CPT and CS. Such influence suggests a plausible mechanism linking diet quality and metabolic performance in songbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wales A Carter
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, 1 Greenhouse Rd, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
| | - Kristen J DeMoranville
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, 1 Greenhouse Rd, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Barbara J Pierce
- Department of Biology, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT, 06825, USA
| | - Scott R McWilliams
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, 1 Greenhouse Rd, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
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33
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Vieira-Souza LM, Santos JLD, Marçal AC, Voltarelli FA, Aidar FJ, Miguel-dos-Santos R, Costa RDA, Matos DGD, Santos SL, Araújo SSD. Biomarker responses of cardiac oxidative stress to high intensity interval training in rats. MOTRIZ: REVISTA DE EDUCACAO FISICA 2021. [DOI: 10.1590/s1980-65742021021420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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34
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McWilliams S, Pierce B, Wittenzellner A, Langlois L, Engel S, Speakman JR, Fatica O, DeMoranville K, Goymann W, Trost L, Bryla A, Dzialo M, Sadowska E, Bauchinger U. The energy savings-oxidative cost trade-off for migratory birds during endurance flight. eLife 2020; 9:60626. [PMID: 33306947 PMCID: PMC7733536 DOI: 10.7554/elife.60626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Elite human and animal athletes must acquire the fuels necessary for extreme feats, but also contend with the oxidative damage associated with peak metabolic performance. Here, we show that a migratory bird with fuel stores composed of more omega-6 polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) expended 11% less energy during long-duration (6 hr) flights with no change in oxidative costs; however, this short-term energy savings came at the long-term cost of higher oxidative damage in the omega-6 PUFA-fed birds. Given that fatty acids are primary fuels, key signaling molecules, the building blocks of cell membranes, and that oxidative damage has long-term consequences for health and ageing, the energy savings-oxidative cost trade-off demonstrated here may be fundamentally important for a wide diversity of organisms on earth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott McWilliams
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, United States
| | - Barbara Pierce
- Department of Biology, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, United States
| | | | - Lillie Langlois
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, United States
| | - Sophia Engel
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Starnberg, Germany
| | - John R Speakman
- Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Olivia Fatica
- Department of Biology, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, United States
| | - Kristen DeMoranville
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, United States
| | | | - Lisa Trost
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Starnberg, Germany
| | - Amadeusz Bryla
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Maciej Dzialo
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Edyta Sadowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland.,Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS, Warszawa, Poland
| | - Ulf Bauchinger
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology PAS, Warszawa, Poland
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35
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The immune response of bats differs between pre-migration and migration seasons. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17384. [PMID: 33060711 PMCID: PMC7562910 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74473-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintaining a competent immune system is energetically costly and thus immunity may be traded against other costly traits such as seasonal migration. Here, we tested in long-distance migratory Nathusius’ pipistrelles (Pipistrellus nathusii), if selected branches of immunity are expressed differently in response to the energy demands and oxidative stress of aerial migration. During the migration period, we observed higher baseline lymphocyte and lower neutrophil levels than during the pre-migration period, but no stronger response of cellular effectors to an antigen challenge. Baseline plasma haptoglobin, as a component of the humoral innate immunity, remained similar during both seasons, yet baseline plasma haptoglobin levels increased by a factor of 7.8 in migratory bats during an immune challenge, whereas they did not change during the pre-migration period. Oxidative stress was higher during migration than during pre-migration, yet there was no association between blood oxidative status and immune parameters, and immune challenge did not trigger any changes in oxidative stress, irrespective of season. Our findings suggest that humoral effectors of the acute phase response may play a stronger role in the first-line defense against infections for migrating bats compared to non-migrating bats. We conclude that Nathusius’ pipistrelles allocate resources differently into the branches of their immune system, most likely following current demands resulting from tight energy budgets during migration.
