Which acetylcholinesterase functions as the main catalytic enzyme in the Class Insecta?

Expression of acetylcholinesterase 1 is associated with brood rearing status in the honey bee, Apis mellifera

Acetylcholinesterase 1 (AmAChE1) of the honey bee, Apis mellifera, has been suggested to have non-neuronal functions. A systematic expression profiling of AmAChE1 over a year-long cycle on a monthly basis revealed that AmAChE1 was predominantly expressed in both head and abdomen during the winter months and was moderately expressed during the rainy summer months. Interestingly, AmAChE1 expression was inhibited when bees were stimulated for brood rearing by placing overwintering beehives in strawberry greenhouses with a pollen diet, whereas it resumed when the beehives were moved back to the cold field, thereby suppressing brood rearing. In early spring, pollen diet supplementation accelerated the induction of brood-rearing activity and the inhibition of AmAChE1 expression. When active beehives were placed in a screen tent in late spring, thereby artificially suppressing brood-rearing activity, AmAChE1 was highly expressed. In contrast, AmAChE1 expression was inhibited when beehives were allowed to restore brood rearing by removing the screen, supporting the hypothesis that brood rearing status is a main factor in the regulation of AmAChE1 expression. Since brood rearing status is influenced by various stress factors, including temperature and diet shortage, our finding discreetly suggests that AmAChE1 is likely involved in the stress response or stress management.

Mutations in Acetylcholinesterase2 (ace2) increase the insensitivity of acetylcholinesterase to fosthiazate in the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita

The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita causes severe damage to continuously cropping vegetables. The control of this nematode relies heavily on organophosphate nematicides in China. Here, we described resistance to the organophosphate nematicide fosthiazate in a greenhouse-collected resistant population (RP) and a laboratory susceptible population (SP) of M. incognita. Fosthiazate was 2.74-fold less toxic to nematodes from RP than that from SP. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that the acetylcholinesterase2 (ace2) transcription level in the RP was significantly higher than that in the SP. Eighteen nonsynonymous amino acid differences in ace2 were observed between the cDNA fragments of the RP and SP. The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) protein activity in the RP was significantly reduced compared with that in the SP. After knocking down the ace2 gene, the ace2 transcription level was significantly decreased, but no negative impact on the infection of juveniles was observed. The 50% lethal concentration of the RNAi RP population decreased 40%, but the inhibition rate of fosthiazate against AChE activity was significantly increased in RP population. Thus, the increased fosthiazate insensitivity in the M. incognita resistant population was strongly associated with mutations in ace2. These results provide valuable insights into the resistance mechanism of root-knot nematode to organophosphate nematicides.

MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF TWO ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE GENES FROM THE RICE LEAFFOLDER, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (LEPIDOPTERA: PYRALIDAE)

In this study, two full-length cDNA sequences (Cmace1 and Cmace2) encoding putative acetylcholinesterases (AChEs) were cloned and characterized from the rice leaffolder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, an important lepidopteran rice pest in Asia. Cmace1 encodes a CmAChE1 consisting of 689 amino acid residues, while Cmace2 encodes a 639 amino acids CmAChE2. The two CmAChEs both have N-terminal signal peptides and conserved motifs including the catalytic triad, choline-binding sites, oxianion hole, acyl pocket, peripheral anionic subsite, and the characteristic FGESAG motif and conserved 14 aromatic amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Cmace1 and Cmace2 are clustered into distinct clusters that are completely diverged from each other. Reverse-transcription quantitative PCR analysis revealed that Cmace1 and Cmace2 were predominately expressed in the larval brain and at the fifth-instar larvae stage, and the transcription levels of Cmace1 were significantly higher than those of Cmace2 in all the tested samples. Recombinant CmAChE1 and CmAChE2 were heterologously expressed in baculovirus system. Using acetylthiocholine iodide (ATChI) as substrate, the Michaelis constant (K_m ) values of rCmAChE1 and rCmAChE2 were 39.81 ± 6.49 and 68.29 ± 6.72 μmol/l, respectively; and the maximum velocity (V_max ) values of the two rCmAChEs were 0.60 ± 0.02 and 0.31 ± 0.06 μmol/min/mg protein, respectively. Inhibition assay indicated that rCmAChE1 was more sensitive to the organophosphate insecticides chlorpyrifos and triazophos than rCmAChE2. This study is the first report of molecular cloning and biochemical characterization of two acetylcholinesterase genes/enzymes in C. medinalis.

