The Regulatory Landscape of Insecticide Resistance Evolution in Arthropod Pests.

Abstract

Insecticide resistance threatens global agriculture and public health, highlighting the need to understand its underlying molecular mechanisms. Transcriptional regulation is a major component of resistance evolution, shaping the temporal, spatial, and quantitative expression of resistance-associated genes. Accumulating evidence indicates that cis-regulatory variation and trans-acting factors frequently underpin this transcriptional reprogramming, while gene duplication provides additional dosage effects. Emerging studies further implicate RNA-mediated mechanisms as additional regulatory layers. These processes often operate through defined signaling pathways, particularly MAPK-mediated networks, that coordinate the expression of detoxification enzymes and transporters, enabling rapid adaptation while shaping associated fitness trade-offs. Dissecting these complex networks through multi-omics and functional genomics can help clarify the evolutionary architecture of metabolic resistance and provide a basis for improved resistance monitoring and management.