Anticipating, Combating and Exploiting the Evolution of Pesticide Resistance in Australian Agricultural Pests and Disease Vectors

通过有效的昆虫控制，合成杀虫剂导致了粮食生产的爆炸式增长。然而，昆虫已经开始通过羧酸酯酶（CBE）的突变进化出对最广泛使用的杀虫剂类别之一（有机磷酸酯）的抗性。为了解决这个问题，我们需要有能力预测进一步的进化，与之斗争，并为我们自己的利益利用它。该项目旨在通过在实验室中模拟进化来预测进化，从而为变化做好最好的准备。将根据昆虫CBE的分子结构设计新的杀虫剂以对抗杀虫剂抗性。该项目旨在利用这些新进化的酶来制造生物传感器和去污剂。

Synthetic insecticides have resulted in an explosion in food production through effective insect control. However, insects have begun to evolve resistance against one of the most widely used classes of insecticides (organophosphates) via mutations in carboxylesterases (CBEs). To address this problem, the ability to anticipate further evolution, combat it and exploit it for our own benefit is needed. This project aims to anticipate evolution by simulating it in the laboratory, allowing for the best preparation for change. New pesticides will be designed to combat insecticide resistance based upon the molecular structure of an insect CBE. This project aims to exploit these newly evolved enzymes to create biosensors and decontamination agents.