Identification of a polymorphic ryanodine receptor gene from Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: noctuidae)

Neurotoxicity and behavioral disorders induced in mice by acute exposure to the diamide insecticide chlorantraniliprole

Diamide insecticides activate ryanodine receptors expressed in lepidopteran skeletal muscle and promote Ca2+ release in the sarcoplasmic reticulum, causing abnormal contractions and paralysis, leading to death of the pest. Although they had been thought not to act on nontarget organisms, including mammals, adverse effects on vertebrates were recently reported, raising concerns about their safety in humans. We investigated the neurotoxicity of the acute no-observed-adverse-effect level of chlorantraniliprole (CAP), a diamide insecticide, in mice using clothianidin (CLO), a neonicotinoid insecticide, as a positive control. The CLO-administered group showed decreased locomotor activities, increased anxiety-like behaviors, and abnormal human-audible vocalizations, while the CAP-administered group showed anxiety-like behaviors but no change in locomotor activities. The CAP-administered group had greater numbers of c-fos-immunoreactive cells in the hippocampal dentate gyrus, and similar to the results in a CLO-administered group in our previous study. Blood corticosterone levels increased in the CLO-administered group but did not change in the CAP-administered group. Additionally, CAP was found to decreased 3-Methoxytyramine and histamine in mice at the time to maximum concentration. These results suggest that CAP-administered mice are less vulnerable to stress than CLO-administered mice, and the first evidence that CAP exposure increases neuronal activity and induces anxiety-like behavior as well as neurotransmitter disturbances in mammals.

Functional Characterization of the Ryanodine Receptor Gene in Diaphorina citri

The Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) is a major citrus pest spread around the world. It is also a vector of the bacterium 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus', considered the cause of the fatal citrus disease huanglongbing (HLB). Insect ryanodine receptors (RyRs) are the primary target sites of diamide insecticides. In this study, full-length RyR cDNA from D. citri (named DcRyR) was isolated and identified. The 15,393 bp long open reading frame of DcRyR encoded a 5130 amino acid protein with a calculated molecular weight of 580,830 kDa. This protein had a high sequence identity (76-79%) with other insect homologs and a low sequence identity (43-46%) with mammals. An MIR domain, two RIH domains, three SPRY domains, four RyR repeat domains, an RIH-associated domain at the N-terminus, two consensus calcium-binding EF-hands, and six transmembrane domains were among the characteristics that DcRyR shared with insect and vertebrate RyRs. In expression analysis, the DcRyR gene displayed transcript abundance in all tissues and developmental stages as well as gene-differential and stage-specific patterns. In addition, diagnostic PCR experiments revealed that DcRyR had three potential alternative splice variants and that splicing events might have contributed to the various functions of DcRyR. However, diamide resistance-related amino acid residue mutations I4790M/K and G4946E were not found in DcRyR. These results can serve as the basis for further investigation into the target-based diamide pesticide resistance of D. citri.

Itol A May Affect the Growth and Development of Spodoptera frugiperda through Hijacking JHBP and Impeding JH Transport

Isoryanodane and ryanodane diterpenes have a carbon skeleton correlation in structures, and their natural product-oxidized diterpenes show antifeedant and insecticidal activities against Hemiptera and Lepidoptera. While ryanodine mainly acts on the ryanodine receptor (RyR), isoryanodane does not. In this study, we demonstrated that itol A, an isoryanodane diterpenoid, could significantly downregulate the expression level of juvenile hormone-binding protein (JHBP), which plays a vital role in JH transport. RNAi bioassay indicated that silencing the Spodoptera frugipreda JHBP (SfJHBP) gene decreased itol A activity, which confirmed the developmental phenotypic observation. Parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) further confirmed that itol A affected JHBP's expression abundance. Although JHBP is not proven as the direct or only target of itol A, we confirmed that itol A's action effect depends largely on JHBP and that JHBP is a potential target of itol A. We present foundational evidence that itol A inhibits the growth and development of Spodoptera frugiperda mainly through hijacking JHBP.

A Comparative Perspective on Functionally-Related, Intracellular Calcium Channels: The Insect Ryanodine and Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptors

Calcium (Ca²⁺) homeostasis is vital for insect development and metabolism, and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a major intracellular reservoir for Ca²⁺. The inositol 1,4,5- triphosphate receptor (IP₃R) and ryanodine receptor (RyR) are large homotetrameric channels associated with the ER and serve as two major actors in ER-derived Ca²⁺ supply. Most of the knowledge on these receptors derives from mammalian systems that possess three genes for each receptor. These studies have inspired work on synonymous receptors in insects, which encode a single IP₃R and RyR. In the current review, we focus on a fundamental, common question: “why do insect cells possess two Ca²⁺ channel receptors in the ER?”. Through a comparative approach, this review covers the discovery of RyRs and IP₃Rs, examines their structures/functions, the pathways that they interact with, and their potential as target sites in pest control. Although insects RyRs and IP₃Rs share structural similarities, they are phylogenetically distinct, have their own structural organization, regulatory mechanisms, and expression patterns, which explains their functional distinction. Nevertheless, both have great potential as target sites in pest control, with RyRs currently being targeted by commercial insecticide, the diamides.

Alternative splicing and insect ryanodine receptor

Phylogenetic tree of the ryanodine receptor (RyR) family based on maximum likelihood estimation.

An analysis of variability in genome organisation of intracellular calcium release channels across insect orders

Using publicly available genomic data, combined with RT-PCR validation, we explore structural genomic variation for two major ion channels across insect classes. We have manually curated ryanodine receptor (RyR) and inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP₃R) ORFs and their corresponding genomic structures from 26 different insects covering major insect orders. We found that, despite high protein identity for both RyRs (>75%) and IP₃Rs (~67%), the overall complexity of the gene structure varies greatly between different insect orders with the simplest genes (fewest introns) found in Diptera and the most complex in Lepidoptera. Analysis of intron conservation patterns indicated that the majority of conserved introns are found close to the 5' end of the channels and in RyR around the highly conserved mutually exclusive splice site. Of the two channels the IP₃Rs appear to have a less well conserved organisation with a greater overall number of unique introns seen between insect orders. We experimentally validated two of the manually curated ORFs for IP₃Rs and confirmed an atypical (3799aa) IP₃R receptor in Myzus persicae, which is approximately 1000 amino acids larger than previously reported for IP₃Rs.

Ryanodine receptor genes of the rice stem borer, Chilo suppressalis: Molecular cloning, alternative splicing and expression profiling

The ryanodine receptor (RyR) of the calcium release channel is the main target of anthranilic and phthalic diamide insecticides which have high selective insecticidal activity relative to mammalian toxicity. In this study, the full-length cDNA of Chilo suppressalis RyR (CsRyR) was isolated and characterized. The CsRyR mRNA has an open reading frame (ORF) of 15,387bp nucleotides, which encodes 5128 amino acids with GenBank ID: KR088972. Comparison of protein sequences showed that CsRyR shared high identities with other insects of 77-96% and lower identity to mammals and nematodes with only 42-45%. One alternative splicing site (KENLG) unique to Lepidoptera was found and two exclusive exons of CsRyR (I /II) were revealed. Spatial and temporal expression of CsRyR mRNA was at the highest relative level in 3rd instar larvae and head (including brain and muscle), and at the lowest expression level in egg and fat body. The expression levels of whole body CsRyR mRNA were increased remarkably after injection of 4th instar larvae with chlorantraniliprole at 0.004 to 0.4μg/g. This structural and functional information on CsRyR provides the basis for further understanding the selective action of chlorantraniliprole and possibly other diamide insecticides.

Rapid selection for resistance to diamide insecticides in Plutella xylostella via specific amino acid polymorphisms in the ryanodine receptor

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Baseline susceptibility of Plutella xylostella to diamide insecticides collated.

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Instances of diamide resistance in P. xylostella summarized.

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Diamide insecticide specificity for the insect ryanodine receptor highlighted.

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Efforts to isolate and characterize the P. xylostella ryanodine receptor described.

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Molecular mechanisms of diamide resistance in P. xylostella discussed.

Diamide insecticides, such as flubendiamide and chlorantraniliprole, are a new class of insecticide with a novel mode of action, selectively activating the insect ryanodine receptor (RyR). They are particularly active against lepidopteran pests of cruciferous vegetable crops, including the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. However, within a relatively short period following their commercialisation, a comparatively large number of control failures have been reported in the field. In this review we summarise the current body of knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms of diamide resistance in P. xylostella. Resistant phenotypes collected from different countries can often be linked to specific target-site mutation(s) in the ryanodine receptors’ transmembrane domain. Metabolic mechanisms of resistance have also been proposed. Rapid resistance development is probably a consequence of over-reliance on this one class of chemistry for diamondback moth control.

