However when Weber tried to find out how the enigmatic fatty acids manifested their remarkable influence, the results were less clear. Teaming up with Vance Trudeau and Jason Popesku to measure the levels of a key molecule that regulates oxidative enzyme levels, known as PPAR, Weber could not find any evidence for a change in PPAR gene expression in response to the 6 week diets. However, he adds that it does not mean that PPAR levels do not change earlier to influence the bird's performance during the oil diet.
Nagahuedi and Weber also measured the omega-3 fatty acid levels in the muscle cell membranes, and found that the fatty acid was evenly distributed between all of the different membranes in muscle cells. So the birds were not improving their endurance by selectively allocating the fatty acids to the energy generating mitochondria.
Having convinced himself that the sandpiper's mud shrimp diet is responsible for the migrant's outstanding stamina, Weber is keen to find out exactly how the birds increase their oxidative enzyme activity levels to power their long flight south.
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