Discovering allatostatin type-C receptor specific agonists

Kübra Kahveci, Mustafa Barbaros Düzgün, Abdullah Emre Atis, Abdullah Yılmaz, Aida Shahraki, Basak Coskun, Serdar Durdagi () and Necla Birgul Iyison ()
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Kübra Kahveci: Boğaziçi University
Mustafa Barbaros Düzgün: Boğaziçi University
Abdullah Emre Atis: Plant Protection Central Research Institute
Abdullah Yılmaz: Plant Protection Central Research Institute
Aida Shahraki: Boğaziçi University
Basak Coskun: Plant Protection Central Research Institute
Serdar Durdagi: Bahçeşehir University
Necla Birgul Iyison: Boğaziçi University

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract Currently, there is no pesticide available for the selective control of the pine processionary moth (Thaumetopoea pityocampa-specific), and conventional methods typically rely on mechanical techniques such as pheromone traps or broad-spectrum larvicidal chemicals. As climate change increases the range and dispersion capacity of crop and forest pests, outbreaks of the pine processionary occur with greater frequency and significantly impact forestry and public health. Our study is carried out to provide a T. pityocampa-specific pesticide targeting the Allatostatin Type-C Receptor (AlstR-C). We use a combination of computational biology methods, a cell-based screening assay, and in vivo toxicity and side effect assays to identify, for the first time, a series of AlstR-C ligands suitable for use as T. pityocampa-specific insecticides. We further demonstrate that the novel AlstR-C targeted agonists are specific to lepidopteran larvae, with no harmful effects on coleopteran larvae or adults. Overall, our study represents an important initial advance toward an insect GPCR-targeted next-generation pesticide design. Our approach may apply to other invertebrate GPCRs involved in vital metabolic pathways.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48156-w

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