Structural and functional characterisation of the Myzus persicae nicotinic acetylcholine receptors for the development of safer agricultural pesticides

Nicotinic receptors are ion channels that mediate excitatory neurotransmission. They are the primary target for neonicotinoids, which are a major class of insecticides used globally. However, their lack of selectivity between insects has resulted in the decline of pollinating bee species, which greatly impacts biodiversity and agriculture. This has prompted global bans on neonicotinoids use. 
There is a great need to develop safer insecticides with greater selectivity for deleterious pests, such as the Myzus persicae. This is a polyphagous aphid species which destroys crops. However, little is known about the structure or pharmacology of their receptors, or how current insecticides interact with them. To develop insecticides with greater selectivity for these pests - we require a greater understanding of these receptors and their pharmacology.
The project aims to express Myzus receptors in established cell lines using chaperone proteins. This will allow us to explore the functionality of these receptors and efficiently screen novel pesticides. Furthermore, we aim to elucidate the molecular structure of these receptors at atomic resolution, which would represent a major breakthrough in the field. Collectively, this will aid in structure-based drug design and inspire the future development of safer insecticides.