Glucose oxidase

Definition

An oxidoreductase enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of β-D-glucose to D-glucono-δ-lactone and hydrogen peroxide, using molecular oxygen as the electron acceptor. In insects, glucose oxidase serves as a critical antimicrobial agent: honey bees (Apis mellifera) secrete it in hypopharyngeal glands and incorporate it into royal jelly and honey, where the enzymatic production of hydrogen peroxide and the resulting acidification create a hostile environment for spoilage microbes and pathogens in stored food.

Etymology

Example

Honey bee workers upregulate glucose oxidase secretion when preparing royal jelly for queen larvae, leveraging the enzyme's generation of hydrogen peroxide to suppress bacterial growth in the protein-rich brood food.

Synonyms

• GOx
• notatin

Related Terms

• hypopharyngeal gland
• Royal jelly
• antimicrobial peptide
• social immunity
• honey
• oxidoreductase

Usage Notes

Often abbreviated GOx in biochemical literature; 'notatin' is an older name from early Penicillium studies. Distinguish from glucose dehydrogenase, which uses non-oxygen electron acceptors. In entomological contexts, emphasize its role in social insect food preservation rather than industrial glucose biosensor applications.