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36
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Beaulieu M, Touzalin F, Dool SE, Teeling EC, Puechmaille SJ. Timescale and colony-dependent relationships between environmental conditions and plasma oxidative markers in a long-lived bat species. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa083. [PMID: 33173584 PMCID: PMC7605240 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
To increase the applicability and success of physiological approaches in conservation plans, conservation physiology should be based on ecologically relevant relationships between physiological markers and environmental variation that can only be obtained from wild populations. Given their integrative and multifaceted aspects, markers of oxidative status have recently been considered in conservation physiology, but still need to be validated across environmental conditions and locations. Here, we examined whether inter-annual variation in two oxidative markers, plasma antioxidant capacity and plasma hydroperoxides, followed inter-annual variation in temperature anomalies and associated vegetation changes in four colonies of long-lived greater mouse-eared bats (Myotis myotis) monitored over five consecutive years. We found that the plasma antioxidant capacity of bats decreased while plasma hydroperoxide concentrations increased with increasing temperature anomalies occurring in the two weeks before blood sampling. Moreover, the antioxidant defences of these bats reflected vegetation indices, which themselves reflected the thermal conditions experienced by bats in their foraging habitat. Variation in oxidative markers therefore appears to be due to variation in thermoregulatory costs and to indirect changes in foraging costs. Overall, these results validate the use of markers of oxidative status in conservation physiology to monitor thermal perturbations recently experienced by animals in their natural habitat. However, even though oxidative markers varied in the same direction in all four bat colonies across years, the amplitude of their response differed. If these different physiological responses reflect different performances (e.g. productivity, survival rate) between colonies, this implies that, if necessary, conservation measures may need to be applied at the local scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Beaulieu
- Corresponding author: Zoological Institute & Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany. Tel. (49)3831 2650 303.
| | - Frédéric Touzalin
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Serena E Dool
- Zoological Institute & Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Emma C Teeling
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Sébastien J Puechmaille
- Zoological Institute & Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Str. 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
- School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
- ISEM, University of Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
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37
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Jensen JK, Isaksson C, Eikenaar C, Andersson MN. Migrant blackbirds, Turdus merula, have higher plasma levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to residents, but not enhanced fatty acid unsaturation index. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:10196-10206. [PMID: 33005375 PMCID: PMC7520213 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Birds have been observed to have dietary preferences for unsaturated fatty acids during migration. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may increase the exercise performance of migrant birds; however, PUFAs are also peroxidation prone and might therefore incur increased costs in terms of enhanced oxidative damage in migratory individuals. To shed light on this potential constraint, we analyzed plasma fatty acid (FA) composition and estimated the unsaturation index as a proxy for susceptibility to lipid peroxidation of migrants and residents of the partially migratory common blackbird (Turdus merula) at a stopover site during autumn migration. As predicted, migrant birds had higher relative and absolute levels of PUFAs compared to resident birds. This included the strictly dietary ω-3 PUFA α-linolenic acid, suggesting a dietary and/or storage preference for these FAs in migrants. Interestingly, the FA unsaturation index did not differ between migrants and residents. These findings suggest a mechanism where birds alter their levels of metabolic substrate without simultaneously increasing the susceptibility of the substrate to lipid peroxidation. In summary, our results are in line with the hypothesis that increased exercise performance during migration might be constrained by oxidative stress, which is manifested in changes in the composition of key FAs to retain the unsaturation index constant despite the increased levels of peroxidizable PUFAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johan Kjellberg Jensen
- Department of BiologyLund UniversityLundSweden
- Centre for Environmental and Climate Research (CEC)Lund UniversityLundSweden
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38
