Octopamine and tyramine are essential biogenic amines that have been implicated in numerous physiological systems in arthropod species, such as reproduction, the nervous system, and learning-and-memory, to name a few. We have successfully created two stably-transfected Chinese Hamster Ovary cell lines (CHO) with a functional octopamine receptor from Periplaneta americana, the American cockroach, and a functional tyramine receptor from Rhipicephalus microplus, the southern cattle tick. Our hope is to characterize plant-derived compounds that may function as agonists, antagonists, or modulators of these two arthropod receptors. This research may lead to the identification of plant-derived compounds that possess activity at these two receptors and may act as insecticidal compounds with a novel mode of action that has yet to be exploited in the field of insect toxicology.
Some relevant publications:
Gross, Aaron D., Michael J. Kimber, Tim A. Day, Paula Ribeiro, and Joel R. Coats. 2013. Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) of monoterpenoids at an expressed American cockroach octopamine receptor, Chapter 7 in Pest Management with Natural Products, J.J. Beck, J.R. Coats, S.O. Duke and M.E. Koivunen, Editors, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C. 247 pp. DOI: 10.102/bk-2013-1141.ch007.
Tsao, R., S. Lee, P.J. Rice, C. Jensen, and J.R. Coats. 1995. Monoterpenoids and their synthetic derivatives as leads for new insect-control agents. Chapter 28, in Synthesis and Chemistry of Agrochemicals - IV, D.R. Baker, J.G. Fenyes, and G.S. Basarab, eds., pp. 312-324. American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C.