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Project

Molecular mechanism of the honeybee nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, the target for neonic insecticides

Bees are vital for pollination on our planet. In modern agriculture, crops globally produced for human consumption critically depend on pollinators such as bees. Human impact on climate change is well recognized and bee health is under pressure. One of the likely factors contributing to the worldwide decline of bee populations is the widespread use of a group of insecticides containing neonicotinoids, which affect bee memory, behavior and reproduction. A key strategy toward improving bee resilience is to gain a fundamental understanding into the molecular mechanisms of the honeybee nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, and how these receptors are affected by neonic insecticides. The honeybee genome contains more than 12 different nicotinic receptor subunits, but so far, molecular structures and function of honeybee nicotinic receptors are sorely lacking. A major hurdle is the identification of the subunit combination required for functional receptor assembly, leaving crucial questions on the mode of insecticide action unanswered. We will employ an integrated approach using high-throughput electrophysiological techniques, combined with structural methods to elucidate the 3-dimensional molecular architecture of the honeybee nicotinic receptor at atomic resolution. A better understanding of the molecular mechanism of honeybee nicotinic acetylcholine receptors will contribute to improving bee resilience and provide directions toward a more sustainable use of insecticides.

Date:1 Jan 2021 →  Today
Keywords:Ligand-gated ion channels, Structural biology, X-ray and cryo-EM, Insecticides and bee resilience
Disciplines:Gastro-enterology, Electrophysiology, Structural biology, Neurophysiology, Pharmacology not elsewhere classified