Effects of sublethal neonicotinoid exposure on the functional expression of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in the aquatic insect, Chironomus dilutus

Neonicotinoids are the largest-selling, fastest-growing group of insecticides worldwide. Due to their chemical properties (high water solubility) and current agricultural application practices, neonicotinoids and their mixtures are routinely detected in global freshwater environments. As these compounds can persist in light-limited environments and are highly toxic to invertebrates (particularly arthropods), the effects of long-term exposures to neonicotinoids/mixtures on aquatic insects is of ecotoxicological concern. Previous studies have characterized the toxicities of select neonicotinoids and their mixtures to sensitive aquatic insects, using the aquatic midge Chironomus dilutus (C. dilutus) as a representative test species. However, toxicological effects tend to vary depending on exposure length/condition, mixture composition, endpoint of concern, and individual insect species. One hypothesis for these diverse effects is that the function of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), the main molecular target of neonicotinoids, varies both between different insects and in response to neonicotinoid exposure. However, limited research has been completed on the function and expression of the nAChR in non-target aquatic insect species. Therefore, this project aims to fill that data gap. In this study, we aim to characterize the function and expression of the nAChR using C. dilutus as a representative test species.

Faculty Supervisor:

Karsten Liber;Christy Morrissey

Student:

Partner:

University of Orléans

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Sustainability & the Environment; Environmental Science and Technology; Agriculture and Food

University:

University of Saskatchewan

Program: