Reduced proinsecticide activation by cytochrome P450 confers coumaphos resistance in the major bee parasite Varroa destructor.

ABSTRACT: Varroa destructor is one of the main problems in modern beekeeping. Highly selective acaricides with low toxicity to bees are used internationally to control this mite. One of the key acaricides is the organophosphorus (OP) proinsecticide coumaphos, that becomes toxic after enzymatic activation inside Varroa We show here that mites from the island Andros (AN-CR) exhibit high levels of coumaphos resistance. Resistance is not mediated by decreased coumaphos uptake, target-site resistance, or increased detoxification. Reduced proinsecticide activation by a cytochrome P450 enzyme was the main resistance mechanism, a powerful and rarely encountered evolutionary solution to insecticide selection pressure. After treatment with sublethal doses of [¹⁴C] coumaphos, susceptib

SUBMITTER: Vlogiannitis S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8017976 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature