ifferent species of caterpillars, says Masanori Tohnishi, a senior research scientist at Nihon Nohyaku. In early tests, the compound showed high activity against the tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens), which is known to cause serious damage to cotton, tobacco and other crops, the researchers say. The compound did not have any measurable effect on mammalian ryanodine receptors, according to Peter Lmmen, Ph.D., a research scientist at Bayer CropScience.

DuPont, based in Wilmington, Del., is developing another group of compounds that target the ryanodine receptor. Called anthranilic diamides, these novel compounds show excellent control of pest insects with exceptional mammalian safety, according to the researchers. They were the first to demonstrate the mode of action of these ryanodine receptor-active molecules, says Daniel Cordova, a researcher at DuPont Crop Protection.

Both classes of compounds are believed to have high potency, the researchers say, although they are structurally different. Both insecticides are still in developmental stages.

The research team at DuPont says they have cloned ryanodine receptors from several insect species and that these receptors may help provide a better understanding of their role in calcium signaling, which could lead to new insights into human diseases.

The American Chemical Society is a nonprofit organization, chartered by the U.S. Congress, with a multidisciplinary membership of more than 158,000 chemists and chemical engineers. It publishes numerous scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

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28-Aug-2005

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