title: Symmorphosis and livestock bioenergetics: production animal muscle has low mitochondrial volume fractions.
abstract: A comparative analysis of skeletal muscle structure reveals that production species (nine species, representing three mammalian families and an avian family) have mitochondrial volume fractions (MVF) 37% lower than the non-production species at equivalent size (17 species, with representatives from 10 mammalian families) (Fig. 1; F(1,25) = 4.79; p = 0.039). As MVF provides evidence of oxidative capacity, this comparative analysis indicates that production animals share an exceptionally low oxidative capacity muscle phenotype. A possible bioenergetic reason for this observation, relating to a reduction in the cost of maintaining trans-membrane ion gradients is briefly discussed. This discussion is framed within a biological economic design theory called symmorphosis and makes predictions about avenues for improvements in livestock bioenergetics.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO Livestock Industries, Queensland Bioscience Precinct, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. nicholasjameshudson@yahoo.com
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Hudson
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010085:Oxidative Phosphorylation; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D013045:Species Specificity