Survey of organophosphate resistance and an Ala216Ser substitution of acetylcholinesterase-1 gene associated with chlorpyrifos resistance in Apolygus lucorum (Meyer-Dür) collected from the transgenic Bt cotton fields in China

The mirid bug is frequently controlled by the application of organophosphorus insecticides in the transgenic Bt cotton field of China. A topical bioassay method was performed to evaluate the toxicities of chlorpyrifos and malathion towards field-collected Chinese populations of Apolygus lucorum from transgenic Bt cotton fields. For chlorpyrifos, the resistance ratios ranged from 0.8 to 9.4-fold compared to a susceptible strain. For malathion, the resistance levels relative to the susceptible strain ranged from 1.2 to 14.4-fold. Compared to a susceptible strain, the Cangzhou population from Hebei province showed the highest resistance ratios towards these insecticides. A comparison of the detoxifying and target enzyme activities between the Cangzhou population and a susceptible strain revealed that altered acetylcholinesterase possibly account for the chlorpyrifos and malathion resistance in the Cangzhou population. Two acetylcholinesterase (AChE-encoding) genes (designated Alace1 and Alace2) from the green mirid bug (A. lucorum) were identified. The Alace1 and Alace2 genes encoded 597 and 645 amino acids, respectively. Both AChE proteins had conserved motifs including a catalytic triad, a choline-binding site, and an acyl pocket. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that Alace1 had a much higher transcriptional level than Alace2, for the expression profiles of both spatial and time distributions. One amino acid substitution, Ala216Ser in Alace1, was found in the Cangzhou population. These results suggest that the mutation Ala216Ser should be most likely involved in organophosphorus resistance in A. lucorum.

Distinct contributions of A314S and novel R667Q substitutions of acetylcholinesterase 1 to carbofuran resistance of Chilo suppressalis Walker

BACKGROUND

In the striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis, A314S, R667Q and H669P substitutions in acetylcholinesterase 1 (CsAChE1) have been associated with >1000-fold resistance against carbofuran. In this study, eight variants of CsAChE1 carrying different combinations of these substitutions were cloned and expressed using the Bac-to-Bac expression system to verify their contributions.

RESULTS

The expressed AChE1s had molecular weights of ca 160 kDa per dimer and 80 kDa per monomer. AChE kinetics and inhibition analysis showed that the A314S mutation was the key substitution responsible for a 15.1-fold decrease in hydrolytic activity to acetylthiocholine iodide and a 10.6-fold increase in carbofuran insensitivity of CsAChE. Compared with wild-type CsAChE1, this substituted CsAChE1 also showed 23.0-, 3.3- and 2.6-fold insensitivity to methomyl, triazophos and chlorpyrifos-oxon respectively. It should be noted that the R667Q substitution conferred a capability to increase the activity of wild-type and A314S-substituted CsAChE, while the A314S substitution reduced Km and compensated for overall catalytic efficiency.

CONCLUSION

With the enhancing activity of the R667Q substitution, A314S is the major CsAChE1 substitution responsible for fitness-cost compensation and increased insensitivity to AChE inhibitors. The lower insensitivity of A314S-substituted CsAChE1 to chlorpyrifos-oxon suggests that chlorpyrifos could be an alternative insecticide for managing carbofuran-resistant field C. suppressalis in Taiwan. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Identification and Biochemical Properties of Two New Acetylcholinesterases in the Pond Wolf Spider (Pardosa pseudoannulata)

