Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate how feeding-induced changes in muscle glycogen stores affect the ratio of between the glycogen pools, pro- and macroglycogen. Pro- and macroglycogen content were determined in longissumus muscle from slaughter pigs subjected to a feeding strategy known to reduce total glycogen stores. Furthermore, early postslaughter glycolysis of the two glycogen forms was determined. The feeding strategy involved a diet (GLYRED diet) with a low digestible carbohydrate (5%)/high fat (18%) content, which was fed to the pigs the last 3 wk before harvest. A control group was fed a standard pig diet (49% digestible carbohydrate/5% fat). Total glycogen was reduced by 48 mumol/g dry weight (d.w.) in GLYRED pigs during the 3-wk feeding period. This was mainly due to a reduction in macroglycogen of 42 mumol/g d.w. During postmortem glycolysis the proglycogen appeared to be degraded in favor of macroglycogen. Moreover, total glycogen was degraded to a larger extent in muscle from the control pigs compared with muscle from GLYRED pigs. This difference was due to a significantly greater degradation of proglycogen in the control pigs. In conclusion, the results support earlier studies suggesting that proglycogen and macroglycogen are different glycogen pools that have different functions. Furthermore, the results show that the muscle glycogen pools can be manipulated through diet and that proglycogen is degraded in favor of macroglycogen under the anaerobic conditions postmortem

Published in

Journal of Animal Science
2003, Volume: 81, number: 1, pages: 130-134
Publisher: AMER SOC ANIMAL SCIENCE

SLU Authors

• Essen-Gustavsson, Birgitta

  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/2500