Phylogenetic analysis of glycolytic enzyme expression.

Although differences among species in enzyme maximal activity or concentration are often interpreted as adaptive and important for regulating metabolism, these differences may simply reflect phylogenetic divergence. Phylogenetic analysis of the expression of the glycolytic enzymes among 15 taxa of a North American fish genus (Fundulus) indicated that most variation in enzyme concentration is due to evolutionary distance and may be nonadaptive. However, three enzymes' maximal activities covary with environmental temperature and have adaptive value. Additionally, two pairs of enzymes covary, indicating coevolution. Thus, metabolic flux may be modulated by many different enzymes rather than by a single rate-limiting enzyme.