Transgenerational sublethal pyrethroid exposure gives rise to insecticide resistance in a pest insect

Thiamethoxam-Induced Intergenerational Sublethal Effects on the Life History and Feeding Behavior of Rhopalosiphum padi

Thiamethoxam, a second-generation neonicotinoid insecticide is widely used for controlling sap-sucking insect pests including Rhopalosiphum padi. The current study aimed to investigate the life-history parameters and feeding behavior of R. padi following treatments with sublethal concentrations of thiamethoxam. The lethal concentration 50 (LC50) value of thiamethoxam against adult R. padi was 11.458 mg L-1 after 48 h exposure. The sublethal concentrations of thiamethoxam (LC5 and LC10) significantly decreased the adult longevity, fecundity, and reproductive days in the directly exposed aphids (F0 generation). In the progeny R. padi (F1), the developmental durations and total prereproductive period (TPRP) were decreased while the adult longevity, fecundity, and reproductive days (RPd) were increased at both thiamethoxam concentrations. The demographic parameters including the net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) were prolonged only at the LC5 of thiamethoxam. The EPG results indicated that the sublethal concentrations of thiamethoxam increases the total duration of non-probing (Np) while reducing the total duration of E2 in directly exposed aphids (F0). Interestingly, the E2 were significantly increased in the progeny generation (F1) descending from previously exposed parental aphids (F0). Overall, this study showed that thiamethoxam exhibited high toxicity against directly exposed individuals (F0), while inducing intergenerational hormetic effects on the progeny generation (F1) of R. padi. These findings provided crucial details about thiamethoxam-induced hormetic effects that might be useful in managing resurgences of this key pest.

New insights into chlorantraniliprole metabolic resistance mechanisms mediated by the striped rice borer cytochrome P450 monooxygenases: A case study of metabolic differences

The anthranilic diamide insecticide chlorantraniliprole has been extensively applied to control Lepidoptera pests. However, its overuse leads to the development of resistance and accumulation of residue in the environment. Four P450s (CYP6CV5, CYP9A68, CYP321F3, and CYP324A12) were first found to be constitutively overexpressed in an SSB CAP-resistant strain. It is imperative to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying P450s-mediated CAP resistance for mitigating its environmental contamination. Here, we heterologously expressed these four P450s in insect cells and evaluated their abilities to metabolize CAP. Western blotting and reduced CO difference spectrum tests showed that these four P450 proteins had been successfully expressed in Sf9 cells, which are indicative of active functional enzymes. The recombinant proteins CYP6CV5, CYP9A68, CYP321F3, and CYP324A12 exhibited a preference for metabolizing the fluorescent P450 model probe substrates EC, BFC, EFC, and EC with enzyme activities of 0.54, 0.67, 0.57, and 0.46 pmol/min/pmol P450, respectively. In vitro metabolism revealed distinct CAP metabolic rates (0.97, 0.86, 0.75, and 0.55 pmol/min/pmol P450) and efficiencies (0.45, 0.37, 0.30, and 0.17) of the four recombinant P450 enzymes, thereby elucidating different protein catalytic activities. Furthermore, molecular model docking confirmed metabolic differences and efficiencies of these P450s and unveiled the hydroxylation reaction in generating N-demethylation and methylphenyl hydroxylation during CAP metabolism. Our findings not only first provide new insights into the mechanisms of P450s-mediated metabolic resistance to CAP at the protein level in SSB but also demonstrate significant differences in the capacities of multiple P450s for insecticide degradation and facilitate the evaluation and mitigation of toxic risks associated with CAP application in the environment.