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The human body is a powerhouse of energy, with every cell performing numerous functions that require energy. This energy production and consumption is measured by the metabolic rate, which quantifies the total heat generated by all the body's chemical reactions and mechanical work. This measurement helps to determine the rate of kilocalorie (kcal) consumption needed to fuel all ongoing activities.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Parallel Measurement of Circadian Clock Gene Expression and Hormone Secretion in Human Primary Cell Cultures

Parallel Measurement of Circadian Clock Gene Expression and Hormone Secretion in Human Primary Cell Cultures

Published on: November 11, 2016

Metabolic rate does not calibrate the molecular clock.

Robert Lanfear¹, Jessica A Thomas, John J Welch

¹Centre for the Study of Evolution, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, East Sussex BN1 2LE, United Kingdom.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America

|September 21, 2007

Summary

This study found no link between an animal's metabolic rate and its rate of molecular evolution. These findings challenge the idea that metabolic rate can be used to create "corrected" molecular clocks for evolutionary studies.

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The Use of Mouse Splenocytes to Assess Pathogen-associated Molecular Pattern Influence on Clock Gene Expression

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Parallel Measurement of Circadian Clock Gene Expression and Hormone Secretion in Human Primary Cell Cultures

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Published on: November 11, 2016

The Use of Mouse Splenocytes to Assess Pathogen-associated Molecular Pattern Influence on Clock Gene Expression

The Use of Mouse Splenocytes to Assess Pathogen-associated Molecular Pattern Influence on Clock Gene Expression

Published on: July 24, 2018

Area of Science:

Evolutionary Biology
Molecular Biology
Metabolic Science

Background:

Rates of molecular evolution vary significantly across different species.
The causes of this variation are not fully understood.
Mass-specific metabolic rate has been proposed as a key factor influencing molecular evolution rates.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between mass-specific metabolic rate and molecular evolution rates.
To determine if mass-specific metabolic rate can be used to develop "corrected" molecular clocks.
To test the metabolic rate hypothesis across a broad range of metazoan species.

Main Methods:

Collected mass-specific metabolic rate data for over 300 metazoan species.
Analyzed DNA sequence data for 12 different genes from these species.
Statistically evaluated the correlation between metabolic rate and molecular substitution rates.

Main Results:

No significant evidence was found to support the hypothesis that mass-specific metabolic rate drives molecular substitution rates.
The study did not find a correlation between metabolic rate and the rate of molecular evolution across the tested species.
Previous limitations in data availability and taxonomic scope were addressed.

Conclusions:

Mass-specific metabolic rate does not appear to be a primary driver of molecular evolution rates.
The proposed mechanism linking metabolic rate to molecular clocks may not be universally applicable.
Further research is needed to understand the complex factors influencing molecular evolution.