title: The molecular trigger for high-speed wing beats in a bee.
abstract: The high-frequency wing beat of higher-order insects is driven by self-sustained oscillations of constantly activated flight muscles. However, whether its underlying mechanism is based on flight muscle-specific features or on preexisting contractile functions is unknown. Here, we recorded X-ray diffraction movies, at a rate of 5000 frames/second, simultaneously from the two antagonistic flight muscles of bumblebees during wing beat. Signals that occurred at the right timing for triggering each wing-beat stroke were resolved in both muscles. The signals likely reflect stretch-induced myosin deformation, which would also enhance force in vertebrate muscles. The results suggest that insects use a refined preexisting force-enhancing mechanism for high-frequency wing beat, rather than developing a novel mechanism.
authors: Research and Utilization Division, SPring-8, Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute (JASRI), Sayo-gun, Hyogo, Japan. iwamoto@spring8.or.jp
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Iwamoto
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Yagi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees / Q000502:physiology*; D005426:Flight, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D009040:Motion Pictures; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D009218:Myosins / Q000502:physiology*; D014921:Wings, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D009218:Myosins