Riassunto analitico
Teleostean fish from temperate latitudes often experience seasonal cycles of low temperature coupled with restricted food supply in the winter, leading to reduced protein synthesis, metabolic depression and slower growth. Laboratory experiments have shown that the restoration of favorable conditions following growth restriction leads to a period of compensatory growth relative to continuously fed groups, largely as a result of increased appetite and feeding activity . The degree of compensatory growth observed varies with developmental stage , the length of the deprivation/refeeding period , temperature and species. The extent to which metabolic depression occurs with starvation or food restriction is a significant factor in inter-specific variation in fasting–refeeding responses, because of the sparing effects on energy stores.
The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of starvation and re-feeding on the expression of MLC2 in gilthead sea bream white muscle. Since growth responses differentiate with age, three different age classes, representing different growth phases, were tested. In order to extend our knowledge on the physiological significance and regulation of the two different isoforms of MLC2, the expression of both MLC2A and MLC2B were studied.
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