The importance of protein in leaf selection of folivorous primates

Protein limitation has been considered a key factor in hypotheses on the evolution of life history and animal communities, suggesting that animals should prioritize protein in their food choice. This contrasts with the limited support that food selection studies have provided for such a priority in nonhuman primates, particularly for folivores. Here, we suggest that this discrepancy can be resolved if folivores only need to select for high protein leaves when average protein concentration in the habitat is low. To test the prediction, we applied meta-analyses to analyze published and unpublished results of food selection for protein and fiber concentrations from 24 studies (some with multiple species) of folivorous primates. To counter potential methodological flaws, we differentiated between methods analyzing total nitrogen and soluble protein concentrations. We used a meta-analysis to test for the effect of protein on food selection by primates and found a significant effect of soluble protein concentrations, but a non-significant effect for total nitrogen. Furthermore, selection for soluble protein was reinforced in forests where protein was less available. Selection for low fiber content was significant but unrelated to the fiber concentrations in representative leaf samples of a given forest. There was no relationship (either negative or positive) between the concentration of protein and fiber in the food or in representative samples of leaves. Overall our study suggests that protein selection is influenced by the protein availability in the environment, explaining the sometimes contradictory results in previous studies on protein selection. Am. J. Primatol. 79:e22550, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Interactions of putatively irreversible antagonists with beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors

Three compounds that have been suggested to irreversibly inactivate beta-adrenergic receptors were studied: NHNPNBE [N-(2-hydroxy-3-[1-napthoxy]-propyl)-N-bromoacetylethylenediami ne], BAAM (bromoacetylalprenololmenthane), and Ro 3-7894 [1-(5-chloracetylaminobenzfuran-2-yl)-2-isopropylaminoethanol++ +]. Membranes of rat cerebral cortex were used as a source of predominantly beta 1-adrenergic receptors and membranes of rat cerebellum were used as a source of predominantly beta 2-adrenergic receptors. Beta-Adrenergic receptor binding sites were studied by Scatchard analysis of saturation isotherms of specific [125I]-pindolol ([125I]PIN) binding. NHNPNBE added to the incubation medium competitively inhibited specific [125I]PIN binding in both cerebellum and cerebral cortex with KI values of 1-2 microM in each tissue. After washout of membranes pretreated with NHNPNBE for 30 min at 37 degrees, no loss of specific [125I]PIN binding sites was observed in either cerebellum or cortex except at very high concentrations (30-100 microM). Ro 3-7894 caused a simple competitive inhibition of specific [125I]PIN binding in rat cerebellar membranes with a KI of approximately 14 microM, an effect which was reversed completely by washing. In cerebral cortex, Ro 3-7894 added to the incubation medium apparently decreased the density of [125I]PIN binding sites with an IC50 around 1 microM. This effect was reversed after washing the membranes twice. However, in the presence of Ro 3-7894 some Scatchard plots showed a slight curvature. Further saturation of the [125I]PIN binding sites in cerebral cortex showed that the inhibition by Ro 3-7894 was competitive but with a high- and low-affinity component, consistent with Ro 3-7894 being a beta 1-selective competitive antagonist. Ro 3-7894 was also beta 1-selective in other tissues. BAAM added to the incubation medium competitively inhibited specific [125I]PIN binding in both cerebellum and cortex with KI values of 0.006 to 0.03 microM, but was about 5-fold more potent in cerebellum. After treatment of membranes with higher concentrations of BAAM for 30 min at 37 degrees and washing twice, there was a dose-dependent decrease in the density of specific [125I]PIN binding sites with IC50 values of approximately 0.3 microM in both tissues. Similar effects were observed in rat heart. These data suggest that NHNPNBE is a simple competitive antagonist at both beta 1- and beta 2-adrenergic receptors except at very high concentrations. Ro 3-7894 is a beta 1-selective competitive antagonist with no apparent irreversible effects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)