Summary
The maximum activities of the enzymes of glycolysis of five tissues (cerebrum, heart, liver, kidney cortex and skeletal muscle) were examined in a hibernator, the Arctic ground squirrel, in both the summer-active and hibernating (winter) states. In addition, by observing through electrofocussing the appearance of variants of hepatic pyruvate kinase, an attempt was made to determine the time-course of preparation for hibernation. This process requires about 4 weeks, which is about the same as that for the preparation for emergence from hibernation. The separate tissues responded in individually characteristic fashions, although the enzymes from kidney cortex and liver tended to show a general increase and the enzymes from heart and brain showed a general decrease. The enzyme activities in skeletal muscle changed in seemingly disparate ways with some enzymes increasing in hibernation, while others decreased, and yet others remained unchanged. These results are discussed in the light of the hibernating habit of the mammal.
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Behrisch, H.W. Seasonal activity patterns of glycolytic enzymes in a hibernator, the Arctic ground squirrel Spermophilus parryi . Polar Biol 3, 55–61 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00265568
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00265568