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), an important neurotransmitter hydrolase in both invertebrates and vertebrates, is targeted by organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides. In this study, two new AChEs were identified in the pond wolf spider Pardosa pseudoannulata, an important predatory natural enemy of several insect pests. In total, four AChEs were found in P. pseudoannulata (including two AChEs previously identified in our laboratory). The new putative AChEs PpAChE3 and PpAChE4 contain most of the common features of the AChE family, including cysteine residues, choline binding sites, the conserved sequence 'FGESAG' and conserved aromatic residues but with a catalytic triad of 'SDH' rather than 'SEH'. Recombinant enzymes expressed in Sf9 cells showed significant differences in biochemical properties compared to other AChEs, such as the optimal pH, substrate specificity, and catalytic efficiency. Among three test substrates, PpAChE1, PpAChE3 and PpAChE4 showed the highest catalytic efficiency (Vmax/KM) for ATC (acetylthiocholine iodide), with PpAChE3 exhibiting a clear preference for ATC based on the VmaxATC/VmaxBTC ratio. In addition, the four PpAChEs were more sensitive to the AChE-specific inhibitor BW284C51, which acts against ATC hydrolysis, than to the BChE-specific inhibitor ISO-OMPA, which acts against BTC hydrolysis, with at least a 8.5-fold difference in IC50 values for each PpAChE. PpAChE3, PpAChE4, and PpAChE1 were more sensitive than PpAChE2 to the tested Carb insecticides, and PpAChE3 was more sensitive than the other three AChEs to the tested OP insecticides. Based on all the results, two new functional AChEs were identified from P. pseudoannulata. The differences in AChE sequence between this spider and insects enrich our knowledge of invertebrate AChE diversity, and our findings will be helpful for understanding the selectivity of insecticides between insects and natural enemy spiders.

Validating the importance of two acetylcholinesterases in insecticide sensitivities by RNAi in Pardosa pseudoannulata, an important predatory enemy against several insect pests

The pond wolf spider (Pardosa pseudoannulata) is an important predatory enemy against several insect pests and showed relative different sensitivities to organophosphate and carbamate insecticides compared to insect pests. In our previous studies, two acetylcholinesterases were identified in P. pseudoannulata and played important roles in insecticide sensitivities. In order to understand the contributions of the two acetylcholinesterases to insecticide sensitivities, we firstly employed the RNAi technology in the spider. For a suitable microinjection RNAi method, the injection site, injection volume and interference time were optimized, which then demonstrated that the injection RNAi method was applicable in this spider. With the new RNAi method, it was revealed that both Pp-AChE1 and Pp-AChE2, encoded by genes Ppace1 and Ppace2, were the targets of organophosphate insecticides, but Pp-AChE1 would be more important. In contrast, the carbamate acted selectively on Pp-AChE1. The results showed that Pp-AChE1 was the major catalytic enzyme in P. pseudoannulata and the major target of organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. In a word, an RNAi method was established in the pond wolf spider, which further validated the importance of two acetylcholinesterases in insecticide sensitivities in this spider.

Acetylcholinesterases from the Disease Vectors Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gambiae: Functional Characterization and Comparisons with Vertebrate Orthologues

Mosquitoes of the Anopheles (An.) and Aedes (Ae.) genus are principal vectors of human diseases including malaria, dengue and yellow fever. Insecticide-based vector control is an established and important way of preventing transmission of such infections. Currently used insecticides can efficiently control mosquito populations, but there are growing concerns about emerging resistance, off-target toxicity and their ability to alter ecosystems. A potential target for the development of insecticides with reduced off-target toxicity is the cholinergic enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Herein, we report cloning, baculoviral expression and functional characterization of the wild-type AChE genes (ace-1) from An. gambiae and Ae. aegypti, including a naturally occurring insecticide-resistant (G119S) mutant of An. gambiae. Using enzymatic digestion and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry we found that the secreted proteins were post-translationally modified. The Michaelis-Menten constants and turnover numbers of the mosquito enzymes were lower than those of the orthologous AChEs from Mus musculus and Homo sapiens. We also found that the G119S substitution reduced the turnover rate of substrates and the potency of selected covalent inhibitors. Furthermore, non-covalent inhibitors were less sensitive to the G119S substitution and differentiate the mosquito enzymes from corresponding vertebrate enzymes. Our findings indicate that it may be possible to develop selective non-covalent inhibitors that effectively target both the wild-type and insecticide resistant mutants of mosquito AChE.

A point mutation in the acetylcholinesterase-1 gene is associated with chlorpyrifos resistance in the plant bug Apolygus lucorum