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Sur S, Sharma A, Bhardwaj SK, Kumar V. Involvement of steroid and antioxidant pathways in spleen-mediated immunity in migratory birds. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2020; 250:110790. [PMID: 32800933 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.110790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The molecular underpinnings of the spleen-mediated immune functions during the period of heightened energetic needs in the year are not known in avian migrants. We investigated this, in Palearctic-Indian migratory male redheaded buntings, which exhibited vernal (spring) premigratory / early testicular maturation states under artificial long days. This was evidenced by increased dio2 and decreased dio3 mRNA expression in the hypothalamus, elevated levels of circulating corticosterone and testosterone, and enlarged testes in long-day-photostimulated birds, as compared to unstimulated controls under short days. The concomitant decrease in both mass and volume of the spleen, and increase in the heterophil/ lymphocyte ratio suggested the parallel innate immunity effects in photostimulated buntings. Importantly, we found increased mRNA expression of genes coding for the cytokines (il15 and il34), steroid receptors (nr3c2) and oxidative stress marker enzymes (gpx1 and sod1) in the spleen, suggesting the activation of both immune and antioxidant molecular pathways during the early photostimulated state. However, the splenic expressions of il1β, il6, tgfβ, ar and nos2 genes were not significantly different between long-day stimulated and short-day unstimulated birds. The negative correlation of plasma corticosterone levels with spleen mass further indicated a role of corticosterone in the modulation of the spleen function, probably via nr3c2 gene encoded mineralocorticoid receptors. These results suggest the activation of the spleen-mediated innate immunity in anticipation of the heightened energetic stress state of the photostimulated spring migratory/breeding period in migratory songbirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayantan Sur
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India
| | - Aakansha Sharma
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India
| | | | - Vinod Kumar
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007, India.
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Casagrande S, DeMoranville KJ, Trost L, Pierce B, Bryła A, Dzialo M, Sadowska ET, Bauchinger U, McWilliams SR. Dietary antioxidants attenuate the endocrine stress response during long-duration flight of a migratory bird. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200744. [PMID: 32546088 PMCID: PMC7329026 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are metabolic hormones that promote catabolic processes, which release stored energy and support high metabolic demands such as during prolonged flights of migrating birds. Dietary antioxidants (e.g. anthocyanins) support metabolism by quenching excess reactive oxygen species produced during aerobic metabolism and also by activating specific metabolic pathways. For example, similar to GCs' function, anthocyanins promote the release of stored energy, although the extent of complementarity between GCs and dietary antioxidants is not well known. If anthocyanins complement GCs functions, birds consuming anthocyanin-rich food can be expected to limit the secretion of GCs when coping with a metabolically challenging activity, avoiding the exposure to potential hormonal detrimental effects. We tested this hypothesis in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) flying in a wind tunnel. We compared levels of corticosterone, the main avian GC, immediately after a sustained flight and at rest for birds that were fed diets with or without an anthocyanin supplement. As predicted, we found (i) higher corticosterone after flight than at rest in both diet groups and (ii) anthocyanin-supplemented birds had less elevated corticosterone after flight than unsupplemented control birds. This provides novel evidence that dietary antioxidants attenuate the activation of the HPA axis (i.e. increased secretion of corticosterone) during long-duration flight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Casagrande
- Evolutionary Physiology Research Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, D-82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Kristen J DeMoranville
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Lisa Trost
- Department for Behavioral Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, D-82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Barbara Pierce
- Department of Biology, Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT 06825, USA
| | - Amadeusz Bryła
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Maciej Dzialo
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Edyta T Sadowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Ulf Bauchinger
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, PAS, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Scott R McWilliams
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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Bodey TW, Cleasby IR, Blount JD, McElwaine G, Vigfusdottir F, Bearhop S. Consistent measures of oxidative balance predict survival but not reproduction in a long‐distance migrant. J Anim Ecol 2020; 89:1872-1882. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas W. Bodey
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Penryn UK
- School of Biological Sciences University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand
| | - Ian R. Cleasby
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Penryn UK
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Centre for Conservation Science Inverness UK
| | - Jonathan D. Blount
