Influence of dietary protein intake on whole-body protein turnover in chicks

1. Experiments were conducted to investigate whether or not varying dietary protein intake affects whole-body protein turnover rates in young chicks. 2. Seven-d-old single comb White Leghorn male chicks were fed on diets with protein concentrations of 0, 100, 200 or 400 g/kg diet under conditions of ad libitum or equalised feeding. At the end of the experiments, the rate of protein synthesis and protein degradation in the whole body were measured in vivo. 3. The results showed that both fractional and absolute rates of protein synthesis increased with increasing dietary protein up to 200 g/kg; above this concentration they remained almost constant when feeding was ad libitum. 4. Similar responses were found with equalized feeding except that a significant reduction in protein synthesis was found when dietary protein was increased from 200 to 400 g/kg diet. 5. Less sensitive and almost parallel changes in protein degradation rates were found. 6. It was concluded that adaptation to varied dietary protein intake occurred primarily through changes in protein synthesis, accompanied by parallel alterations in protein degradation in the whole body.