MUSCLE PROTEIN SYNTHESIS IN VITRO IN CHICKS FED A LOW-PROTEIN DIET

Muscle protein synthesis in vitro was measured in chicks fed low-protein(10% CP) and control(20% CP) diets. Right leg muscles (M. gastrocnemius) were mounted on a support made of stainless steel to stretch in constant tension, whereas left leg muscles were unmounted. Both leg muscles were incubated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium including L-[$4-^3H$] phenylalanine for 60 min to measure in vitro protein synthesis. There was no significant difference in fractional synthesis rate(FSR) of muscle protein between both dietary protein levels, whereas FSR with stretch in constant tension was significantly higher than that without constant tension due to an increase in the absolute synthesis rate(ASR) per unit RNA(the efficiency of RNA to synthesize protein). The ASR of muscle protein in chicks fed the control diet was significantly higher than that in the low-protein diet group.