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Penryn UK
| | | | - Freydis Vigfusdottir
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences and School of Social Sciences University of Iceland Reykjavik Iceland
| | - Stuart Bearhop
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Penryn UK
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41
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Ferretti A, McWilliams SR, Rattenborg NC, Maggini I, Cardinale M, Fusani L. Energy Stores, Oxidative Balance, and Sleep in Migratory Garden Warblers ( Sylvia borin) and Whitethroats ( Sylvia communis) at a Spring Stopover Site. Integr Org Biol 2020; 2:obaa010. [PMID: 33791554 PMCID: PMC7671129 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obaa010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about how songbirds modulate sleep during migratory periods. Due to the alternation of nocturnal endurance flights and diurnal refueling stopovers, sleep is likely to be a major constraint for many migratory passerine species. Sleep may help to increase the endogenous antioxidant capacity that counteracts free radicals produced during endurance flight and reduces energy expenditure. Here, we investigated the relationship between sleep behavior, food intake, and two markers of physiological condition-the amount of energy reserves and oxidative status-in two migratory songbird species, the garden warbler (Sylvia borin) and the whitethroat (Sylvia communis). In garden warblers, birds with high energy stores were more prone to sleep during the day, while this condition-dependent sleep pattern was not present in whitethroats. In both species, birds with low energy stores were more likely to sleep with their head tucked in the feathers during nocturnal sleep. Moreover, we found a positive correlation between food intake and the extent of energy reserves in garden warblers, but not in whitethroats. Finally, we did not find significant correlations between oxidative status and sleep, or oxidative status and energy stores. Despite our study was not comparative, it suggests that different species might use different strategies to manage their energy during stopover and, additionally, it raises the possibility that migrants have evolved physiological adaptations to deal with oxidative damage produced during migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ferretti
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14 (UZA1), Wien 1090, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1a, Wien 1160, Austria
| | - Scott R McWilliams
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, 1 Greenhouse Road, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Niels C Rattenborg
- Avian Sleep Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Straße, Seewiesen 8231, Germany
| | - Ivan Maggini
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1a, Wien 1160, Austria
| | - Massimiliano Cardinale
- Marine Research Institute, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Turistgatan 5, Lysekil SE-453 30, Sweden
| | - Leonida Fusani
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14 (UZA1), Wien 1090, Austria
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Savoyenstraße 1a, Wien 1160, Austria
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42
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Eikenaar C, Winslott E, Hessler S, Isaksson C. Oxidative damage to lipids is rapidly reduced during migratory stopovers. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cas Eikenaar
- Institute of Avian Research Wilhelmshaven Germany
| | | | - Sven Hessler
- Institute of Avian Research Wilhelmshaven Germany
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43
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Carter WA, DeMoranville KJ, Pierce BJ, McWilliams SR. The effects of dietary linoleic acid and hydrophilic antioxidants on basal, peak, and sustained metabolism in flight-trained European starlings. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:1552-1566. [PMID: 32076533 PMCID: PMC7029098 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Dietary micronutrients have the ability to strongly influence animal physiology and ecology. For songbirds, dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and antioxidants are hypothesized to be particularly important micronutrients because of their influence on an individual's capacity for aerobic metabolism and recovery from extended bouts of exercise. However, the influence of specific fatty acids and hydrophilic antioxidants on whole-animal performance remains largely untested. We used diet manipulations to directly test the effects of dietary PUFA, specifically linoleic acid (18:2n6), and anthocyanins, a hydrophilic antioxidant, on basal metabolic rate (BMR), peak metabolic rate (PMR), and rates of fat catabolism, lean catabolism, and energy expenditure during sustained flight in a wind tunnel in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). BMR, PMR, energy expenditure, and fat metabolism decreased and lean catabolism increased over the course of the experiment in birds fed a high (32%) 18:2n6 diet, while birds fed a low (13%) 18:2n6 diet exhibited the reverse pattern. Additionally, energy expenditure, fat catabolism, and flight duration were all subject to diet-specific effects of whole-body fat content. Dietary antioxidants and diet-related differences in tissue fatty acid composition were not directly related to any measure of whole-animal performance. Together, these results suggest that the effect of dietary 18:2n6 on performance was most likely the result of the signaling properties of 18:2n6. This implies that dietary PUFA influence the energetic capabilities of songbirds and could strongly influence songbird ecology, given their availability in terrestrial systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wales A. Carter
