The gut microbes of hibernating ground squirrels recycle urea to replenish crucial amino acids, allowing them to survive long periods of inactivity and fasting, according to a new Science study. Learn more ⬇ SciencePerspective:
Hibernation has evolved to remove animals from seasonal periods that are especially challenging for survival. Despite this protective feature, hibernation poses its own challenges because of the extensive fasting period. One particularly challenging aspect is the lack of dietary nitrogen, which can lead to protein imbalance. Regan.
—SNVHibernation is a mammalian strategy that uses metabolic plasticity to reduce energy demands and enable long-term fasting. Fasting mitigates winter food scarcity but eliminates dietary nitrogen, jeopardizing body protein balance. Here, we reveal gut microbiome–mediated urea nitrogen recycling in hibernating thirteen-lined ground squirrels .
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