›› 2010, Vol. 53 ›› Issue (6): 683-688.doi:

• RESEARCH PAPERS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Imidacloprid resistance mechanisms in Nilaparvata lugens and pharmacological properties of its nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

LIU Ze-Wen, ZHANG Yi-Xi, YAO Xiang-Mei, LI Jian, BAO Hai-Bo   

  • Online:2011-01-28 Published:2010-06-20

Abstract: The brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, is a major rice pest in many parts of Asia. Insecticides have been extensively used for its control, and resistance to various insecticides in this species has been reported in different countries and areas. The resistance to imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid insecticide, in N. lugens had caused big loss in rice production in recent years. Meantime, great progresses have been achieved in its imidacloprid resistance mechanisms and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), the target of neonicotinoid insecticides. NAChR is an important neurotransmitter receptor in insect central nervous system, which makes it become the important target to several kinds of insecticides, including neonicotinoid insecticides extensively used to control N. lugens in recent years. The Y151S mutation had been identified in two N. lugens nAChRs α subunits, Nlα1 and Nlα3, which have distinct influence on imidacloprid affinity, but little influence on acetylcholine. Nlα1, Nlα2 and Nlβ1 are co-assembled into one receptor, which constitutes the lower affinity binding site for imidacloprid in N. lugens, while Nlα3, Nlα8 and Nlβ1 are co-ssembled into another receptor, which constitutes the higher affinity binding site. Imidacloprid resistance was found not only related to insect nAChRs, but also influenced by insect nAChRs accessory protein, such as lynx proteins in N. lugens, the insect nAChRs modulators. Most achievements mentioned here were newly reported, and are important to understand the resistance mechanisms to neonicotinoid insecticides and the pharmacological properties of insect nAChRs.  

Key words: Nilaparvata lugens, nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, subunit composition, neonicotinoids, insecticide resistance