The goal of this research was to evaluate the presence of insecticide target proteins from hormone-induced differentiated insect cell lines, which could lead to new, high-throughput screening methods and a way to mass produce insect proteins for basic research. This study used cultures of Sua1B cells with the application of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE), an insect molting hormone, to initiate expression of insecticide target proteins and to evaluate insecticidal compound effects. Whole cell patch clamp techniques have shown the presence of KIR inwardly rectifying and Kv2 delayed-rectifier potassium channels expressed in as little as four hours after treatment with 20-HE. The expressed currents had current-voltage relationships diagnostic and were inhibited with an IC50= 8 mM of tetraethylammonium (TEA), a well-established potassium channel blocker. The direct presence of ion channels and receptors in these cells will accelerate high-throughput screening for new insecticides and make screening more economical.

Voltage-sensitive potassium channels expressed by hormone treatment in mosquito cell lines

246th National Meeting (2013)

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