Energy expenditure and protein turnover in three species of wallabies (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) |
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Authors: | R. G. White I. D. Hume J. V. Nolan |
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Affiliation: | (1) Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Nutrition, University of New England, 2351 Armidale, NSW, Australia;(2) Present address: Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, 99775 Fairbanks, Alaska, USA;(3) Present address: School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, 2006, N.S.W., Australia |
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Abstract: | Summary Relationships between basal and fed metabolic rates and whole-body protein turnover rates were examined in three species of wallabies, the red-necked pademelon (Thylogale thetis), parma wallaby (Macropus parma) and tammar wallaby (M. eugenii).There were no significant differences among wallaby species in basal metabolic rate (BMR) which was 30% below eutherian mammals. However, the fed metabolic rate of the tammar was lower than that of the other two species (P<0.05), as was the protein turnover rate (P<0.01) which is consistent with its lower voluntary feed intake and with its lower maintenance nitrogen requirement.Protein turnover rates in the wallabies were 23–47% lower than in eutherian mammals. Similarly, protein synthesis made a lower contribution to fed metabolic rates in the wallabies (7–8%) than in eutherians (17–25%).Thus, compared with several eutherian species, macropodid marsupials have low rates of both energy and protein metabolism, but within the macropodids there is not necessarily a close link between basal metabolic rate and whole-body protein turnover.Abbreviations BMR basal metabolic rate - DEE daily energy expenditure - EE energy expenditure - LSD least significant difference - RQ respiratory quotient |
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