Biosynthesis of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids by the nestlings of a generalist seabird.

ABSTRACT: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain omega-3 fatty acid (n3-LCPUFA), is an integral component of vertebrate brains. Vertebrates maintain their DHA levels through biosynthesis using alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; omega-3 precursor) or by consuming preformed DHA and other n3-LCPUFAs which abound in the natural diets of marine predators. Yet, numerous marine predators, including generalist seabirds, now exploit anthropogenic resources potentially deficient in n3-LCPUFAs. Whether they can offset such deficiency by bioconverting ALA into DHA remains unknown. Here, we tested whether chicks of the ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis), a generalist seabird thriving in cities, can biosynthesize n3-LCPUFAs, including DHA, from ALA. We brought into captivity 12 hatchlings from an urban colony and 12

SUBMITTER: Lamarre J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12745934 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature