Ion channels in the nervous system are among the most important targets for insecticides. Understanding the structure of the channels is key for the identification of novel species-specific binding sites of agrochemicals. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology in Dortmund, Germany, joined forces with protein manufacturing company Cube Biotech and Bayer’s Crop Science division to reveal the structure and function of a potassium ion channel from fruit flies. Their newly obtained insights reveal the differences between human and insect channels, explain how known compounds affect the channel and propose new target sites for drugs. The research could help pesticide manufacturers design new drugs apt to specifically kill pest insects and parasites without affecting other animals like bees and mammals.
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Source: Phys.org