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
| | | | | | - Scott R. McWilliams
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRIUSA
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Gutiérrez JS, Sabat P, Castañeda LE, Contreras C, Navarrete L, Peña-Villalobos I, Navedo JG. Oxidative status and metabolic profile in a long-lived bird preparing for extreme endurance migration. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17616. [PMID: 31772390 PMCID: PMC6879648 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54057-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The high metabolic activity associated with endurance flights and intense fuelling of migrant birds may produce large quantities of reactive oxygen species, which cause oxidative damage. Yet it remains unknown how long-lived birds prepare for oxidative challenges prior to extreme flights. We combined blood measurements of oxidative status and enzyme and fat metabolism in Hudsonian godwits (Limosa haemastica, a long-lived shorebird) before they embarked on non-stop flights longer than 10,000 km during their northbound migrations. We found that godwits increased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and reduced oxidative damage (TBARS) as the pre-migratory season progressed, despite higher basal metabolic rates before departure. Elevations in plasma β-hydroxybutyrate and uric acid suggest that lipid and protein breakdown supports energetic requirements prior to migration. Significant associations between blood mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase and plasma TAC (negative) and TBARS (positive) during winter indicate that greater enzyme activity can result in greater oxidative damage and antioxidant responses. However enzyme activity remained unchanged between winter and premigratory stages, so birds may be unable to adjust metabolic enzyme activity in anticipation of future demands. These results indicate that godwits enhance their oxidative status during migratory preparation, which might represent an adaptation to diminish the physiological costs of long-distance migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge S Gutiérrez
- Estación Experimental Quempillén, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Ancud, Chiloé, Chile.
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain.
| | - Pablo Sabat
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis E Castañeda
- Programa de Genética Humana, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Contreras
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lucas Navarrete
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Isaac Peña-Villalobos
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan G Navedo
- Estación Experimental Quempillén, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Ancud, Chiloé, Chile
- Bird Ecology Lab, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
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Munro D, Pamenter ME. Comparative studies of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in animal longevity: Technical pitfalls and possibilities. Aging Cell 2019; 18:e13009. [PMID: 31322803 PMCID: PMC6718592 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 06/03/2019] [Accepted: 06/30/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The mitochondrial oxidative theory of aging has been repeatedly investigated over the past 30 years by comparing the efflux of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from isolated mitochondria of long‐ and short‐lived species using horseradish peroxidase‐based assays. However, a clear consensus regarding the relationship between H2O2 production rates and longevity has not emerged. Concomitantly, novel insights into the mechanisms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) handling by mitochondria themselves should have raised concerns about the validity of this experimental approach. Here, we review pitfalls of the horseradish peroxidase/amplex red detection system for the measurement of mitochondrial ROS formation rates, with an emphasis on longevity studies. Importantly, antioxidant systems in the mitochondrial matrix are often capable of scavenging H2O2 faster than mitochondria produce it. As a consequence, as much as 84% of the H2O2 produced by mitochondria may be consumed before it diffuses into the reaction medium, where it can be detected by the horseradish peroxidase/amplex red system, this proportion is likely not consistent across species. Furthermore, previous studies often used substrates that elicit H2O2 formation at a much higher rate than in physiological conditions and at sites of secondary importance in vivo. Recent evidence suggests that the activity of matrix antioxidants may correlate with longevity instead of the rate of H2O2 formation. We conclude that past studies have been methodologically insufficient to address the putative relationship between longevity and mitochondrial ROS. Thus, novel methodological approaches are required that more accurately encompass mitochondrial ROS metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Munro
- Department of Biology University of Ottawa Ottawa Ontario Canada
| | - Matthew E. Pamenter
- Department of Biology University of Ottawa Ottawa Ontario Canada
