Physiological Mechanisms in Anuran Adaptation to Extreme Cold

Jon P.Costanzo iOS-1022788 Anuran对极端寒冷的适应这个项目探索了耐冻的机制，这是一种非凡的适应，通过这种机制，选定的生物可以通过容忍其血液和其他组织的冻结和融化来生存在极端寒冷中。这些研究中的模式生物是林蛙，一种北美两栖动物，其栖息地从南山前北部到北极圈内。尽管这种物种的耐寒性在近30年前就有报道，但直到最近才发现，适应亚北极气候的青蛙比来自更南方地区的青蛙更耐寒。研究人员将对阿拉斯加内陆青蛙的完全耐寒性进行表征，将它们对冰冻的生理反应与来自俄亥俄州南部一个经过充分研究的种群的青蛙进行比较。生物化学和分子方法将用于实验室实验，旨在检测冷冻保护剂系统和细胞膜的独特适应性，这些适应性有助于提高阿拉斯加青蛙的耐冻性。这项研究的结果将提高对耐冻性的进化和生理机制的理解，耐冻性是各种生物采用的一种重要的抗寒策略。他们还可能为低温保存生物材料提供新的方法和工具，并提供对某些疾病状态的见解，如慢性胰腺炎和糖尿病/肥胖症。此外，加强对两栖动物冬季生物学的了解，可能有助于预测气候变化对它们长期生存的影响。这个项目将通过创建一个巡回展览--《大自然的冰冻奇迹》来增进对科学技术的理解，教育公众有关自然耐寒能力的迷人适应，特别关注潜在的生物、化学和物理原理。调查人员将与迈阿密大学赫夫纳动物博物馆的工作人员密切合作，计划并实施一门专题课程，让来自不同学科的本科生参与设计展览。

Jon P. Costanzo IOS-1022788Physiological Mechanisms in Anuran Adaptation to Extreme Cold This project explores mechanisms of freeze tolerance, a remarkable adaptation by which select organisms can survive extreme cold by tolerating the freezing and thawing of their blood and other tissues. The model organism in these studies is the wood frog (Rana sylvatica), a North American amphibian whose habitat ranges from the Southern Piedmont north to within the Arctic Circle. Although freeze tolerance in this species was reported nearly 30 years ago, only recently was it discovered that frogs adapted to the subarctic climate are considerably more cold hardy than ones from more southerly locales. The investigators will characterize fully freeze tolerance in frogs from Interior Alaska, comparing their physiological responses to freezing with those exhibited by frogs from a well-studied population in southern Ohio. Biochemical and molecular approaches will be used in laboratory experiments designed to detect unique adaptations of the cryoprotectant system and cell membrane that contribute to enhanced freeze tolerance in the Alaskan frogs. The outcomes of this research will improve the understanding of the evolution and physiological mechanisms of freeze tolerance, an important cold-hardiness strategy employed by diverse organisms. They may also suggest new approaches and tools for cryopreserving biological materials and offer insights into certain disease states, such as chronic pancreatitis and diabetes/obesity. In addition, enhancing understanding the winter biology of amphibians may help predict consequences of climate change for their long-term survival. This project will enhance scientific and technological understanding by creating a traveling exhibit, "Nature's Frozen Marvels," to educate the general public about the fascinating adaptation of natural freeze tolerance, drawing special attention to the underlying biological, chemical, and physical principles. The investigators will work closely with the Hefner Zoology Museum staff at Miami University to plan and implement a special-topic course that will engage undergraduate students drawn from a variety of academic disciplines in designing the exhibit.