Fowl play and the price of petrel: long-living Procellariiformes have peroxidation-resistant membrane composition compared with short-living Galliformes.
The membrane pacemaker hypothesis predicts that long-living species will have more peroxidation-resistant membrane lipids than shorter living species. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the fatty acid composition of heart phospholipids from long-living Procellariiformes (petrels and albatrosses) to those of shorter living Galliformes (fowl). The seabirds were obtained from by-catch of commercial fishing operations and the fowl values from published data. The 3.8-fold greater predicted longevity of the seabirds was associated with elevated content of peroxidation-resistant monounsaturates and reduced content of peroxidation-prone polyunsaturates and, consequently, a significantly reduced peroxidation index in heart membrane lipids, compared with fowl. Peroxidation-resistant membrane composition may be an important physiological trait for longevous species.
Buttemer
William A
WA
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia. buttemer@uow.edu.au
Battam
Harry
H
Hulbert
A J
AJ
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D046094:Galliformes / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008136:Longevity; D009206:Myocardium / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism
D005227:Fatty Acids; D010743:Phospholipids