Heterologous expression of insect P450 enzymes that metabolize xenobiotics

Insect cytochrome P450-monooxygenases (P450s) are an enzyme superfamily involved in the oxidative transformation of endogenous and exogenous substrates, including insecticides. They were also shown to determine insecticide selectivity in beneficial arthropods such as bee pollinators, and to detoxify plant secondary metabolites. The recent explosion in numbers of P450s due to increased invertebrate genomes sequenced, allowed researchers to study their functional relevance for xenobiotic metabolism by recombinant expression using different expression systems. Troubleshooting strategies, including different systems and protein modifications typically adapted from mammalian P450s, have been applied to improve the functional expression, with partial success. The aim of this mini review is to critically summarize different strategies recently developed and used to produce recombinant insect P450s for xenobiotic metabolism studies.

Automated summary

Insect cytochrome P450 monooxygenases play a crucial role in oxidative transformation of substrates, including insecticides, detoxification of plant secondary metabolites, and determining insecticide selectivity in beneficial arthropods. Recent advancements in studying the functional relevance of P450s for xenobiotic metabolism through recombinant expression have shown partial success in improving functional expression by borrowing strategies from mammalian P450s.