Collaborative Research: Ecological and Evolutionary Genetics of P-450 Genes in Desert Drosophila

混合功能氧化酶（MFO'S）是允许昆虫 容忍有毒化学品，如杀虫剂和某些 植物化合物 有些植物保护自己不受昆虫侵害 (and其他食草动物）通过制造化学化合物， 对以它们为食的动物有毒 MFO酶 使化合物解毒，通常是通过改变它们的化学成分 结构 多功能氧化酶的研究， 因此，将提供有关昆虫如何成为 抗杀虫剂和/或有毒植物化学品。 该建议涉及使用昆虫-植物模型系统。 这些昆虫是果蝇属的果蝇， 植物是生长在索诺拉沙漠的柱状仙人掌， 墨西哥 关于此模型系统的丰富背景信息 已经获得了包括生态数据， 果蝇的遗传学和鉴定， 仙人掌产生的有毒化学物质的特征。 本提案中概述的实验将建立一个 在这些混合功能氧化酶之间的连接 昆虫及其对有毒化学物质的耐受性 仙人掌植物。 这是一个长期的必要的第一步。 基因的生态学和进化遗传学研究 在昆虫体内产生多功能氧化酶。 了解这个系统 可以为发展更多的 有效的杀虫剂。

Mixed-function oxidases (MFO'S) are enzymes that allow insects to tolerate poisonous chemicals such as insecticides and certain plant compounds. Some plants protect themselves from insects (and other herbivores) by making chemical compounds that are toxic to the animals which try and feed on them. The MFO enzymes detoxify chemical compounds, usually by changing their chemical structure. The study of mixed-function oxidase enzymes, therefore, will provide information as to how insects become resistant to insecticides and/or toxic plant chemicals. This proposal involves the use of an insect-plant model system. The insects are fruit-flies of the genus Drosophila, and the plants are columnar cacti which grow in the Sonoran Desert of Mexico. A wealth of background information on this model system has already been obtained including data on the ecology and genetics of the fruit flies and identification and characterization of the toxic chemicals that the cacti produce. The experiments outlined in this proposal will establish a connection between the mixed-function oxidase enzymes in these insects and their tolerance to the poisonous chemicals in the cactus plants. This is a necessary first-step in a long-term study of the ecological and evolutionary genetics of the genes which produce MFO enzymes in insects. Understanding this system could be an important contribution to the development of more effective insecticides.