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Environmental-induced acquisition of nuptial plumage expression: a role of denaturation of feather carotenoproteins?

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dc.creator Blanco, Guillermo
dc.creator Frías, Óscar
dc.creator Garrido Fernández, J.
dc.creator Hornero-Méndez, Dámaso
dc.date 2008-04-15T07:06:42Z
dc.date 2008-04-15T07:06:42Z
dc.date 2005-08-02
dc.date.accessioned 2017-01-31T01:02:18Z
dc.date.available 2017-01-31T01:02:18Z
dc.identifier Proceedings of the Royal Society B 272(1575): 1893–1900 (2005)
dc.identifier 1471-2954 (Online)
dc.identifier 0962-8452 (Print)
dc.identifier http://hdl.handle.net/10261/3576
dc.identifier 10.1098/rspb.2005.3157
dc.identifier.uri http://dspace.mediu.edu.my:8181/xmlui/handle/10261/3576
dc.description 8 pages, 3 figures.-- PMID: 16191594 [PubMed].-- Printed version published on Sep 22, 2005.
dc.description Several avian species show a bright carotenoid-based coloration during spring and following a period of duller coloration during the previous winter, despite carotenoids presumably being fully deposited in feathers during the autumn moult. Carotenoid-based breast feathers of male linnets (Carduelis cannabina) increased in hue (redness), saturation and brightness after exposing them to outdoor conditions from winter to spring. This represents the first experimental evidence showing that carotenoid-based plumage coloration may increase towards a colourful expression due to biotic or abiotic environmental factors acting directly on full-grown feathers when carotenoids may be fully functional. Sunlight ultraviolet (UV) irradiation was hypothesized to denature keratin and other proteins that might protect pigments from degradation by this and other environmental factors, suggesting that sunlight UV irradiation is a major factor in the colour increase from winter to spring. Feather proteins and other binding molecules, if existing in the follicles, may be linked to carotenoids since their deposition into feathers to protect colourful features of associated carotenoids during the non-breeding season when its main signalling function may be relaxed. Progress towards uncovering the significance of concealment and subsequent display of colour expression should consider the potential binding and protecting nature of feather proteins associated with carotenoids.
dc.description Peer reviewed
dc.format 373628 bytes
dc.format application/pdf
dc.language eng
dc.publisher Royal Society (Great Britain)
dc.relation http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2005.3157
dc.rights closedAccess
dc.subject Carotenoids
dc.subject Carduelis cannabina
dc.subject Feathers
dc.subject High-performance liquid chromatography
dc.subject Keratin
dc.title Environmental-induced acquisition of nuptial plumage expression: a role of denaturation of feather carotenoproteins?
dc.type Artículo


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