Stable expression and functional characterisation of the diamondback moth ryanodine receptor G4946E variant conferring resistance to diamide insecticides

Diamides, such as flubendiamide and chlorantraniliprole, belong to a new chemical class of insecticides that act as conformation-sensitive activators of insect ryanodine receptors (RyRs). Both compounds are registered for use against lepidopteran species such as the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, a notorious global pest of cruciferous crops. Recently acquired resistance to diamide insecticides in this species is thought to be due to a target-site mutation conferring an amino acid substitution (G4946E), located within the trans-membrane domain of the RyR, though the exact role of this mutation has not yet been fully determined. To address this we have cloned a full-length cDNA encoding the P. xylostella RyR and established clonal Sf9 cell lines stably expressing either the wildtype RyR or the G4946E variant, in order to test the sensitivity to flubendiamide and chlorantraniliprole on the recombinant receptor. We report that the efficacy of both diamides was dramatically reduced in clonal Sf9 cells stably expressing the G4946E modified RyR, providing clear functional evidence that the G4946E RyR mutation impairs diamide insecticide binding.

Molecular characterization of a ryanodine receptor gene from Spodoptera exigua and its upregulation by chlorantraniliprole

Chlorantraniliprole is a novel diamide insecticide that targets the insect ryanodine receptor, a Ca(2+) release channel. Spodoptera exigua is a significant insect pest, and chlorantraniliprole is the most popular diamide insecticide used against this pest. To better understand the effects of diamides on RyR expression and [Ca(2+)], we isolated the SeRyR cDNA and investigated changes in SeRyR expression as a result of the application of chlorantraniliprole. The full-length cDNAs of SeRyR contain an open reading frame (ORF) of 15,357 bp with a predicted protein consisting of 5118 amino acids. SeRyR shares 77-92% identity with other insect RyR isoforms and 45-47% identity with vertebrate RyR isoforms. Furthermore, the relative expression abundances of RyR mRNA extracted from S. exigua fat body cells after 24 h of culture in 0.1, 1, 10, 100 nM, 1 µM and 100 µM of chlorantraniliprole changed 1.04-, 0.89-, 1.83-, 2.58-, 4.03- and 3.12-fold compared to blank control, respectively. The regression equation for the relative expression levels of SeRyR after 24 h as a function of the chlorantraniliprole concentration was Y = 0.6455 + 0.8188LgX, R(2) = 0.97093 for the cell line IOZCAS-Spex-II. These results outline the effects of chlorantraniliprole on the expression of SeRyR and provide a basis for the discovery of a compound that may exhibit selective insect activity.

Molecular cloning, characterisation and mRNA expression of the ryanodine receptor from the peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae

The peach potato aphid, Myzus persicae, is one of the most important agricultural pests of temperate climates. It is mainly controlled through the judicious application of insecticides; however, over time, aphids have developed resistance to many insecticidal classes. The recent introduction of synthetic diamide insecticides, with a novel mode of action, potentially offers new tools to control aphid populations. These diamides act on the ryanodine receptor (RyR), a large endoplasmic calcium release channel. In this study we have cloned cDNAs encoding the complete open reading frame of the RyR from M. persicae. The open reading frame is 15,306 base pairs long and encodes a protein of 5101 amino acids. The aphid RyR shares many of the features of other insect and vertebrate RyRs, including a highly conserved transmembrane region. However, unlike the other RyRs characterised to date, the M. persicae channel does not display alternative splicing at any stage of its developmental cycle, so it cannot generate functional variants of the channel.

Diamide insecticide target site specificity in the Heliothis and Musca ryanodine receptors relative to toxicity

Anthranilic and phthalic diamides act on the ryanodine receptor (RyR), which constitutes the Ca(2+)-activated Ca(2+) channel and can be assayed as shown here in Heliothis thoracic muscle tissue with anthranilic diamide [(3)H]chlorantraniliprole ([(3)H]Chlo), phthalic diamide [(3)H]flubendiamide ([(3)H]Flu), and [(3)H]ryanodine ([(3)H]Ry). Using Heliothis with [(3)H]Chlo or [(3)H]Flu gives very similar anthranilic and phthalic diamide binding site structure-activity correlations, indicating a common binding site. The anthranilic and phthalic diamide stimulation of [(3)H]Ry binding in Heliothis generally parallels their inhibition of [(3)H]Chlo and [(3)H]Flu binding. In Musca adults [(3)H]Ry binding site stimulation is a good predictor of in vivo activity for anthranilic but not phthalic diamides, and no high-affinity [(3)H]Flu specific binding site is observed. These relationships establish species differences in diamide target site specificity important in structure optimization and target site-based resistance mechanisms.

