p-Nitrophenylacetate hydrolysis by honey bee esterases: kinetics and inhibition.

1. The kinetics and inhibition of p-nitrophenylacetate hydrolysis by cytosolic esterases of 1-day old female honey bees, Apis mellifera L., were studied. 2. The calculated values obtained were Km = 2.27 x 10(-5)M and Vmax = 2.48 x 10(-8) mol/s per mg protein. 3. The inhibition mechanisms examined for four organophosphorus insecticides were highly competitive in nature and based on competitive inhibition coefficients the order of toxicity was naled > dichlorvos > cis-mevinphos = trans-mevinphos. 4. Comparisons are made with the alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata (Fab).