Use of TLC‐FID and GC‐MS/FID to examine the effects of migratory state, diet and captivity on preen wax composition in White‐throated Sparrows <i>Zonotrichia albicollis</i>

Thomas, Raymond; Price, Edwin R.; Seewagen, Chad L.; Mackenzie, Stuart A.; Bernards, Mark A.; Guglielmo, Christopher G.

doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.2010.01050.x

Cited by 30 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…These differences could be attributed to differences in the diet (e.g. Sandilands et al 2004a;Thomas et al 2010) or differences in the allocation of resources. This may happen if some compounds are more costly to produce than others, as trade-offs between investment in growth and other requirements are expected in nestlings growing under intense sibling competition levels such as spotless starlings (Gil et al 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex recognition by odour and variation in the uropygial gland secretion in starlings

Amo

Avilés

Parejo

et al. 2012

Journal of Animal Ecology

112

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Summary1. Although a growing body of evidence supports that olfaction based on chemical compounds emitted by birds may play a role in individual recognition, the possible role of chemical cues in sexual selection of birds has been only preliminarily studied. 2. We investigated for the first time whether a passerine bird, the spotless starling Sturnus unicolor, was able to discriminate the sex of conspecifics by using olfactory cues and whether the size and secretion composition of the uropygial gland convey information on sex, age and reproductive status in this species. 3. We performed a blind choice experiment during mating, and we found that starlings were able to discriminate the sex of conspecifics by using chemical cues alone. Both male and female starlings preferred male scents. Furthermore, the analysis of the chemical composition of the uropygial gland secretion by using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed differences between sexes, ages and reproductive status. 4. In conclusion, our study reveals for first time that a passerine species can discriminate the sex of conspecifics by relying on chemical cues and suggests that the uropygial gland secretion may potentially function as a chemical signal used in mate choice and ⁄ or intrasexual competition in this species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex recognition by odour and variation in the uropygial gland secretion in starlings

Amo

Avilés

Parejo

et al. 2012

Journal of Animal Ecology

112

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“…Bat fur affects drag experienced in flight (Hassanloo et al 1995). Although untested, it has been suggested that preen wax on the feathers of birds may play a role in reducing drag during flight (Thomas et al 2010). This speculation is supported by that fact that there was more preen wax on head feathers (the leading part of the body during flight) than wing or tail feathers (Thomas et al 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although untested, it has been suggested that preen wax on the feathers of birds may play a role in reducing drag during flight (Thomas et al 2010). This speculation is supported by that fact that there was more preen wax on head feathers (the leading part of the body during flight) than wing or tail feathers (Thomas et al 2010). Similarly, there is an increased sebum production on the head of vespertilionid bats (Haffner 2000).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Glycerophospholipid Analysis of Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus Borealis) Hair by Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry

et al. 2014

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Pilosebaceous units found in the mammalian integument are composed of a hair follicle, the proximal portion of the hair shaft, a sebaceous gland, and the erector pili muscle. Pilosebaceous units release protective oils, or sebum, by holocrine secretion onto skin and hair through rupturing of sebocytes. Sebum is largely composed of polar and neutral lipids including glycerolipids, free fatty acids, sterols, wax esters, sterol esters, and squalene. In addition to these lipid classes, there is a small proportion of ionic/anionic glycerophospholipids (GPs). Composition of GPs on hair is rarely addressed despite their broad biological activities as signaling molecules and membrane stability. Furthermore, knowledge on GP composition in bats is lacking. Bat GP composition is important to document due to GP roles ranging from decreasing drag during migration to interaction with the integumentary microbiome. In this study, we analyzed GP molecular composition with liquid chromatography electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry and compared GP content to previous literature. A total of 152 GPs were detected. Broad GP classes identified include lysophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylcholine (PC), lysophosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidic acid, and phosphatidylglycerol, with PC being the most abundant class. The acyl components were consistent with fatty acid methyl esters and triacylglyceride moieties found in Eastern red bat sebum. GP proportions of the hair surface were different from a previous study on bat lung surfactants. This study determined the broad class and molecular species of bat sebum GPs that may be used in future ecological studies in vespertilionid bats.

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“…Membrane samples were isolated as described above and extracted as described previously (10) and stored at Ϫ20°C for gas chromatography-flame ionization detection and thin-layer chromatography-flame ionization detection analysis, as described before (43). Thin-layer chromatography was used to separate the individual phospholipids present in the sample and was performed exactly as described previously (10).…”

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confidence: 99%

Rapid cortisol signaling in response to acute stress involves changes in plasma membrane order in rainbow trout liver

Dindia

Faught

Leonenko

et al. 2013

American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism

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Dindia L, Faught E, Leonenko Z, Thomas R, Vijayan MM. Rapid cortisol signaling in response to acute stress involves changes in plasma membrane order in rainbow trout liver. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 304: E1157-E1166, 2013. First published March 26, 2013 doi:10.1152/ajpendo.00500.2012.-The activation of genomic signaling in response to stressor-mediated cortisol elevation has been studied extensively in teleosts. However, very little is known about the rapid signaling events elicited by this steroid. We tested the hypothesis that cortisol modulates key stress-related signaling pathways in response to an acute stressor in fish liver. To this end, we investigated the effect of an acute stressor on biophysical properties of plasma membrane and on stressor-related protein phosphorylation in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver. A role for cortisol in modulating the acute cellular stress response was ascertained by blocking the stressor-induced elevation of this steroid by metyrapone. The acute stressor exposure increased plasma cortisol levels and liver membrane fluidity (measured by anisotropy of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene), but these responses were abolished by metyrapone. Atomic force microscopy further confirmed biophysical alterations in liver plasma membrane in response to stress, including changes in membrane domain topography. The changes in membrane order did not correspond to any changes in membrane fatty acid components after stress, suggesting that changes in membrane structure may be associated with cortisol incorporation into the lipid bilayer. Plasma cortisol elevation poststress correlated positively with activation of intracellular stress signaling pathways, including increased phosphorylation of extracellular signal-related kinases as well as several putative PKA and PKC but not Akt substrate proteins. Together, our results indicate that stressor-induced elevation of plasma cortisol level is associated with alterations in plasma membrane fluidity and rapid activation of stress-related signaling pathways in trout liver. fish; oncorhynchus mykiss; salmonid; glucocorticoid; stress response; membrane fluidity; cell signaling IN RESPONSE TO AN ACUTE STRESSOR, a conserved physiological response is initiated, which involves elevation of stress hormones and subsequent metabolic adjustments, to ensure homeostasis (37). The principal stress hormones, epinephrine and glucocorticoids, have critical functions in the stress adaptation process (9). The fight-or-flight response involves the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, leading to the rapid release of epinephrine from chromaffin cells (9). This catecholamine plays a major role in the acute cardiovascular and metabolic adjustments associated with the fight-or-flight response. The synthesis and release of cortisol, the principal glucocorticoid in teleost, comprises the second phase of the neuroendocrine response, which has a longer-term effect on stress adaptation.

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Use of TLC‐FID and GC‐MS/FID to examine the effects of migratory state, diet and captivity on preen wax composition in White‐throated Sparrows Zonotrichia albicollis

Cited by 30 publications

References 42 publications

Sex recognition by odour and variation in the uropygial gland secretion in starlings

Sex recognition by odour and variation in the uropygial gland secretion in starlings

Glycerophospholipid Analysis of Eastern Red Bat (Lasiurus Borealis) Hair by Electrospray Ionization Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Rapid cortisol signaling in response to acute stress involves changes in plasma membrane order in rainbow trout liver

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