Sodium channel gene expression associated with pyrethroid resistant house flies and German cockroaches

The voltage-gated sodium channels of the insect nervous system are the primary target of DDT and pyrethroid insecticides. The loss of target site sensitivity to insecticides resulting from a substitution of leucine to phenylalanine, termed the L-to-F kdr mutation, in the sodium channel of the insect nervous system is known to be important in insecticide resistance. Yet, little is known about the molecular basis underlying the genotype and kdr-mediated resistance phenotype relationship. Here we report a systematic study of resistance-associated kdr allelic expression within and among resistant and susceptible house fly and German cockroach populations. We compared genomic DNA and RNA sequences within the same individuals from different insect strains, finding no correlation for the kdr allele at the genomic DNA level with levels of susceptibility or resistance to insecticide. However, there was a strong correlation between kdr allele expression and the levels of insecticide resistance. This correlation is probably regulated through RNA variation and RNA editing. These results suggest a role for posttranscriptional regulation in the connection of the sodium channel genotype and its mutation-mediated resistance phenotype.