Expression patterns of heat-shock genes during stopover and the trade-off between refueling and stress response in a passerine migrant

We examined the gene expression patterns of different Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) in migrating birds during stopover at different body condition states (lean vs. fat), to provide some first insights on the role of HSPs in bird migration and explore the concept of a trade-off between refueling and stress response. Our results showed upregulation of HSP expression at release that could be associated with muscle growth and increased cholesterol and lipid synthesis needed for birds to fuel their upcoming migration. On the other hand, during capture, upregulation of HSP5 could be attributed to physiological recovery from the non-stop endurance flight when crossing the Sahara Desert-Mediterranean Sea ecological barrier. All birds significantly increased their fuel loads up to 48% of lean body mass and we provide evidence for muscle rebuilding during stopover as flight muscle mass increased by 10%, highlighting the fact that stopover sites can play a major role in the physiological recovery of migrants.
Source: Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology - Category: Physiology Source Type: research