9514675 Boyer Hibernation is an extreme adaptation involving the coordination of multiple organs in lowering whole body temperature to conserve energy for an extended time. The PI's study hibernating ground squirrels which lower their body temperature for periods of up to three weeks before they spontaneously rewarm to normal summer body temperatures for a short period (< 24 hours). Following this brief rewarming period, hibernators return to another three week period of reduced body temperature. This repetitive pattern of cooling and rewarming might seem paradoxical, since it requires the burning of a significant amount of stored calories throughout the hibernation season, unless the pattern meets a critical physiological need. The proposed research addresses this phenomenon and represents the first comprehensive analysis of the temperature sensitivity of gene expression in a hibernating mammal. The PI's major objectives are to (1) identify potential messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that become limiting during low body temperature; (2) determine the turnover of these mRNAs by measuring their rate of synthesis and degradation as a function of temperature; and (3) determine the effect of reduced mRNA concentration on protein synthesis rate as a function of temperature. Comparison of the relative rates of mRNA synthesis and degradation during warm and low body temperatures will result in a considerable advancement in our understanding of biological adaptations to low temperature. This award also includes a teaching component. Most students are unskilled with the process of scientific inquiry including observation, inference, hypothesis formation, experimental design, data collection, analysis and interpretation. To explain biological concepts and understand the nature of biology, students must learn how to think c ritically, reason logically and evaluate technological information effectively by being introduced to the methods, values and process of conducting scientific investigations. The educational plan provides this for students by giving them the opportunity to contribute to an ongoing research project focusing on molecular and metabolic adaptations to hibernation. Students willing to produce and follow an organized research plan should develop a deeper understanding of natural phenomena surrounding them and an appreciation for the tools of scientific inquiry and the expansion of biological knowledge. Concurrent with the proposed undergraduate educational training, excellent teaching assistant opportunities will foster the academic growth of graduate students by integrating education and research into their professional development. Additionally, critical thinking skills will also be introduced into the classroom through an inquiry-based teaching approach. Students will participate in problem solving activities, debate, hands-on demonstrations and writing exercises involving local examples of scientific interest. Finally, cooperative research and teaching interactions with rural high school teachers are proposed and include sharing ideas and experiences gained from inquiry-based teaching, and development of investigative laboratory experiences. These collaborative interactions will foster the establishment of valuable linkages with rural teachers and increase the representation of Native Alaskans and other underrepresented minorities in the biological sciences.
