title: Age-related activity changes in actomyosin ATPase and arginine phosphokinase in male Drosophila melanogaster Meig.
abstract: The specific activity of each of the two enzymes primarily concerned with the energy metabolism of flight muscle contraction was determined in male Drosophila melanogaster, from emergence through 5 weeks postemergence. Ca++-activated actomyosin ATPase activity rose rapidly from a minimum at emergence to a peak level at 4-5 days, falling gradually thereafter to a minimum level at 10-11 days postemergence, with no change thereafter. Arginine phosphokinase activity rose more gradually to a maximum at 11-12 days postemergence and then fell slowly to a minimum at 18-19 days. These data represent a sequential pattern of biochemical changes similar to those previously observed in other dipteran species, confirming the primary role of a genetic program for maturation and senescence of flight ability in holometabolous adult insects at the functional and underlying cellular, biochemical levels.
mesh_terms: D000205:Actomyosin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D001122:Arginine Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*; D009132:Muscles / Q000201:enzymology; D010770:Phosphotransferases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000205:Actomyosin; D010770:Phosphotransferases; D001122:Arginine Kinase; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases