A profile of carbohydrate metabolites in the fasting northern elephant seal.

摘要: Abstract Northern elephant seals endure prolonged periods of food deprivation at multiple life-history stages and simultaneous with energetically costly activities—including reproduction development. Most mammals decrease their energy expenditure while fasting, reductions in gluconeogenesis circulating glucose concentration. Paradoxically, maintain high rates both gluconeogenesis, blood concentrations throughout fasting. We therefore characterized the suite changes that occur carbohydrate metabolites during fasting northern seals. Using a broad-based metabolomics platform we investigated two states—lactation adult females post-weaning developmental period pups. A total 227 were detected seal plasma; 31 associated metabolism analyzed present study. Several compounds showed similar responses lactation fast (e.g. glycerol mesaconate) whereas other displayed quite different abundances between groups citrate pyruvate). This work found that, frequently lactating developing pups, relative abundance often varied markedly. These differences suggest metabolic strategies used to fasts are influenced by or nutrient constraints.