Age-related activity changes in actomyosin ATPase and arginine phosphokinase in male Drosophila melanogaster Meig.

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.