Acetylcholine-binding proteins (AChBPs) from mollusks are suitable structural and functional surrogates of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors when combined with transmembrane spans of the nicotinic receptor. These proteins assemble as a pentamer with identical ACh binding sites at the subunit interfaces and show ligand specificities resembling those of the nicotinic receptor for agonists and...

BACKGROUND Chemical control is the method most used for management of Diaphorina citri, the vector of the phloem-limited bacteria associated with citrus huanglongbing (HLB) disease. The objectives of this study were to determine the influence of soil-drench applications of neonicotinoids (thiamethoxam and imidacloprid) on the probing behaviour of D. citri on citrus nursery trees, using the elec...

BACKGROUND Studies were conducted to evaluate uptake and retention of three systemic neonicotinoid insecticides, dinotefuran, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, in potted citrus nursery plants treated at standard label rates. Infestation of these plants placed at a field site with moderate levels of Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) was monitored for 14 weeks following treatments, and insecticide residues...

This study quantitatively measured neonicotinoids in various foods that are common to human consumption. All fruit and vegetable samples (except nectarine and tomato) and 90% of honey samples were detected positive for at least one neonicotinoid; 72% of fruits, 45% of vegetables, and 50% of honey samples contained at least two different neonicotinoids in one sample, with imidacloprid having the...

Neonicotinoids are widely used insecticides, but their use is subject of debate because of their detrimental effects on pollinators. Little is known about the effect of neonicotinoids on other beneficial insects such as parasitoid wasps, which serve as natural enemies and are crucial for ecosystem functioning. Here we show that sublethal doses of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid impair sexual com...

CITATION: Richard_Pywell , r/Science , Science AMA Series: Hi Reddit! I'm Richard Pywell, Professor at the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology in the UK and I've just completed the largest field experiment ever to assess the impacts of neonicotinoids on the honeybee and two wild bee species. AMA!, The Winnower Why was a positive effect found in Germany? Is there an underlying theory explaining how N...

This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2002 Introduction Herbivorous insect and mite pests are a major threat in the continuous supply of food for human consumption. Synthetic insecticides and acaricides play a major role in modern agriculture and their chemical, environmental and toxicological properties have been improved considerably over the last six decades. Without the use of ch...

Neonicotinoids are a class of insecticides with the same mode of action as nicotine. Examples include imidacloprid, thiamethoxam, clothianidin, acetamiprid, thiacloprid and dinotefuran. These compounds interfere with the transmission of impulses in the nerve system of insects. Similar to the naturally occurring signal-transmitting acetylcholine, neonicotinoids stimulate certain nerve cells by a...