Age‐dependent changes in alcohol dehydrogenase in Drosophila

Abstract

Abstract Drosophila melanogaster alcohol dehydrogenase undergoes changes both in specific activity and in the isozyme forms during the course of development of larvae and adults. Specific activity is high in the larva, low in the pupa, high again in the young imago, and declines gradually thereafter. One of the five forms of alcohol dehydrogenase, ADH 2 , appears only for one day immediately preceding pupation and is present from days 1–12 of adult life; ADH 3 and ADH 5 are present at all ages. These results are interpreted to mean: (1) alcohol dehydrogenase is physiologically regulated, (2) isozyme forms can be produced and removed and (3) a mechanism presumbly exists to do this.