About this Research Topic
In the insect nervous and muscular systems, ion channels have multiple critical functions. The vast majority of commercial insecticides modulate primary ion channel targets, resulting in acute toxicity, affecting the excitability of insect neurons or disrupting signals at the neuromuscular junction. Therefore, ion channels are the primary targets of a large fraction of small molecule insecticides and are widely used to control pests in agriculture and public health. Insights in to the molecular targets, binding sites, and mechanisms of insecticide resistance have been greatly expanded via genetic, biochemical, and electrophysiological investigations of insect ion channels. Nevertheless, details about the appropriate binding positions, critical coordinating residues, and the consequences of resistance mutations on the structure remain largely unknown.
Since compounds affecting ion channels may quickly alter the excitability of insect neurons or paralyze their muscles by disrupting action potentials or intracellular Ca2+ signals, ion channels comprise a major molecular target for many classes of commercial insecticides. However, it remains unclear how the channels function and how the insecticides work at the molecular level. This Research Topic will be highlighting the latest progress in insect ion channels as insecticide target sites including the discovery of novel findings and methods. We hope that this compilation of work will provide inspiration for the future pipeline of ecologically friendly insecticides. Both Original Research and Review articles are welcome in this special issue.
The submission of research focusing on, but not limited to, the subsequent subtopics is encouraged:
1. Molecular mechanisms and gating functions of insect ion channels (e.g., ryanodine receptor (RyR), nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC), transient receptor potential channel (TRP), and ligand-gated chloride channel (LGCC)).
2. Molecular insights into resistance mechanism of insecticide against ion channel mutations.
3. Insecticide binding sites and mechanisms of action in various ion channel classes.
4. Synchronizing high-resolution structure and artificial intelligence-based insecticide design to accelerate more ecologically friendly insecticides.
5. Computational screening in large chemical libraries for insecticide alternatives.
Since compounds affecting ion channels may quickly alter the excitability of insect neurons or paralyze their muscles by disrupting action potentials or intracellular Ca2+ signals, ion channels comprise a major molecular target for many classes of commercial insecticides. However, it remains unclear how the channels function and how the insecticides work at the molecular level. This Research Topic will be highlighting the latest progress in insect ion channels as insecticide target sites including the discovery of novel findings and methods. We hope that this compilation of work will provide inspiration for the future pipeline of ecologically friendly insecticides. Both Original Research and Review articles are welcome in this special issue.
The submission of research focusing on, but not limited to, the subsequent subtopics is encouraged:
1. Molecular mechanisms and gating functions of insect ion channels (e.g., ryanodine receptor (RyR), nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC), transient receptor potential channel (TRP), and ligand-gated chloride channel (LGCC)).
2. Molecular insights into resistance mechanism of insecticide against ion channel mutations.
3. Insecticide binding sites and mechanisms of action in various ion channel classes.
4. Synchronizing high-resolution structure and artificial intelligence-based insecticide design to accelerate more ecologically friendly insecticides.
5. Computational screening in large chemical libraries for insecticide alternatives.
Keywords: Insecticide Resistance, Ion Channel, Neurotoxicity, Mode of Action, Green Insecticide
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