Control of Chinese Apolygus lucorum relies heavily on organophosphate insecticides. Here we describe resistance to the organophosphate chlorpyrifos in an A. lucorum strain, BZ-R, which was developed from a field-collected strain (BZ) by selection with chlorpyrifos in the laboratory. BZ-R showed 21-58 fold resistance to chlorpyrifos compared with the laboratory reference strain LSF and another susceptible strain, BZ-S, derived from BZ. BZ-R also showed several fold resistance to two other organophosphates and a carbamate. No synergism of chlorpyrifos by metabolic enzyme inhibitors nor any increase in detoxifying enzyme activities were observed in BZ-R. No sequence differences in acetylcholinesterase-2 were found to be associated with the resistance but the frequency of an alanine to serine substitution at position 216 of acetylcholinesterase-1 was 100% in BZ-R, ∼21-23% in SLF and BZ, and 0% in BZ-S. A single generation treatment of chlorpyrifos on the BZ strain also increased its frequency of the serine substitution to 64%. Recombinantly expressed acetylcholinesterase-1 carrying the serine substitution was about five fold less sensitive to inhibition by chlorpyrifos oxon than the wild-type enzyme. Quantitative real-time PCR found no differences in ace1 or ace2 expression levels among the strains tested. Thus the chlorpyrifos resistance is strongly associated with the serine substituted acetylcholinesterase-1. An equivalent substitution has been found to confer resistance to many organophosphate and carbamate insecticides in four other insect species.

De novo assembly and characterization of central nervous system transcriptome reveals neurotransmitter signaling systems in the rice striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis

Background

Neurotransmitter signaling systems play crucial roles in multiple physiological and behavioral processes in insects. Genome wide analyses of de novo transcriptome sequencing and gene specific expression profiling provide rich resources for studying neurotransmitter signaling pathways. The rice striped stem borer, Chilo suppressalis is a destructive rice pest in China and other Asian countries. The characterization of genes involved in neurotransmitter biosynthesis and transport could identify potential targets for disruption of the neurochemical communication and for crop protection.

Results

Here we report de novo sequencing of the C. suppressalis central nervous system transcriptome, identification and expression profiles of genes putatively involved in neurotransmitter biosynthesis, packaging, and recycling/degradation. A total of 54,411 unigenes were obtained from the transcriptome analysis. Among these unigenes, we have identified 32 unigenes (31 are full length genes), which encode 21 enzymes and 11 transporters putatively associated with biogenic aminergic signaling, acetylcholinergic signaling, glutamatergic signaling and GABAergic signaling. RT-PCR and qRT-PCR results indicated that 12 enzymes were highly expressed in the central nervous system and all the transporters were expressed at significantly high levels in the central nervous system. In addition, the transcript abundances of enzymes and transporters in the central nervous system were validated by qRT-PCR. The high expression levels of these genes suggest their important roles in the central nervous system.

Conclusions

Our study identified genes potentially involved in neurotransmitter biosynthesis and transport in C. suppressalis and these genes could serve as targets to interfere with neurotransmitter production. This study presents an opportunity for the development of specific and environmentally safe insecticides for pest control.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1742-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Genotype to phenotype, the molecular and physiological dimensions of resistance in arthropods

The recent accumulation of molecular studies on mutations in insects, ticks and mites conferring resistance to insecticides, acaricides and biopesticides is reviewed. Resistance is traditionally classified by physiological and biochemical criteria, such as target-site insensitivity and metabolic resistance. However, mutations are discrete molecular changes that differ in their intrinsic frequency, effects on gene dosage and fitness consequences. These attributes in turn impact the population genetics of resistance and resistance management strategies, thus calling for a molecular genetic classification. Mutations in structural genes remain the most abundantly described, mostly in genes coding for target proteins. These provide the most compelling examples of parallel mutations in response to selection. Mutations causing upregulation and downregulation of genes, both in cis (in the gene itself) and in trans (in regulatory processes) remain difficult to characterize precisely. Gene duplications and gene disruption are increasingly reported. Gene disruption appears prevalent in the case of multiple, hetero-oligomeric or redundant targets.

Investigation of insecticide-resistance status of Cydia pomonella in Chinese populations

The codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.) is an economically important fruit pest and it has been directly targeted by insecticides worldwide. Serious resistance to insecticides has been reported in many countries. As one of the most serious invasive pest, the codling moth has populated several areas in China. However, resistance to insecticides has not been reported in China. We investigated the insecticide-resistance status of four field populations from Northwestern China by applying bioassays, enzyme activities, and mutation detections. Diagnostic concentrations of lambda-cyhalothrin, chlorpyrifos-ethyl, carbaryl, and imidacloprid were determined and used in bioassays. Field populations were less susceptible to chlorpyrifos-ethyl and carbaryl than laboratory strain. Insensitive populations displayed an elevated glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) activity. Reduced carboxylesterase (CarE) activity was observed in some insecticide insensitive populations and reduced acetylcholinesterase activity was observed only in the Wuw population. The cytochrome P450 polysubstrate monooxygenases activities in four field populations were not found to be different from susceptible strains. Neither the known-resistance mutation F399V in the acetylcholinesterase (AChE) gene, ace1, nor mutations in CarE gene CpCE-1 were found in adult individuals from our field populations. Native-PAGE revealed that various CarE isozymes and AChE insensitivity were occurring among Chinese populations. Our results indicate that codling moth populations from Northwestern China were insensitivity to chlorpyrifos-ethyl and carbaryl. Increased GST activity was responsible for insecticides insensitivity. Decreased CarE activity, as well as the presence of CarE and AChE polymorphisms might also be involved in insecticides insensitivity. New management strategies for managing this pest are discussed.

