Meeting Abstract

5.9  Thursday, Jan. 3  Effects of muscle phospholipids and adipose lipids on exercise performance in birds PRICE, Edwin R.*; GUGLIELMO, Christopher C.; University of Western Ontario; University of Western Ontario eprice3@uwo.ca

Recent work has shown that exercise performance can be affected by dietary fatty acid composition. Our research has focused on the two major mechanisms that have been proposed to explain this effect: differential rates of fatty acid mobilization from stores to sites of fuel utilization, and different effects on membrane proteins as dietary fatty acids are incorporated into phospholipids. Both of these possibilities may operate in migratory birds. This study used a dietary manipulation and food restriction to alter muscle phospholipid composition independently of adipose composition. This method allows us to tease apart these two hypotheses in white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis). We used flight-wheel respirometry and muscle oxidative enzymes to assess exercise performance and capacity in these diet-manipulated animals.