title: Characterization of a novel esterase conferring insecticide resistance in the mosquito Culex tarsalis.
abstract: Resistance to the organophosphate insecticide, malathion, in a strain of Culex tarsalis mosquitoes is due to increased activity of a malathion carboxylesterase (MCE). To determine whether resistance was due to a qualitative or quantitative change in the MCE, the enzyme was purified from both malathion-resistant and -susceptible mosquitoes. Enzyme kinetic measurements revealed that the two strains have one MCE in common, but resistant mosquitoes also have a unique MCE which hydrolyses malathion 18 times faster. Interestingly, this MCE does not hydrolyse alpha-naphthyl acetate, a substrate commonly used to detect increased levels of esterases in other organophosphate-resistant insects. Unlike the over-produced esterase of some related mosquito species, each MCE in C. tarsalis accounts for only a small fraction (0.015%) of the total extractable protein in either strain. Therefore, resistance in these insects is due to the presence of a qualitatively different enzyme, and not to a quantitative increase of a non-specific esterase. This study therefore demonstrates that the underlying biochemical mechanisms of insecticide resistance in one insect cannot necessarily be predicted from those of another, even closely related species.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whyard
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Downe
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012721:Carbaryl; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D003465:Culex / Q000201:enzymology*; D007305:Insecticide Resistance; D008294:Malathion
chemical_list: D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases; C021528:malathion esterases; D012721:Carbaryl; D008294:Malathion