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Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences logoLink to Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
. 1998 Oct 29;353(1376):1685–1693. doi: 10.1098/rstb.1998.0319

Why are there so few resistance-associated mutations in insecticide target genes?

R H ffrench-Constant 1, B Pittendrigh 1, A Vaughan 1, N Anthony 1
PMCID: PMC1692388  PMID: 10021768

Abstract

The genes encoding the three major targets of conventional insecticides are: Rdl, which encodes a gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor subunit (RDL); para, which encodes a voltage-gated sodium channel (PARA); and Ace, which encodes insect acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Interestingly, despite the complexity of the encoded receptors or enzymes, very few amino acid residues are replaced in different resistant insects: one within RDL, two within PARA and three or more within AChE. Here we examine the possible reasons underlying this extreme conservation by looking at the aspects of receptor and/or enzyme function that may constrain replacements to such a limited number of residues.

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Selected References

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