The global decline in pollinator populations, particularly bees, threatens the essential role of animal-mediated pollination in fruit, vegetable, and nut crop development. Managed honeybees are critical pollinators for a wide range of crops, and their decline poses a significant risk to global agriculture, and impacts food security. Factors like bacteria, parasitic mites, fungi, protozoa, and viruses contribute to honeybee colony declines, with Varroa mite causing significant damage in various ways. Varroa destructor is considered the most devastating pest of honeybees worldwide because it is an obligatory parasite that may target different developmental stages and castes of honeybees.
This research focuses on ecdysone, which is a crucial hormone involved in development in arthropods, including insects. Structural variation in the ecdysone-binding domain of ECRs among insect groups enables the design of pesticides that could specifically affect pests, while sparing beneficial organisms, including vertebrates which lack the ECRs entirely.
In our research, following successful cloning, expression, and purification of Varroa mite ECR, we have conducted some preliminary characterization experiments, including Multi-Angle Laser Light Scattering (MALLS), 1D 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), buffer screening, and fluorescence polarization ligand binding assays. These experiments lay the groundwork for our research, in which we aim to use Fragment Based Drug Discovery to identify lead compounds to develop a marketable pesticide exclusively harmful to SHBs while ensuring the safety of bees and humans. The success of this research will advance the development of safer, environmentally friendly pesticides for pest-related challenges in agriculture, paving the way for future innovations.