Interplay among energy metabolism, organ mass and digestive enzyme activity in the mouse-opossum <i>Thylamys elegans</i>

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dc.contributor.authorNespolo, RF
dc.contributor.authorBacigalupe, LD
dc.contributor.authorSabat, P
dc.contributor.authorBozinovic, F
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-21T01:10:37Z
dc.date.available2025-01-21T01:10:37Z
dc.date.issued2002
dc.description.abstractThe potential for thermal acclimation in marsupials is controversial. Initial studies suggest that the thermoregulatory maximum metabolic rate (MMR) in metatherians; cannot be changed by thermal acclimation. Nevertheless, recent studies reported conspicuous seasonality in both MMR and in basal metabolic rate (BMR). We studied the role of thermal acclimation in the Chilean mouse-opossum, Thylamys elegans, by measuring MMR and BMR before and after acclimation to cold or warm conditions. Following acclimation we also measured the mass of metabolically active organs, and the activity of a key digestive enzyme, aminopeptidase-N. No significant effect of thermal acclimation (i.e. between cold- and warm-acclimated animals) was observed for body mass, MMR, body temperature or factorial aerobic scope. However, the BMR of cold-acclimated animals was 30% higher than for warm-acclimated individuals. For organ mass, acclimation had a significant effect on the dry mass of caecum, liver and kidneys only. Stepwise multiple regression using pooled data showed that 71% of the variation in BMR is explained by the digestive organs. Overall, these results suggest that MMR is a rather rigid variable, while BMR shows plasticity. It seems that T. elegans cannot respond to thermal acclimation by adjusting its processes of energy expenditure (i.e. thermogenic capacity and mass of metabolically active organs). The lack of any significant difference in aminopeptidase-N specific activity between warm- and cold-acclimated animals suggests that this response is mainly quantitative (i.e. cell proliferation) rather than qualitative (i.e. differential enzyme expression). Finally, as far as we know, this study is the first to report the effects of thermal acclimation on energy metabolism, organ mass and digestive enzyme activity in a marsupial.
dc.fuente.origenWOS
dc.identifier.eissn1477-9145
dc.identifier.issn0022-0949
dc.identifier.urihttps://repositorio.uc.cl/handle/11534/96703
dc.identifier.wosidWOS:000177957500014
dc.issue.numero17
dc.language.isoen
dc.pagina.final2703
dc.pagina.inicio2697
dc.revistaJournal of experimental biology
dc.rightsacceso restringido
dc.subjectbasal metabolic rate
dc.subjectmaximum metabolic rate
dc.subjectmarsupial
dc.subjectthermal acclimation
dc.subjectorgan mass
dc.subjectThylamys elegans
dc.subjectaminopeptidase-N
dc.subject.ods15 Life on Land
dc.subject.ods13 Climate Action
dc.subject.odspa15 Vida de ecosistemas terrestres
dc.subject.odspa13 Acción por el clima
dc.titleInterplay among energy metabolism, organ mass and digestive enzyme activity in the mouse-opossum <i>Thylamys elegans</i>
dc.typeartículo
dc.volumen205
sipa.indexWOS
sipa.trazabilidadWOS;2025-01-12
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