Individual variation in protein turnover and growth efficiency in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

Abstract

The aims of this study were to examine the relation between consumption, growth and protein synthesis for individual rainbow trout held in groups, and to examine how differences in protein turnover may help to explain the observed differences in protein growth rate between rainbow trout with similar protein consumption rates. Therefore four measurements of consumption were made for 37 individual fish over a 73 day period by using radiography. At the end of the experiment, fractional rates of protein synthesis were measured by using a single flooding dose injection of [$^{3}$H]phenylalanine. The results showed that fractional rates of protein growth and synthesis increased with consumption rate. However, degradation rates were independent of consumption. Fish consuming similar amounts of food exhibited two- to threefold differences in fractional protein growth rates, and twofold differences in fractional rates of protein synthesis. Nine pairs of fish with similar protein consumption rates but different rates of protein growth were selected to examine if differences in protein metabolism, digestive efficiency or RNA concentration or activity could explain these observed differences in protein growth efficiency. More efficient fish were found to have reduced degradation rates; this was the only significant result obtained. The results support the hypothesis that individual differences in protein turnover are important determinants of growth efficiency in fish.