Allelic Genes in the Housefly Producing Modified Enzymes That Cause Organophosphate Resistance

Abstract

In all of six phosphate-resistant strains of Musca domestica L. a mutant gene is present which produces an altered ali-esterase. The modified enzymes are no longer irreversibly inhibited by the oxygen analogs of the insecticides to which the strains are resistant but can slowly convert them. In five of the strains the resistance is caused by this gene only.