Graduation Year

2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree

M.S.

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

Degree Granting Department

Chemistry

Major Professor

David J. Merkler, Ph.D.

Committee Member

James Leahy, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Ioannis Gelis, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Brian O'Flynn, Ph.D.

Keywords

Behavior, Fatty Acid Amides, Insect Models, Pesticides

Abstract

Pesticides are agents designed to eradicate living organisms to preserve agricultural needs.1 Today the most commonly used pesticides are termed “modern pesticides”, they are characterized by lower lipophilicity and limited stability, making them less time persistent in the environment. Among these modern pesticides are organophosphorus, urea, phenoxy alkanoic, triazine, chloroacetanilide, and glyphosate-based pesticides.2 The issue faced with most of these pesticides is that they affect more than just the targeted pest and pose a danger to not only humans, but also entire ecosystems.1,3,4 While there are many different types of pesticides, insecticides show the most variance and pose the greatest ecological risk. Insecticides have also recently garnered greater interest because they have had such a profound effect on pollinators. Typically, insecticides act upon the nervous system of an insect (i.e. cholinesterase inhibition), while others may act as growth regulators or endotoxins. Our aim is to develop more targeted pesticides through enzymatic manipulation.5,6,7 Arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferases (AANATs) are a group of enzymes responsible for the synthesis of N-acetylserotonin from serotonin, a key step in the biosynthetic pathway of melatonin as well as many biologically important lipids such as fatty acid amides. Through fatty acid amide extraction, enzyme evaluation, and behavioral assessment we have demonstrated the potential of AANATs and fatty acid amides as novel insecticide targets.8,9

Download

Included in

Biochemistry Commons

Share

COinS