Acetylcholinesterase 1 in populations of organophosphate-resistant North American strains of the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae)

Rhipicephalus microplus, the cattle fever tick, is a global economic problem to the cattle industry due to direct infestation of cattle and pathogens transmitted during feeding. Cattle fever tick outbreaks continue to occur along the Mexico-US border even though the tick has been eradicated from the USA. The organophosphate (OP) coumaphos targets acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and is the approved acaricide for eradicating cattle fever tick outbreaks. There is evidence for coumaphos resistance developing in cattle ticks in Mexico, and OP-resistant R. microplus ticks were discovered in outbreak populations of Texas in 2005. The molecular basis of coumaphos resistance is not known, and our study was established to gather further information on whether AChE1 is involved in the resistance mechanism. We also sought information on allele diversity in tick populations with different levels of coumaphos resistance. The overarching project goal was to define OP resistance-associated gene mutations such that a DNA-based diagnostic assay could be developed to assist the management of resistance. Three different AChE transcripts have been reported in R. microplus, and supporting genomic and transcriptomic data are available at CattleTickBase. Here, we report the complete R. microplus AChE1 gene ascertained by sequencing a bacterial artificial chromosome clone containing the entire coding region and the flanking 5' and 3' regions. We also report AChE1 sequences of larval ticks from R. microplus strains having different sensitivities to OP. To accomplish this, we sequenced a 669-bp region of the AChE1 gene corresponding to a 223 amino acid region of exon 2 to assess alleles in seven strains of R. microplus with varying OP resistance phenotypes. We identified 72 AChE1 sequence variants, 2 of which are strongly associated with OP-resistant phenotypes. Esterase-like sequences from the R. microplus transcriptome RmiTr Version 1.0 were compared to the available sequence databases to identify other transcripts with similarity to AChE1.

Identification and Molecular Characterization of Two Acetylcholinesterases from the Salmon Louse, Lepeophtheirus salmonis

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an important enzyme in cholinergic synapses. Most arthropods have two genes (ace1 and ace2), but only one encodes the predominant synaptic AChE, the main target for organophosphates. Resistance towards organophosphates is widespread in the marine arthropod Lepeophtheirus salmonis. To understand this trait, it is essential to characterize the gene(s) coding for AChE(s). The full length cDNA sequences encoding two AChEs in L. salmonis were molecularly characterized in this study. The two ace genes were highly similar (83.5% similarity at protein level). Alignment to the L. salmonis genome revealed that both genes were located close to each other (separated by just 26.4 kbp on the L. salmonis genome), resulting from a recent gene duplication. Both proteins had all the typical features of functional AChE and clustered together with AChE-type 1 proteins in other species, an observation that has not been described in other arthropods. We therefore concluded the presence of two versions of ace1 gene in L. salmonis, named ace1a and ace1b. Ace1a was predominantly expressed in different developmental stages compared to ace1b and was possibly active in the cephalothorax, indicating that ace1a is more likely to play the major role in cholinergic synaptic transmission. The study is essential to understand the role of AChEs in resistance against organophosphates in L. salmonis.

Mutation and duplication of arthropod acetylcholinesterase: Implications for pesticide resistance and tolerance

A series of common/shared point mutations in acetylcholinesterase (AChE) confers resistance to organophosphorus and carbamate insecticides in most arthropod pests. However, the mutations associated with reduced sensitivity to insecticides usually results in the reduction of catalytic efficiency and leads to a fitness disadvantage. To compensate for the reduced catalytic activity, overexpression of neuronal AChE appears to be necessary, which is achieved by a relatively recent duplication of the AChE gene (ace) as observed in the two-spotted spider mite and other insects. Unlike the cases with overexpression of neuronal AChE, the extensive generation of soluble AChE is observed in some insects either from a distinct non-neuronal ace locus or from a single ace locus via alternative splicing. The production of soluble AChE in the fruit fly is induced by chemical stress. Soluble AChE acts as a potential bioscavenger and provides tolerance to xenobiotics, suggesting its role in chemical adaptation during evolution.

RNA interference: Applications and advances in insect toxicology and insect pest management

Since its discovery, RNA interference (RNAi) has revolutionized functional genomic studies due to its sequence-specific nature of post-transcriptional gene silencing. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the recent literature and summarize the current knowledge and advances in the applications of RNAi technologies in the field of insect toxicology and insect pest management. Many recent studies have focused on identification and validation of the genes encoding insecticide target proteins, such as acetylcholinesterases, ion channels, Bacillus thuringiensis receptors, and other receptors in the nervous system. RNAi technologies have also been widely applied to reveal the role of genes encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, carboxylesterases, and glutathione S-transferases in insecticide detoxification and resistance. More recently, studies have focused on understanding the mechanism of insecticide-mediated up-regulation of detoxification genes in insects. As RNAi has already shown great potentials for insect pest management, many recent studies have also focused on host-induced gene silencing, in which several RNAi-based transgenic plants have been developed and tested as proof of concept for insect pest management. These studies indicate that RNAi is a valuable tool to address various fundamental questions in insect toxicology and may soon become an effective strategy for insect pest management.

Phytochemical Constituents and Toxicity of Duguetia furfuracea Hydroalcoholic Extract in Drosophila melanogaster

Duguetia furfuracea is frequently used as a medicinal plant in Brazil. However, studies have evidenced its cytotoxic, bactericide, and antitumor activities. In the present study we aimed to evaluate the potential toxicity of hydroalcoholic leaves extracts of D. furfuracea (HEDF) in a Drosophila melanogaster model. Toxicity was assessed as changes in locomotor performance, mitochondrial activity, oxidative stress, MAPKs phosphorylation, and apoptosis induction after exposure to HEDF concentrations (1–50 mg/mL) for 7 days. The phytoconstituents of the plant were screened for the presence of alkaloids, tannins, xanthones, chalcones, flavonoids, aurones, and phenolic acids. Exposure of adult flies to HEDF caused mitochondrial dysfunction, overproduction of ROS, and alterations in the activity of detoxifying enzymes GST, SOD and CAT. Induction of ERK phosphorylation and PARP cleavage was also observed, indicating occurrence of HEDF-induced cell stress and apoptotic cell death. In parallel, alterations in cholinesterase activity and impairments in negative geotaxis behavior were observed. Our study draws attention to the indiscriminate use of this plant by population and suggests oxidative stress as a major mechanism underlying its toxicity.

Amino acid substitutions of acetylcholinesterase associated with carbofuran resistance in Chilo suppressalis

BACKGROUND

Over 1000-fold carbofuran resistance has been observed in Chilo suppressalis (Walker) collected from the Changhua (CH) and Chiayi (CY) prefectures of Taiwan. An understanding of the pertinent mechanisms will benefit effective insecticide resistance management of C. suppressalis.

RESULTS

Among the five amino acid substitutions of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) identified in C. suppressalis, A314S and H668P had been reported and E101D, F402V and R667Q were novel. Substitution frequencies in AChE of CH and CY populations were much higher than in the susceptible Hsinchu (HC) population. Significantly negative correlations were observed between the frequencies of E101D, A314S and R667Q and the kinetic parameters of AChEs in these populations. AChE from the resistant CH population was less susceptible to the inhibition of carbofuran, with an I50 that was 3.6-fold higher than that of the susceptible HC population. Although Km and Vmax of AChE from the CH and CY populations were reduced to 72-87% of those from the HC population, the overall catalytic efficiency (Vmax /Km ) remained constant for all three populations.

CONCLUSION

Amino acid substitutions identified in the AChE of C. suppressalis are associated with changes in AChE kinetics and its insensitivity to carbofuran. These observations are helpful for rapid monitoring, prediction and management of OP and CB resistance in the field.

