Species chimeric nAChR receptors to assess neonicotinoid toxicity in a Drosophila model

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated ion channels crucial for neurotransmission, influencing behaviours such as learning, memory, and motor control. In insects, nAChRs are key targets for insecticides, yet the functional diversity and subunit-specific contributions to insecticide susceptibility remain unclear. To investigate this, we used CRISPR-mediated genome editing to generate a Drosophila melanogaster mutant in which the beta 2 ligand-binding domain was replaced with that of the honey bee alpha 8 subunit. This chimeric fly exhibited impaired motor function and altered insecticide sensitivity, highlighting the critical role of nAChR subunit composition in neurotoxicity. Whole-genome sequencing was performed using NovaSeq X Plus Series (PE150) to confirm precise genome editing and assess potential off-target effects.