- University of Ottawa Brain and Mind Research Institute Ottawa Ontario Canada
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Cooper-Mullin C, Carter WA, McWilliams SR. Acute effects of intense exercise on the antioxidant system in birds: does exercise training help? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.210443. [PMID: 31511346 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.210443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The acute effects of an energy-intensive activity such as exercise may alter an animal's redox homeostasis, although these short-term effects may be ameliorated by chronic exposure to that activity, or training, over time. Although well documented in mammals, how energy-intensive training affects the antioxidant system and damage by reactive species has not been investigated fully in flight-trained birds. We examined changes to redox homeostasis in zebra finches exposed to energy-intensive activity (60 min of perch-to-perch flights twice a day), and how exercise training over many weeks affected this response. We measured multiple components of the antioxidant system: an enzymatic antioxidant (glutathione peroxidase, GPx) and non-enzymatic antioxidants (measured by the OXY-adsorbent test) as well as a measure of oxidative damage (d-ROMs). At no point during the experiment did oxidative damage change. We discovered that exposure to energy-intensive exercise training did not alter baseline levels of GPx, but induced exercise-trained birds to maintain a higher non-enzymatic antioxidant status as compared with untrained birds. GPx activity was elevated above baseline in trained birds immediately after completion of the second 1 h flight on each of the three sampling days, and non-enzymatic antioxidants were acutely depleted during flight after 13 and 44 days of training. The primary effect of exercise training on the acute response of the antioxidant system to 2 h flights was increased coordination between the enzymatic (GPx) and non-enzymatic components of the antioxidant system of birds that reduced oxidative damage associated with exercise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Cooper-Mullin
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Wales A Carter
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
| | - Scott R McWilliams
- Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881, USA
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47
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Abstract
Animal migration demands an interconnected suite of adaptations for individuals to navigate over long distances. This trait complex is crucial for small birds whose migratory behaviors—such as directionality—are more likely innate, rather than being learned as in many longer-lived birds. Identifying causal genes has been a central goal of migration ecology, and this endeavor has been furthered by genome-scale comparisons. However, even the most successful studies of migration genetics have achieved low-resolution associations, identifying large chromosomal regions that encompass hundreds of genes, one or more of which might be causal. Here we leverage the genomic similarity among golden-winged (Vermivora chrysoptera) and blue-winged (V. cyanoptera) warblers to identify a single gene—vacuolar protein sorting 13A (VPS13A)—that is associated with distinct differences in migration to Central American (CA) or South American (SA) wintering areas. We find reduced sequence variation in this gene region for SA wintering birds, and show this is the likely result of natural selection on this locus. In humans, variants of VPS13A are linked to the neurodegenerative disorder chorea-acanthocytosis. This association provides one of the strongest gene-level associations with avian migration differences.
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48
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Eikenaar C, Hegemann A, Packmor F, Kleudgen I, Isaksson C. Not just fuel: energy stores are correlated with immune function and oxidative damage in a long-distance migrant. Curr Zool 2019; 66:21-28. [PMID: 32467701 PMCID: PMC7245008 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoz009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
In many animals, catabolic and anabolic periods are temporally separated. Migratory birds alternate energy expenditure during flight with energy accumulation during stopover. The size of the energy stores at stopover affects the decision to resume migration and thus the temporal organization of migration. We now provide data suggesting that it is not only the size of the energy stores per se that may influence migration scheduling, but also the physiological consequences of flying. In two subspecies of the northern wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe, a long-distance migrant, estimated energy stores at a stopover during autumn migration were positively related with both constitutive innate and acquired immune function, and negatively related with oxidative damage to lipids. In other words, migrants' physiological condition was associated with their energetic condition. Although time spent at stopover before sampling may have contributed to this relationship, our results suggest that migrants have to trade-off the depletion of energy stores during flight with incurring physiological costs. This will affect migrants' decisions when to start and when to terminate a migratory flight. The physiological costs associated with the depletion of energy stores may also help explaining why migrants often arrive at and depart from stopover sites with larger energy stores than expected. We propose that studies on the role of energy stores as drivers of the temporal organization of (avian) migration need to consider physiological condition, such as immunological and oxidative states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cas Eikenaar
