Comparing the organophosphorus and carbamate insecticide resistance mutations in cholin- and carboxyl-esterases.
Mutant insect carboxyl/cholinesterases underlie over 60 cases of resistance to organophosphorus and/or carbamate insecticides. Biochemical and molecular data on about 20 of these show recurrent use of a very small number of mutational options to generate either target site or metabolic resistance. Moreover, the mutant enzymes are often kinetically inefficient and associated with significant fitness costs, due to impaired performance of the enzymes' original function. By contrast many bacterial enzymes are now known which can effectively detoxify these pesticides. It appears that the constraints of the genetic code and eukaryote genetic systems have severely limited the evolutionary response of insects to the widespread use of the insecticides over the last 60 years.
Oakeshott
John G
JG
CSIRO Entomology, GPO Box 1700, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia. John.Oakeshott@csiro.au
Devonshire
Alan L
AL
Claudianos
Charles
C
Sutherland
Tara D
TD
Horne
Irene
I
Campbell
Peter M
PM
Ollis
David L
DL
Russell
Robyn J
RJ
D000818:Animals; D002219:Carbamates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D043182:Carboxylesterase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007313:Insecta / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D007305:Insecticide Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D007306:Insecticides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008925:Mites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*
D002219:Carbamates; D002800:Cholinesterase Inhibitors; D007306:Insecticides; D009943:Organophosphorus Compounds; D043182:Carboxylesterase; D002802:Cholinesterases