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Only about 50 Apennine brown bears remain in the wild, and new research sheds light on a key challenge to their survival. The Apennine brown bear, also known as the Marsican brown bear (Ursus arctos marsicanus), is a critically endangered subspecies of brown bear found exclusively in the remote Apennine Mountains of central Italy. A recent study by the Italian Endemixit Project (endemixit.com) has identified potentially significant genetic vulnerabilities in this isolated population. The findings could provide valuable information for conservation efforts. The study was recently presented at the 69th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society.
This particular population has been isolated for centuries, developing unique physical characteristics and behaviors that set it apart from other brown bears. With a population of only about 50 individuals, the Apennine brown bear is at serious risk of extinction due to habitat loss, human encroachment, and genetic vulnerability. Conservation efforts are crucial to the survival of this species, which plays an important role in the delicate ecological balance of its mountain habitat.
Detection of a genetic defect
A new study has identified a specific genetic mutation in the bears' mitochondria - the "powerhouses" of cells - that impairs their cellular energy production, potentially affecting their overall health and survival. The mutation is located in the ND5 subunit of respiratory complex I. Furthermore, using a combination of advanced computer modeling and laboratory experiments, the researchers found that this mutation disrupts mitochondrial function, leading to reduced energy production and increased harmful byproducts such as reactive oxygen species. It's like a factory with a broken generator: it produces less electricity and pollutes more.
Impact on bear survival
“This mutation seems to have a significant impact on these bears,” explained Nunzio Perta, a graduate student in Daniele Di Marino’s lab at the Polytechnic University of the Marche in Ancona, Italy. “It’s like they’re constantly running on dead batteries. This could make it harder for them to survive, especially in harsh environments.”
But since they noticed that the bears produce more reactive oxygen species as a result of this mutation, other researchers are now exploring ways they could help the bears process these harmful byproducts. One way to do this, Perta explained, is to help them eat more foods with antioxidants, perhaps by planting more native berry plants in their habitat.
"By understanding the molecular basis of these genetic problems, we hope to create a plan to protect these bears in their natural environment," Perta said. He added, "Bears are an important part of the unique ecosystem that exists here in Italy."