- Institute of Avian Research, 26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Arne Hegemann
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, SE-223 62, Sweden
| | - Florian Packmor
- Institute of Avian Research, 26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany.,School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor, LL57 2DG, UK
| | - Iris Kleudgen
- Institute of Avian Research, 26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
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49
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Carter WA, Whiteman JP, Cooper-Mullin C, Newsome SD, McWilliams SR. Dynamics of Individual Fatty Acids in Muscle Fat Stores and Membranes of a Songbird and Its Functional and Ecological Importance. Physiol Biochem Zool 2019; 92:239-251. [PMID: 30741598 DOI: 10.1086/702667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Although tissue fatty acid (FA) composition has been linked to whole-animal performance (e.g., aerobic endurance, metabolic rate, postexercise recovery) in a wide range of animal taxa, we do not adequately understand the pace of changes in FA composition and its implications for the ecology of animals. Therefore, we used a C4 to C3 diet shift experiment and compound-specific δ13C analysis to estimate the turnover rates of FAs in the polar and neutral fractions of flight muscle lipids (corresponding to membranes and lipid droplets) of exercised and sedentary zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Turnover was fastest for linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n6) and palmitic acid (PA; 16:0), with 95% replacement times of 10.8-17.7 d in the polar fraction and 17.2-32.8 d in the neutral fraction, but was unexpectedly slow for the long-chain polyunsaturated FAs (LC-PUFAs) arachidonic acid (20:4n6) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3) in the polar fraction, with 95% replacement in 64.9-136.5 d. Polar fraction LA and PA turnover was significantly faster in exercised birds (95% replacement in 8.5-13.3 d). Our results suggest that FA turnover in intramuscular lipid droplets is related to FA tissue concentrations and that turnover does not change in response to exercise. In contrast, we found that muscle membrane FA turnover is likely driven by a combination of selective LC-PUFA retention and consumption of shorter-chain FAs in energy metabolism. The unexpectedly fast turnover of membrane-associated FAs in muscle suggests that songbirds during migration could substantially remodel their membranes within a single migration stopover, and this may have substantial implications for how the FA composition of diet affects energy metabolism of birds during migration.
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50
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Dick MF, Guglielmo CG. Flight muscle protein damage during endurance flight is related to energy expenditure but not dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids in a migratory bird. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/5/jeb187708. [PMID: 30824569 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.187708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Migration poses many physiological challenges for birds, including sustaining high intensity aerobic exercise for hours or days. A consequence of endurance flight is the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS production may be influenced by dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), which, although prone to oxidative damage, may limit mitochondrial ROS production and increase antioxidant capacity. We examined how flight muscles manage oxidative stress during flight, and whether dietary long-chain PUFA influence ROS management or damage. Yellow-rumped warblers were fed diets low in PUFA, or high in long-chain n-3 or n-6 PUFA. Flight muscle was sampled from birds in each diet treatment at rest or immediately after flying for up to a maximum of 360 min in a wind tunnel. Flight increased flight muscle superoxide dismutase activity but had no effect on catalase activity. The ratio of glutathione to glutathione disulphide decreased during flight. Oxidative protein damage, indicated by protein carbonyls, increased with flight duration (Pearson r=0.4). Further examination of just individuals that flew for 360 min (N=15) indicates that oxidative damage was related more to total energy expenditure (Pearson r=0.86) than to flight duration itself. This suggests that high quality individuals with higher flight efficiency have not only lower energy costs but also potentially less oxidative damage to repair after arrival at the destination. No significant effects of dietary long-chain PUFA were observed on antioxidants or damage. Overall, flight results in oxidative stress and the degree of damage is likely driven more by energy costs than fatty acid nutrition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morag F Dick
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7
| | - Christopher G Guglielmo
- Department of Biology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, N6A 5B7
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