Flexibility underlies differences in mitochondrial respiratory performance between migratory and non-migratory White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

The cost of supporting traits that increase mating opportunities and maximize the production of quality offspring is paid in energy. This currency of reproduction is enabled by bioenergetic adaptations that underlie the flexible changes in energy utilization that occur with reproduction. This review considers the traits that contribute to variation in the capacity of an organ to produce ATP. Further, it synthesizes findings from studies that have evaluated bioenergetic adaptations to the production of sexually selected traits and performance during reproduction and the role of change in mitochondrial respiratory performance in the tradeoff between reproduction and longevity. Cumulatively, these works provide evidence that in selecting for redder males, female finches will likely mate with a male with high mitochondrial respiratory performance and, potentially, a higher probability of mitonuclear compatibility. Females from diverse taxa allocate more to reproduction when the respiratory performance of mitochondria or density of the inner mitochondrial membrane in the liver or skeletal muscle is higher. Finally, reproduction does not appear to have persistent negative effects on mitochondrial respiratory performance, countering a role for mitochondria in the trade-off between reproduction and longevity. I close by noting that adaptations that improve mitochondrial respiratory performance appear vital for optimizing reproductive fitness.

A Mitochondrial Perspective on the Demands of Reproduction

Hood

2024

Mechanisms that Alter Capacity for Adenosine Triphosphate Production and Oxidative Phosphorylation: Insights from Avian Migration

Hood

2024

Avian migration is among the most energetically demanding feats observed in animals. Studies evaluating the physiological underpinnings of migration have repeatedly shown that migratory birds display numerous adaptations that ultimately supply the flight muscle mitochondria with abundant fuel and oxygen during long-distance flights. To make use of this high input, the organs and mitochondria of migrants are predicted to display several traits that maximize their capacity to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This review aims to introduce readers to several mechanisms by which organs and mitochondria can alter their capacity for oxidative phosphorylation and adenosine triphosphate production. The role of organ size, mitochondrial volume, substrate, and oxygen delivery to the electron transport system are discussed. A central theme of this review is the role of changes in electron chain complex activity, mitochondrial morphology and dynamics, and supercomplexes in allowing avian migrants and other taxa to alter the performance of the electron transport system with predictable shifts in demand. It is my hope that this review will serve as a springboard for future studies exploring the mechanisms that alter bioenergetic capacity across animal species.

A Comparison of the Mitochondrial Performance between Migratory and Sedentary Mimid Thrushes

Rhodes,

Yap,

Hill

et al. 2024

Birds exhibit a variety of migration strategies. Because sustained flapping flight requires the production of elevated levels of energy compared to typical daily activities, migratory birds are well-documented to have several physiological adaptations to support the energy demands of migration. However, even though mitochondria are the source of ATP that powers flight, the respiratory performance of the mitochondria is almost unstudied in the context of migration. We hypothesized that migratory species would have higher mitochondrial respiratory performance during migration compared to species that do not migrate. To test this hypothesis, we compared variables related to mitochondrial respiratory function between two confamilial bird species—the migratory Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) and the non-migratory Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos). Birds were captured at the same location along the Alabama Gulf Coast, where we assumed that Gray Catbirds were migrants and where resident Northern Mockingbirds live year-round. We found a trend in citrate synthase activity, which suggests that Gray Catbirds have a greater mitochondrial volume in their pectoralis muscle, but we observed no other differences in mitochondrial respiration or complex enzymatic activities between individuals from the migrant versus the non-migrant species. However, when we assessed the catbirds included in our study using well-established indicators of migratory physiology, birds fell into two groups: a group with physiological parameters indicating a physiology of birds engaged in migration and a group with the physiology of birds not migrating. Thus, our comparison included catbirds that appeared to be outside of migratory condition. When we compared the mitochondrial performance of these three groups, we found that the mitochondrial respiratory capacity of migrating catbirds was very similar to that of Northern Mockingbirds, while the catbirds judged to be not migrating were lowest. One explanation for these observations is these species display very different daily flight behaviors. While the mockingbirds we sampled were not breeding nor migrating, they are highly active birds, living in the open and engaging in flapping flights throughout each day. In contrast, Gray Catbirds live in shrubs and fly infrequently when not migrating. Such differences in baseline energy needs likely confounded our attempt to study adaptations to migration.