Nonoxidative enzymes in the metabolism of insecticides

Abstract

Two major classes of enzymes, i.e., hydrolases and transferases, comprise all the nonoxidative enzymes, and together these enzymes catalyze a wide variety of biotransformations of insecticides. The hydrolytic enzymes involved in insecticide metabolism are carboxylesterase (EC 3.1.1.1), arylesterase (EC 3,1.1.2), alkylamidase, and DFPase (EC 3.8.2.1). Recent experimental evidence suggests that carboxylesterase enzymes(s), formerly known to hydrolyze malathion-type insecticides, can also catalyze hydrolysis of a variety of diversified insecticidal esters such as benzilic acid derivatives, carbanilate compounds, and pyrethroids. These organo-phosphate-sensitive esterases, with the exception of the enzyme which hydrolyzes malathion, are all present in microsomes. Similarly, the action of amidases now extends to those insecticidal compounds or their intermediates which contain an aminoformyl (N--CHO) moiety. Arylesterase and DFPase catalyze the P--anhydride bond cleavage of the leaving group, a major hydrolytic pathway for organophosphate insecticides. Transferal enzymes which are presently known to metabolize insecticidal organophosphates are GSH-S-alkyltransferase (EC 2.5.1.12) and GSH-S-aryltransferase (EC 2.5.1.13). These enzymes cleave P--O--R (R = alkyl) or P--O--X (X = aromatic), with subsequent transfer of the R or X group to glutathione. Regarding the other conjugating enzymes, UDP-glucuronyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.17), UDP-glucosyltransferase (EC 2.4.1.35), and arylamine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.5), much work is needed to understand their interactions with insecticidal compounds. There is some evidence that arylsulfotransferase (EC 2.8.2.1) may play a prominent role in the conjugative mechanisms of insects.