| Title : Characterization of a novel esterase conferring insecticide resistance in the mosquito Culex tarsalis - Whyard_1995_Arch.Insect.Biochem.Physiol_29_329 |
| Author(s) : Whyard S , Downe AE , Walker VK |
| Ref : Archives of Insect Biochemistry & Physiology , 29 :329 , 1995 |
| 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. |
| ESTHER : Whyard_1995_Arch.Insect.Biochem.Physiol_29_329 |
| PubMedSearch : Whyard_1995_Arch.Insect.Biochem.Physiol_29_329 |
| PubMedID: 7655057 |
Whyard S, Downe AE, Walker VK (1995)
Characterization of a novel esterase conferring insecticide resistance in the mosquito Culex tarsalis
Archives of Insect Biochemistry & Physiology
29 :329
Whyard S, Downe AE, Walker VK (1995)
Archives of Insect Biochemistry & Physiology
29 :329