title: Whole-body protein turnover in chicks at early stages of growth.
abstract: Changes in whole-body protein turnover rate in young chicks were measured during very early stages of chicken growth. Day-old single comb White Leghorn male chicks were fed an adequate purified diet. Whole-body protein turnover was determined weekly for 4 wk. Fractional rates of protein synthesis (percent/day) in the whole body decreased from 1 to 4 wk of age while those of degradation remained unchanged. When expressed in terms of body weight per se, no significant change in absolute protein turnover rate (grams/day) was found during the experimental period; however, when expressed in terms of metabolizable body weight (kilograms 0.75), turnover rates increased slightly. Thus, during the first 4 wk of life no decrease in the whole-body protein turnover rate was found in chickens on the basis of units or metabolic body size. Twenty to 28% of the total heat production was accounted for by the energy expenditure due to whole-body protein synthesis.
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D004032:Diet; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D008297:Male; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins