A simple binding mechanism accounts for the temperature-dependent toxicity of cis-permethrin to larvae of the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus

The action of cis-permethrin, which evinced a strong negative correlation of toxicity with temperature in larvae of the pyrethroid-susceptible Yeerongpilly and pyrethroid-resistant DDT-R and Malchi strains of the cattle tick, was accounted for by a simple binding mechanism. The mechanism assumed that a single pyrethroid molecule binds to a single site and inactivates it, and that the equilibrium constant which describes the ensuing equilibrium between concentrations of free pyrethroid, unoccupied site, and inactivated site then varies with temperature according to the van't Hoff equation. From van't Hoff plots of the data the enthalpies of binding of cis-permethrin to sites in larvae of each of the above strains were calculated to be ?87, ?92, and ?102 kJ mol^?1, respectively. It was concluded from these results that the kdr-type insensitivity (≈6×, in terms of resistance) observed in DDT-R and Malchi ticks could not be explained by altered binding sites at the site of action. It was suggested that the insensitivity might be explained by altered access to the site of action.