Publicación Artículo científico (article).

Dietary canthaxanthin reduces xanthophyll uptake and red coloration in adult red-legged partridges

Digital.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
oai:digital.csic.es:10261/174620
Digital.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
  • Alonso-Álvarez, Carlos
  • García-de Blas, Esther
  • Mateo, Rafael
Carotenoids give color to conspicuous animal signals that are often the product of sexual selection. Knowledge of the mechanisms involved in carotenoid-based signaling is critical to understanding how these traits evolve. However, these mechanisms remain only partially understood. Carotenoids are usually viewed as scarce dietary antioxidants whose allocation to ornaments may trade off against health. This trade-off would ensure its reliability as a signal of individual quality. In the case of red (keto)carotenoids, the literature suggests that some species may show constraints in their uptake. Canthaxanthin is one of the most common ketocarotenoids in red ornaments of animals. It is often commercially used as a dietary supplement to obtain redder birds (e.g. poultry). We increased the dietary canthaxanthin levels in captive red-legged partridges (Alectoris rufa). This species shows red non-feathered parts mostly pigmented by another common ketocarotenoid: astaxanthin. We studied the impact on the uptake of carotenoids and vitamins and, finally, on coloration. We also tested the potential protective effect of canthaxanthin when exposing birds to a free radical generator (diquat). Canthaxanthin did not apparently protect birds from oxidative stress, but interfered with the absorption of yellow carotenoids (lutein and zeaxanthin). Zeaxanthin is a precursor of astaxanthin in enzymatic pathways, and their levels in tissues and eggs were lower in canthaxanthin-supplied birds. This led to lower astaxanthin levels in ornaments and paler coloration. As far as we know, this is the first report of a carotenoid supplementation decreasing animal coloration. The results have implications for understanding carotenoid-based signaling evolution, but also for improving husbandry/experimental procedures., E.G.-d.B. was supported by a predoctoral grant (JAE-PRE) from the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientıficas (CSIC) co-financed by Fondo Social Europeo (EU). This study was funded by Consejerıa de Educacion y Ciencia, Junta de Comunidades de Castilla la Mancha (project ref.: PII1I09-0271-5037) and Ministerio de Economıa y Competitividad (CGL2009-10883-C02-02 and CGL2015-69338-C2-2-P) from the Spanish Government., Peer reviewed, Peer Reviewed
 

DOI: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/174620
Digital.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
oai:digital.csic.es:10261/174620

HANDLE: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/174620
Digital.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
oai:digital.csic.es:10261/174620
 
Ver en: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/174620
Digital.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
oai:digital.csic.es:10261/174620

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