Siberian frogs were able to produce ethyl alcohol

Scientists have found that Siberian frogs were able to produce ethyl alcohol. This explains their resistance to low temperatures and low oxygen content in tissues. The results of the study were published by the publication of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences “Science in Siberia”.

The study was conducted by scientists from the Institute of Cytology and Genetics (ICiG, Novosibirsk) and the Institute of Biological Problems of the North (IBPS, Magadan).

It has been established that the Siberian frog Rana amurensis can survive up to six months in water with an almost complete absence of oxygen. The moored frog Rana arvalis and the salamander Salamandrella keyserlingii are also noted to overwinter in the top 10-15 cm of the soil. When freezing, they experience severe hypoxia due to the cessation of blood circulation.

The researchers noted that the moor frog can tolerate cooling down to -16 degrees, the Siberian salamander – up to -55 degrees, and the Siberian frog chooses non-freezing water bodies for wintering, it does not tolerate hypothermia.

In laboratory studies, it turned out that all three amphibians accumulate glycogen in the liver, a polysaccharide that breaks down into glucose and glycerol, which provide cells with energy. And in the state of freezing in amphibians, ethyl alcohol was found in the body, as well as glycerin, which protects the body from damage during freezing.