1996/10/29 by Raul K. Suarez, John R. B. Lighton, Barbara Joos +2 · 1 citation
Environmental Science · Medicine · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Physiological and biochemical adaptations #Sports Performance and Training #Muscle metabolism and nutrition
paper · doi:10.1073/pnas.93.22.12616
openalex publication_date 1996/10/29 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
Honeybees rely primarily on the oxidation of hexose sugars to provide the energy required for flight. Measurement of VCO2 (equal to VO2, because VCO2/VO2 = 1.0 during carbohydrate oxidation) during flight allowed estimation of steady-state flux rates through pathways of flight muscle energy metabolism. Comparison of Vmax values for flight muscle hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, citrate synthase, and cytochrome c oxidase with rates of carbon and O2 flux during flight reveal that these enzymes operate closer to Vmax in the flight muscles of flying honeybees than in other muscles previously studied. Possible mechanistic and evolutionary implications of these findings are discussed.