Response of muscle, liver and whole-body protein turnover to two different sources of protein in growing rats.
A significant impairment in growth rate, food efficiency and weight of the gastrocnemius muscle was observed in rats fed a raw legume as the source of protein compared to casein-fed animals. No appreciable differences in chemical composition of the carcass were found. The source of dietary protein did not influence the ratio protein/DNA, DNA concentration or protein-synthesizing capacity (RNA/protein). The slower weight gain of animals fed the legume diet was attributed to a lower muscle protein synthesis, mediated by a depression of muscle RNA activity (grams protein synthesized/gram RNA) rather than changes in myofibrillar protein breakdown. In contrast liver protein synthesis appeared to be slightly increased in the legume-fed animals.
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002364:Caseins / Q000494:pharmacology; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D007887:Fabaceae; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism*; D014674:Plant Proteins, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D002364:Caseins; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D014674:Plant Proteins, Dietary; D011506:Proteins; D012313:RNA