Animal hibernation will have a negative effect on chromosomes： accelerating cell death.

　　Science and Technology Daily, Beijing, October 17 (Reporter Gu Gang) Many mammals spend the cold season by hibernating. The lower the body temperature of hibernating animals, the more energy consumption can be reduced. But this is not all good. A recent study by the Veterinary University in Vienna, Austria, found that lower temperature tends to increase telomere contraction, which may accelerate cell death. To avoid this result, animals need to consume a lot of energy to repair cells.

　　Researchers have found that during hibernation, mammals with lower body temperature can reduce their physical exertion by more than 90%. In the absence of food, reducing energy consumption is very beneficial to the survival of animals. However, animal hibernation at low temperature can cause problems such as telomere contraction. In the experiment of forest Dormouse and garden Dormouse, it was found that Dormouse wintering at higher body temperature has longer telomeres, but it also consumes more energy. Researcher Julia Novak explained: "This seems to be a compromise between maintaining complete telomeres and cell survival, and minimizing energy consumption by hibernating at low body temperature."

　　The researchers also found that there are significant differences in telomere shortening between forest Dormouse and garden Dormouse when they hibernate at different temperatures. They were put into hibernation at 3℃ and 14℃ respectively in the laboratory. Dormouse consumes more energy at 14℃ than at 3℃, while chromosome telomeres are much better at 14℃. This new understanding supports the widely accepted hypothesis that hibernation also has a price.

　　Novak believes: "Deep hibernation is related to the cost at the cellular level, that is to say, the recovery of telomere length after shortening must be at the expense of animal physical consumption. Previous scientific assumptions may overestimate the benefits of deep hibernation in animals that can reduce physical exertion. "

　　Although hibernation has many advantages, the research also found that it has related problems. Due to the decline of immune function, slow response and increased oxidative stress, frequent awakening of animals from hibernation will also lead to a rapid reduction of energy reserves, and the up-regulation of metabolism is related to the production of reactive oxygen compounds, which will lead to a faster shortening of telomeres.

　　The length of telomeres is usually used as a sign of aging, which shortens after each somatic cell division. If its length cannot be recovered, the cell will eventually die. During hibernation, telomere recovery is destroyed.

　　This study is also of great significance to human medicine. Studies have shown that chronic human stress will accelerate telomere shortening. On the contrary, lifestyle changes will slow down telomere shortening, which will have a positive impact on the aging process of cells and the whole organism.