THE GRAVITY AND PROTEIN-METABOLISM OF SKELETAL-MUSCLES IN JAPANESE-QUAIL

The effects of different gravity or rotation administered for 96 or 14 4 hours continually on protein and nucleic acids contents in muscles o f Japanese quail were determined. It was shown that hypergravity affec ts the contents of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins, as well as RNA and DNA, but the response of individual muscles to hypergravity is different. It was shown that m. pectoralis is more influenced by hype rgravity than m. supracoracoides while the protein or nucleic acid pat terns in thigh or calf muscles are influenced to a smaller extent. The effect of rotation is not linear in the range above 0 of angular velo city and is different with regard to examined parameter. Nucleic acid ratios did not show any changes, while the contents of sarcoplasmic or myofibrillar proteins were considerably affected. The extrapolation o f values to zero gravity, as well as comparison with values from actua l space flight, were made.