Cytochromes P450 and insecticide resistance

The cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases (monooxygenases) are an extremely important metabolic system involved in the catabolism and anabolism of xenobiotics and endogenous compounds. Monooxygenase-mediated metabolism is a common mechanism by which insects become resistant to insecticides as evidenced by the numerous insect species and insecticides affected. This review begins by presenting background information about P450s, the role of monooxygenases in insects, and the different techniques that have been used to isolate individual insect P450s. Next, insecticide resistance is briefly described, and then historical information about monooxygenase-mediated insecticide resistance is reviewed. For any case of monooxygenase-mediated resistance, identification of the P450(s) involved, out of the dozens that are present in an insect, has proven very challenging. Therefore, the next section of the review focuses on the minimal criteria for establishing that a P450 is involved in resistance. This is followed by a comprehensive examination of the literature concerning the individual P450s that have been isolated from insecticide resistant strains. In each case, the history of the strain and the evidence for monooxygenase-mediated resistance are reviewed. The isolation and characterization of the P450(s) from the strain are then described, and the evidence of whether or not the isolated P450(s) is involved in resistance is summarized. The remainder of the review summarizes our current knowledge of the molecular basis of monooxygenase-mediated resistance and the implications for the future. The importance of these studies for development of effective insecticide resistance management strategies is discussed.