Induction of soluble AChE expression via alternative splicing by chemical stress in Drosophila melanogaster

Various molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) have been characterized in insects. Post-translational modification is known to be a major mechanism for the molecular diversity of insect AChE. However, multiple forms of Drosophila melanogaster AChE (DmAChE) were recently suggested to be generated via alternative splicing (Kim and Lee, 2013). To confirm alternative splicing as the mechanism for generating the soluble form of DmAChE, we generated a transgenic fly strain carrying the cDNA of DmAChE gene (Dm_ace) that predominantly expressed a single transcript variant encoding the membrane-anchored dimer. 3' RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) and western blotting were performed to compare Dm_ace transcript variants and DmAChE forms between wild-type and transgenic strains. Various Dm_ace transcripts and DmAChE molecular forms were observed in wild-type flies, whereas the transgenic fly predominantly expressed Dm_ace transcript variant encoding the membrane-anchored dimer. This supports alternative splicing as the major determinant in the generation of multiple forms of DmAChE. In addition, treatment with DDVP as a chemical stress induced the expression of the Dm_ace splice variant without the glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchor site in a dose-dependent manner and, accordingly, the soluble form of DmAChE in wild-type flies. In contrast, little soluble DmAChE was expressed in the transgenic fly upon exposure to DDVP. DDVP bioassays revealed that transgenic flies, which were unable to express a sufficient amount of soluble monomeric DmAChE, were more sensitive to DDVP compared to wild-type flies, suggesting that the soluble monomer may exert non-neuronal functions, such as chemical defense against xenobiotics.

Biochemical and toxicological properties of two acetylcholinesterases from the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius

We examined the molecular and enzymatic properties of two acetylcholinesterases (AChEs; ClAChE1 and ClAChE2) from the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius. Native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by activity staining and Western blotting revealed that ClAChE1 is the main catalytic enzyme and is abundantly expressed in various tissues. Both ClAChEs existed in dimeric form connected by a disulfide bridge and were attached to the membrane via a glycophosphatidylinositol anchor. To determine their kinetic and inhibitory properties, both ClAChE1 and ClAChE2 were in vitro expressed in Sf9 cells using a baculovirus expression system. ClAChE1 showed higher catalytic efficiency toward acetylcholine, supporting the hypothesis that ClAChE1 plays a major role in postsynaptic transmission. An inhibition assay revealed that ClAChE1 is generally more sensitive to organophosphates and carbamates examined although ClAChE2 was >4000-fold more sensitive to malaoxon than ClAChE1. The relatively higher correlation between the in vitro ClAChE1 inhibition and the in vivo toxicity suggested that ClAChE1 is the more relevant toxicological target for organophosphates and carbamates. Although the physiological function of ClAChE2 remains to be elucidated, ClAChE2 also appears to have neuronal functions, as judged by its tissue distribution and molecular and kinetic properties. Our findings help expand our knowledge on insect AChEs and their toxicological properties.

Identification of two acetylcholinesterases in Pardosa pseudoannulata and the sensitivity to insecticides

Pardosa pseudoannulata is an important predatory enemy against insect pests, such as rice planthoppers and leafhoppers. In order to understand the insecticide selectivity between P. pseudoannulata and insect pests, two acetylcholinesterase genes, Pp-ace1 and Pp-ace2, were cloned from this natural enemy. The putative proteins encoded by Pp-ace1 and Pp-ace2 showed high similarities to insect AChE1 (63% to Liposcelis entomophila AChE1) and AChE2 (36% to Culex quinquefasciatus AChE2) with specific functional motifs, which indicated that two genes might encode AChE1 and AChE2 proteins respectively. The recombinant proteins by expressing Pp-ace1 and Pp-ace2 genes in insect sf9 cells showed high AChE activities. The kinetic parameters, Vmax and Km, of two recombinant AChE proteins were significantly different. The sensitivities to six insecticides were determined in two recombinant AChEs. Pp-AChE1 was more sensitive to all tested insecticides than Pp-AChE2, such as fenobucarb (54 times in Ki ratios), isoprocarb (31 times), carbaryl (13 times) and omethoate (6 times). These results indicated that Pp-AChE1 might be the major synaptic enzyme in the spider. By sequence comparison of P. pseudoannulata and insect AChEs, the key amino acid differences at or close to the functional sites were found. The locations of some key amino acid differences were consistent with the point mutation sites in insect AChEs that were associated with insecticide resistance, such as Phe331 in Pp-AChE2 corresponding to Ser331Phe mutation in Myzus persicae and Aphis gossypii AChE2, which might play important roles in insecticide selectivity between P. pseudoannulata and insect pests. Of course, the direct evidences are needed through further studies.