APIS BIOLOGIX
Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ), Coenzyme Q10,
Menaquinone – Vitamin k2 (MK7)
Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ), Coenzyme Q10,
Menaquinone – Vitamin k2 (MK7)
Mitochondria are commonly known as the powerhouses of the cell. While these cellular organelles are not a typical topic of discussion in apiculture, the importance of normal mitochondrial function cannot be overstated in the maintenance of apiary health and well-being. All behavioral biology we associate with the honey bee castes (queens, workers, and drones) i.e., flight, hygienic behaviors, and brood rearing require normal mitochondrial function to meet the energetic demands of these behavioral traits.
'Flying insects achieve the highest mass-specific rates of aerobic metabolism in the Animal Kingdom (Sacktor, 1976)'
Pyrroloquinoline Quinone (PQQ)
PQQ is a redox cofactor that exists naturally within the diet of the honeybee as a bacterial metabolite, which is present within floral pollen & nectar through plant nutrient cycling. PQQ is known to affect biological processes influencing mitochondrial biogenesis (creation of new mitochondria), and mitochondrial efficiency. Multiple lines of evidence, in organisms ranging from fungi to insects and mammals, indicate that the presence of PQQ through dietary sources is required to support the normal function of mitochondrial processes.
Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 is an essential molecule for mitochondrial function within the eukaryotic cell and provides antioxidant protection to the cell membrane and plasma lipids. Coenzyme Q10 was first identified and isolated in 1955 and subsequently validated in 1957 - demonstrating its primary function within the mitochondrial electron transport chain of eukaryotic cells.
Menaquinone – Vitamin k2 (MK7)
Menaquinone - Vitamin k2 (MK7) has been identified as a constituent of the honeybee's natural diet as a lifecycle byproduct of the bacterial species that naturally colonize pollen and nectar. This overlooked nutrient is yet another example of the intricate relationship that the honeybee maintains with the environmental microorganisms within its ecological habitat.
Recent research has demonstrated that Vitamin K2 can transfer electrons within the arthropod mitochondrial electron transport chain.