ATP Synthase as a Target for Insecticides and Acaricides

Within the process of oxidative phosphorylation the mitochondrial ATP synthase (also referred synonymously as complex V, FiFo-ATPase or FiFq-ATP synthase) has to fulfill two main tasks  

It is an enzyme of enormous complexity and efficiency. For a detailed discussion of its stmcture and reaction mechanism see Chapter 13.1. Importantly, the mech- 

Modem Crop Protection Compounds. Edited by W. Kramer and U. Schirmer Copyright 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH Co. KGaA, Weinheim ISBN 978-3-527-31496-6 

For the acaricide fenazaquin [4-(4-tert-butylphenethoxy)quinazoline], a potent inhibitor of electron transport at complex I (see Section 28.1.3), an additional low-affinity binding site in the stalk region of ATP synthase has been recently identified. The relevance of this newly discovered binding site is unknown since the enzymatic activity of ATP synthase is not impaired [12]. 

ATP synthase from DDT [l,l-bis-(p-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-tridilorethane] susceptible insects, but not from DDT resistant strains, is inhibited by DDT, although at relatively high concentration. Recently, it has been suggested that this inhibition is associated with the presence of a specific protein in the Fo component at a site different from the binding sites of oligomycin and DCCD. Since this specific protein is only present in insect strains that are susceptible to DDT the authors conclude that this protein is the target for DDT and that inhibition of ATP synthase is its primary mode of action [14]. 

---