An overexpressed cytochrome P450 CYP439A1v3 confers deltamethrin resistance in Laodelphax striatellus Fallén (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

Deltamethrin resistance in Laodelphax striatellus had been associated with its oxidative detoxification by overexpression of four cytochrome P450 monooxygenases like CYP353D1v2, CYP6FU1, CYP6AY3v2, and CYP439A1v3. The first three P450s have been validated for insecticide-metabolizing capability and only CYP6FU1 was found to degrade deltamethrin. In this study, an investigation was conducted to confirm the capability of CYP439A1v3 to degrade deltamethrin. The CYP439A1v3 was first expressed in Sf9 cell line and its recombinant enzyme was tested for metabolic activity against different insecticides using substrate depletion assay combined with metabolite identification. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and carbon monoxide (CO)-difference spectra analysis showed that the intact cytochrome P450 protein was successfully expressed. Tests with probe substrates proved its enzyme activity, as p-nitroanisole, ethoxycoumarin, and ethoxyresorufin were preferentially metabolized (specific activity 7.767 ± 1.22, 1.325 ± 0.37, and 0.355 ± 0.37 nmol/min per mg of protein, respectively) while only luciferin-HEGE was not. In vitro incubation of the recombinant CYP439A1v3 protein with deltamethrin revealed hydroxylation by producing hydroxydeltamethrin. On the contrary, no metabolite/metabolism was seen with nonpyrethroid insecticide, including imidacloprid, buprofezin, chlorpyrifos, and fipronil. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to link a CYP450 from family 439 to confer pyrethroid resistance to L. striatellus. This finding should help in the design of appropriate insecticide resistance management for control of this strain of L. striatellus.