Species differences in chlorantraniliprole and flubendiamide insecticide binding sites in the ryanodine receptor

Anthranilic and phthalic diamides exemplified by chlorantraniliprole (Chlo) or cyantraniliprole (Cyan) and flubendiamide (Flu), respectively, are the newest major chemotype of insecticides with outstanding potency, little or no cross resistance with other classes and low mammalian toxicity. They are activators of the ryanodine (Ry) receptor (RyR)-Ca(2+) channel, based on Ca(2+) flux and electrophysiology investigations. The goal of this study is to define species differences in the degree and mechanisms of diamide selective action by radioligand specific binding studies at the [(3)H]Ry, [(3)H]Chlo and [(3)H]Flu sites. The [(3)H]Ry site is observed in muscle of lobster, rabbit and four insect species (Musca domestica, Apis mellifera, Heliothis virescens and Agrotis ipsilon) whereas the [(3)H]Chlo site is evident in the four insects and the [(3)H]Flu site in only the two lepidoptera (Agrotis and Heliothis). [(3)H]Ry binding is significantly stimulated by Chlo, Cyan and Flu with the insects (except Flu with Musca) but not the lobster and rabbit. [(3)H]Chlo binding is stimulated by Ry and Flu in Musca and Apis but not in the lepidoptera, while Flu and Cyan are inhibitory. [(3)H]Flu binding is strongly inhibited by Chlo and Cyan in Agrotis and Heliothis. [(3)H]Chlo and [(3)H]Flu binding are not dependent on added Ca(2+) or ATP in Heliothis and Agrotis whereas the other radioligand-receptor combinations are usually enhanced by Ca(2+) and ATP. More generally, there are species differences in the Ry, Chlo and Flu binding sites of the RyR that may confer selective toxicity and determine target site cross resistance mechanisms.

Amplifying long transcripts of ryanodine receptors of five agricultural pests by transcriptome analysis and gap filling

Ryanodine receptor (RyR) is an intracellular calcium release channel that plays a key role in excitation contraction coupling. Insect RyR is the target of diamide insecticides. Better understanding of insect RyR is necessary for studying the molecular mode of action and potential resistance mechanism of diamide insecticides. However, molecular manipulation of the full RyR gene is difficult because of its length (approximately 15 kb). At present, RyR genes have been reported only in a limited number of insects. Here, we developed an efficient strategy to amplify full-length transcripts of insect RyR genes. First, we searched the transcriptomes of five insects, Bemisia tabaci, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, Chilo suppressalis, Laodelphgax striatellus, and Plutella xylostella, yielding 85 RyR contigs in total. Second, the relative positions of these contigs in RyR transcripts were determined by aligning them with 12 well-annotated RyRs. Third, we designed primers to fill gaps between contigs and used rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) to amplify both 5'- and 3'-ends. Last, we assembled all fragments into long transcripts. As a result, full-length transcripts of three insects, C. suppressalis, L. striatellus, and P. xylostella, were obtained. The RyR transcript of B. tabaci was near full length, containing an intact ORF. Northern blot analysis indicated that RyR genes were expressed in all five insects. Sequence analyses showed that the amplified insect segments contained typical RyRs characteristics, such as EF-hand, motif GVRAGGGIGD, and six transmembrane domains. Seven lepidopteran-specific amino acid residues were found to be located in the C-terminal region of RyR proteins, which might be associated with the specificity of RyRs to diamide insecticides.

Cloning, characterisation and expression profiling of the cDNA encoding the ryanodine receptor in diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae)

BACKGROUND

The rynodine receptors (RyRs) are the main targets of diamide insecticides such as chlorantraniliprole. To provide the basis for a good understanding of the molecular mechanisms of diamide insecticide resistance, an RyR gene from Plutella xylostella was cloned and characterised in the present paper.

RESULTS

A full-length cDNA sequence of RyR was cloned from P. xylostella through RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). The gene (named PxRyR1) is 15 753 bp long, with an open reading frame of 15 354 bp, encoding a predicted RyR of 5117 amino acids. An alternative splicing of the PxRyR1 was also cloned and named PxRyR2. The PxRyR1 shares 77-93% identity with other insect RyRs. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the PxRyR was expressed at a high level in second-instar larvae and adults, at a low level in prepupae and pupae and abundantly in the body wall muscle and head (respectively 6.00 and 3.12 times the expression in the gut). Western blot analysis with anti-RyR antibodies showed that the RyR was mainly present in the body wall muscle and head, but barely present in the haemocyte and gut.

