Mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase enzyme activity in hibernating black bears

Abstract

Mentor: Dr. Sarah Rice; Black bears suppress their metabolism by 75% in hibernation and 50% during spring emergence, but the mechanisms regulating metabolic suppression are unknown. Studies in hibernating ground squirrels have suggested that inhibition of mitochondrial succinate dehydrogenase activity (SDH, complex II) could play a role in metabolic suppression. SDH activity has not been measured in hibernating black bears before. We hypothesized that SDH activity would be lower during hibernation and spring emergence compared to summer levels in kidney, cardiac, skeletal muscle, and liver tissue of black bears