title: Post-prandial changes in protein synthesis in red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) larvae.
abstract: Protein synthesis is one of the major energy-consuming processes in all living organisms. Post-prandial changes in protein synthesis have been studied in a range of animal taxa but have been little studied in fish larvae. Using the flooding-dose method, we measured post-prandial changes in whole-body rates of protein synthesis in regularly fed red drum Sciaenops ocellatus (Linnaeus) larvae for 24-28 h following their daily meal. Fractional rates of protein synthesis increased from a baseline (pre-feeding) rate of 16% day(-1) to a post-prandial peak of 48% day(-1) ca. 8 h after feeding before declining to 12% day(-1) after 24-28 h. The overall mean daily rate of protein synthesis was calculated as 27% day(-1). Although suggested as energetically impossible in larval poikilotherms, our results show that rates in excess of 30% day(-1) can be attained by larval fishes for a few hours but are not sustained. The average daily energetic cost of protein synthesis was estimated as 34% of daily total oxygen consumption, ranging from 19% immediately before feeding to 61% during the post-prandial peak in protein synthesis. This suggests that during the post-prandial peak, protein synthesis will require a large proportion of the hourly energy production, which, given the limited metabolic scope in fish larvae, may limit the energy that could otherwise be allocated to other energy-costly functions, such as foraging and escape responses.
authors.affiliation: School of Ocean Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Menai Bridge, Anglesey, UK. i.mccarthy@bangor.ac.uk
authors.forename: Ian D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: Lee A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Fuiman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007814:Larva / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010473:Perciformes / Q000378:metabolism*; D019518:Postprandial Period; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis
chemical_list: D029941:Fish Proteins