CONCLUSIONS

There are at least two alternative splices of PxRyR expressed in all developmental stages and tissues in P. xylostella at various levels. The results provided the basis for further understanding of the mechanisms of resistance to diamide insecticides in P. xylostella.

Modulation of the expression of ryanodine receptor mRNA from Plutella xylostella as a result of diamide insecticide application

Ryanodine receptors (RyRs), members of the largest family of calcium channel proteins, have been studied because of their key roles in calcium signalling within cells. With the development of diamide insecticides that exhibit a novel mode of action on the RyRs from Lepidoptera, research on insect RyRs has become more attractive in the field of plant protection. To enhance our understanding of the effects of diamides on RyRs, we cloned the Plutella xylostella RyR gene (Px-RyR), which is the most serious pest of Brassicaceae plants throughout the world. Furthermore, we investigated the modulation of the expression of Px-RyR as a result of the application of diamide insecticides. The full-length cDNAs of Px-RyR contain an open reading frame (ORF) of 15,372bp with a predicted protein consisting of 5123 amino acids. Px-RyR possesses a high level of overall amino acid homology with other isoforms (77-92% identity with insect isoforms and 45-47% identity with vertebrate isoforms). The weight of Px. gradually decreased as the concentration of the diamides increased. However, the relative expression levels of the RyRs from larvae were dependent on the insecticide concentration and gradually increased with increasing insecticide concentrations.

Molecular characterization of a ryanodine receptor gene in the rice leaffolder, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenée)

Ryanodine receptors (RyRs) are the targets of two novel classes of synthetic insecticidal chemicals, phthalic acid diamides and anthranilic diamides. Isolation of full-length RyR cDNAs is a critical step towards the structural and functional characterization of insect RyRs and an understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the species selective toxicity of diamide insecticides. However, there has been little research on the insect RyR genes due to the high molecular weight of the RyR proteins. In this study, we isolated a full-length RyR cDNA (named as CmRyR) from Cnaphalocrocis medinalis, an important rice pest throughout Southeast Asia. The composite CmRyR gene contains an ORF of 15264 bp encoding a protein of 5087 amino acid residues, which shares 79% overall identity with its Drosophila melanogaster homologue. All hallmarks of the RyR proteins are conserved in the CmRyR protein, suggesting that CmRyR is a structural and functional analogue of known RyRs. A multiple sequence alignment illustrates that the insect RyRs share high levels of amino acid sequence identity at the the COOH-terminal region. However, the amino acid residues analogous to the CmRyR residues N⁴⁹²², N⁴⁹²⁴, N⁴⁹³⁵, L⁴⁹⁵⁰, L⁴⁹⁸¹, N⁵⁰¹³ and T⁵⁰⁶⁴ are unique to lepidopteran RyRs compared with non-lepidopteran insect RyRs. This finding suggests that these residues may be involved in the differences in channel properties between lepidopteran and non-lepidopteran insect RyRs and in the species selective toxicity of diamide insecticides. Furthermore, two alternative splicing sites were identified in the CmRyR gene, one of which was located in the central part of the predicted second SPRY domain. Diagnostic PCR showed that the inclusion frequencies of two mutually exclusive exons (a/b) and one optional exon (c) differed between developmental stages or adult anatomical regions. Our results imply that alternative splicing may be a major means of generating functional diversity in C. medinalis RyR channel.

Insect ryanodine receptors: molecular targets for novel pest control chemicals

Ryanodine receptors (RyRs) are a distinct class of ligand-gated calcium channels controlling the release of calcium from intracellular stores. They are located on the sarcoplasmic reticulum of muscle and the endoplasmic reticulum of neurons and many other cell types. Ryanodine, a plant alkaloid and an important ligand used to characterize and purify the receptor, has served as a natural botanical insecticide, but attempts to generate synthetic commercial analogues of ryanodine have proved unsuccessful. Recently two classes of synthetic chemicals have emerged resulting in commercial insecticides that target insect RyRs. The phthalic acid diamide class has yielded flubendiamide, the first synthetic ryanodine receptor insecticide to be commercialized. Shortly after the discovery of the phthalic diamides, the anthranilic diamides were discovered. This class has produced the insecticides Rynaxypyr and Cyazypyr. Here we review the structure and functions of insect RyRs and address the modes of action of phthalic acid diamides and anthranilic diamides on insect ryanodine receptors. Particularly intersting is the inherent selectivity both chemical classes exhibit for insect RyRs over their mammalian counterparts. The future prospects for RyRs as a commercially-validated target site for insect control chemicals are also considered.

