LC-MSMS analysis of bear muscle mitochondria during hibernation

During hibernation, the physiology of bears is characterized by strong metabolic depression. In skeletal muscles, lipids are used as the main energy fuels although their oxidation rate is reduced, and glycolysis appears maintained likely feeding the Cori cycle. Mitochondria no doubt play an essential role in such an adaptation. However, neither their activity nor their protein content had been analysed earlier. To fill this gap, this study analysed the bear (Ursus arctos) skeletal muscle mitochondrial fraction using shotgun proteomics to compare hibernation to the summer-active period.