Biological and molecular effects of pyriproxyfen, insect growth regulator (IGR), on Met gene in susceptible wild type and Met mutant Drosophila

Abstract

Juvenile hormone (JH) signaling pathway at the molecular level is still not well understood. Methoprene-tolerant (Met) in Drosophila melanogaster fulfills many of the requirements for a hormone receptor gene. However, Met mutant flies are resistant to insect growth regulators (IGRs). In our study, the resistance to juvenile hormone agonist (JHA) in Methoprene-tolerant (Met) mutant flies was studied. Met mutant and susceptible wild type larvae were treated by different concentrations of pyriproxyfen at 0, 0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1, and 3 ppm. We observed that the mean percentage mortalities in Met mutant were significantly (P<0.05) lower than that in the susceptible wild type. Also, resistance in insects to IGRs due to Met gene was studied using PCR and DNA sequencing analyses. We found that there are no changes in the DNA sequences of Met gene after the treatment with pyriproxyfen.