Author:
Smirle Michael J.,Winston Mark L.
Abstract
The activities of two important groups of detoxifying enzymes, the glutathione S-transferases and the mixed-function oxidases, were assayed throughout the lifetimes of worker honey bees (Apis mellifera L.). Detoxification capacity decreased on a per insect basis in older workers and was associated with a dramatic loss of midgut protein. However, analysis of specific activity (enzyme activity per milligram protein) showed increasing activity levels as bees aged and began to forage. These results show that foraging worker honey bees compensate for protein loss by increasing the activity of important enzymes, suggesting a possible biochemical adaptation for foraging in contaminated ecosystems.
Publisher
Canadian Science Publishing
Subject
Animal Science and Zoology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cited by
46 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献