Role for calcium in the development of ovarial patency in Heliothis virescens

Insect oocytes sequester nutritive proteins from the hemolymph under the regulation by juvenile hormone (JH), in a process called patency. Here, a pharmacological approach was used to decipher the role for calcium in ovarial patency in the moth, Heliothis virescens. Follicular epithelial cells were exposed in calcium-free or calcium-containing media to JH I, JH II or JH III alone, or in combination with various inhibitors of signal transduction. Protein kinase inhibitors, Na(+)/K(+) -ATPase inhibitor, ouabain, an inhibitor of voltage-dependent calcium channels in plasma membrane, omega-Conotoxin MVII, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca(2+) -ATPase inhibitor, thapsigargin, ER inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP(3)R) inhibitor, 2-ABP and ER ryanodine receptor (RyR) inhibitor, ryanodine, were used. The results of our study suggest that JH II evokes patency via protein kinase C-dependent signaling pathway, and activation of Na(+)/K(+) -ATPase, similar to JH III. Response to JH II and JH III predominantly relies upon external and internal calcium stores, using voltage-dependent calcium channels, IP(3)Rs and RyRs. In contrast, regulation of patency by JH I appears to be largely calcium independent, and the calcium-dependent component of the signaling pathway likely does not use IP(3)Rs, but RyRs only. The JH II, JH III and calcium-dependent component of JH I signaling pathway probably utilize calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II for activation of Na(+)/K(+) -ATPase.

Flubendiamide, a novel Ca2+ channel modulator, reveals evidence for functional cooperation between Ca2+ pumps and Ca2+ release

Flubendiamide, developed by Nihon Nohyaku Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan), is a novel activator of ryanodine-sensitive calcium release channels (ryanodine receptors; RyRs), and is known to stabilize insect RyRs in an open state in a species-specific manner and to desensitize the calcium dependence of channel activity. In this study, using flubendiamide as an experimental tool, we examined an impact of functional modulation of RyR on Ca2+ pump. Strikingly, flubendiamide induced a 4-fold stimulation of the Ca2+ pump activity (EC50=11 nM) of an insect that resequesters Ca2+ to intracellular stores, a greater increase than with the classical RyR modulators ryanodine and caffeine. This prominent stimulation, which implies tight functional coupling of Ca2+ release with Ca2+ pump, resulted in a marginal net increase in the extravesicular calcium concentration despite robust Ca2+ release from the intracellular stores by flubendiamide. Further analysis suggested that luminal Ca2+ is an important mediator for the functional coordination of RyRs and Ca2+ pumps. However, kinetic factors for Ca2+ pumps, including ATP and cytoplasmic Ca2+, failed to affect the Ca2+ pump stimulation by flubendiamide. We therefore conclude that the stimulation of Ca2+ pump by flubendiamide is mediated by the decrease in luminal calcium, which may induce calcium dissociation from the luminal Ca2+ binding site on the Ca2+ pump. This mechanism should play an essential role in precise control of intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis.

Phthalic acid diamides activate ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release channels in insects

Flubendiamide represents a novel chemical family of substituted phthalic acid diamides with potent insecticidal activity. So far, the molecular target and the mechanism of action were not known. Here we present for the first time evidence that phthalic acid diamides activate ryanodine-sensitive intracellular calcium release channels (ryanodine receptors, RyR) in insects. With Ca(2+) measurements, we showed that flubendiamide and related compounds induced ryanodine-sensitive cytosolic calcium transients that were independent of the extracellular calcium concentration in isolated neurons from the pest insect Heliothis virescens as well as in transfected CHO cells expressing the ryanodine receptor from Drosophila melanogaster. Binding studies on microsomal membranes from Heliothis flight muscles revealed that flubendiamide and related compounds interacted with a site distinct from the ryanodine binding site and disrupted the calcium regulation of ryanodine binding by an allosteric mechanism. This novel insecticide mode of action seems to be restricted to specific RyR subtypes because the phthalic acid diamides reported here had almost no effect on mammalian type 1 ryanodine receptors.