Characterizing resistance and the potential for adaptation to a new diamide insecticide in D<em>. melanogaster</em> — ASN Events

Characterizing resistance and the potential for adaptation to a new diamide insecticide in D. melanogaster (#66)

Llewellyn Green 1 , Charles Robin 1
  1. University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia

Insecticide exposure can act as a powerful selective pressure, resulting in a strong adaption response. D. melanogaster, while not directly targeted by insecticides, is frequently exposed due to its nature as a human commensal. There is evidence for recent, rapid adaptation at loci associated with insecticide resistance in D. melanogaster - especially to older compounds with widespread use 1 .

The anthrallic diamides belong to a class of recently released insecticides with a unique mode of action.  Here we have used the Drosophila Genomic Reference Panel (DGRP) to carry out Genome Wide Association (GWA) mapping of the genetic basis of resistance to the anthrallic diamide, Chlorantraliliprole.  Not only does the GWA analysis allow us to study the genetic architecture of resistance, but as the DGRP are naïve to Chlorantraniliprole, it allows us to predict variants that may be subject to selection upon further exposure.  These predictions could potentially be tested by using natural populations selected for resistance.

  1. [1] Garud, N. R., Messer, P. W., Buzbas, E. O. & Petrov, D. A. Soft selective sweeps are the primary mode of recent adaptation in Drosophila melanogaster. arXiv preprint arXiv:1303.0906 (2013).