Protein synthesis in a solitary benthic cephalopod, the Southern dumpling squid (Euprymna tasmanica)

Abstract

Rates of protein synthesis were measured in the whole body and tissues of southern dumpling squid Euprymna tasmanica to validate the use of a flooding-dose of (3)H phenylalanine for the measurement of protein synthesis with different size squid and to make a preliminary investigation into the effects of feeding regime. In smaller (2.8+/-0.5 g, mean+/-SE) and larger (14.8+/-2.2 g) squid whole body fractional rates of protein synthesis were 9.45+/-1.21 and 1.49+/-0.29% d(-1), respectively. Differences in total whole body protein content meant there was no difference in absolute rates of whole body protein synthesis between the larger and smaller squid. In larger squid, fractional rates of protein synthesis were significantly higher in the digestive gland (9.24+/-1.63% d(-1)) than in the arm tissue (1.43+/-0.31% d(-1)), which were significantly higher than in the anterior (0.56+/-0.13% d(-1)) and posterior (0.36+/-0.04% d(-1)) mantle. In smaller squid there were no differences in protein synthesis between tissues and high individual variation, due to differences in feeding, was a likely cause. Consequently, the effect of feeding regime on protein synthesis was compared between two groups of individually held squid: daily-feeding and minimal-feeding squid. The daily-feeding squid had significantly higher feed intake, gained mass and had a significantly higher growth rate than the minimal-feeding squid which lost mass. Whole body protein synthesis was significantly higher in the daily-feeding squid as was the protein content of the digestive gland, anterior and posterior mantle. There were few other differences in indices of protein metabolism. Individual squid showed differences in growth and protein metabolism, and there were significant relationships between growth rate and both rates of protein synthesis and protein degradation. Thus, higher individual growth was a consequence of increased protein synthesis, decreased protein degradation and, therefore, increased efficiency of retaining synthesised protein.