Genome

Ecology

Monooxygenase

Biochemistry

Biotechnology

Insect

Biology

Gene

Toxicology

Cytochrome P450

Metabolism

Functional genomics

Detoxification (alternative medicine)

Computational biology

Pathology

Genomics

Resistance (ecology)

Alternative medicine

Insecticide resistance

Genetics

Medicine

Annual Review of Entomology

Insect cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) perform a variety of important physiological functions, but it is their role in the detoxification of xenobiotics, such as natural and synthetic insecticides, that is the topic of this review. Recent advances in insect genomics and postgenomic functional approaches have provided an unprecedented opportunity to understand the evolution of insect P450s and their role in insect toxicology. These approaches have also been harnessed to provide new insights into the genomic alterations that lead to insecticide resistance, the mechanisms by which P450s are regulated, and the functional determinants of P450-mediated insecticide resistance. In parallel, an emerging body of work on the role of P450s in defining the sensitivity of beneficial insects to insecticides has been developed. The knowledge gained from these studies has applications for the management of P450-mediated resistance in insect pests and can be leveraged to safeguard the health of important beneficial insects.

The Role of Cytochrome P450s in Insect Toxicology and Resistance