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SPECIALISTS IN PESTICIDE RESISTANCE  
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TARGET-SITE RESISTANCE
       

This occurs when a mutation at the target-site of the insecticide results in occlusion, due to steric or electronic hindrance.
As an example we can look at the mutation that occurs in the peach-potato aphid, Myzus persicae, where a single mutation results in resistance to pirimicarb.

target site resistance apreslabs

In the native protein (above), pirimicarb would bind to Serine 204 fitting in to the gap between this and the Serine 333 residue; a space of around 11 angstroms.

apreslabs

In the mutated protein, Serine 333 is replaced by a phenylalanine. The aromatic ring of this residue projects into the space to be occupied by pirimicarb, reducing the distance from 11 to around 7 angstroms. This reduction in the available space prevents the insecticide binding to the active site of the protein, resulting in a loss of inhibition.

This mutation only results in resistance to pirimicarb, and generally target-site resistance is fairly specific. For this reason it is suggested that insecticides are rotated i.e. different chemical classes of insecticide are used against pests through the year.

 

 
 

 

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ApresLabs Ltd | tel: +44 (0)1582 763133 ext 2483 | Email: Graham.Moores@apreslabs.co.uk