Insecticide resistance to methyl parathion and carbaryl in western corn rootworms, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, is mediated by elevated group II esterase activity. Immunological and biochemical analysis indicated a high correlation of group II esterase isozymes in resistant rootworm populations. Although gene amplification has been the molecular basis of elevated esterases in many species, the molecular basis of resistance in western corn rootworms is unknown. Preliminary studies to isolate and characterize esterase gene(s) using degenerate primers resulted in gene fragments with some similarity to insecticide-resistance associated alpha-esterase like proteins in Tribolium castaneum. Further studies will be conducted to determine the association of the isolated gene or gene fragments with insecticide resistance and the molecular mechanisms (gene amplification and/or over-expression) involved with insecticide resistance in corn rootworms.
Species 1: Coleoptera Chrysomelidae Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (western corn rootworm)
Keywords: esterase gene, insecticide resistance
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