Meeting Abstract

P3.111  Saturday, Jan. 5  THE EFFECTS OF CAPSAICIN ON DROSOPHILA COOPER, A. S.*; COOPER, R.L.; CHAE, H.; KIM, C.; Lafayette Senior High School, Lexington, KY. ; Dept. of Biology, Univ. of KY, Lexington, KY. 40506-0225; Sch. of Biol. Sci. and Technol., Chonnam National Univ. Gwangju, 500-727, Republic of Korea; Sch. of Biol. Sci. and Technol., Chonnam National Univ. Gwangju, 500-727, Republic of Korea RLCOOP1@email.uky.edu

Capsaicin, the active ingredient in red peppers, was investigated for its possible action to serve as a natural repellent or insecticide. A background strain and a genetically engineered strain of Drosophila that contains 3 inserted genes which codes for the TRVP receptor (i.e. the capsaicin receptor) were used. The expression was targeted specifically for sensory neurons. The sensitivity to capsaicin was compared in background strains to the over expresser strain in both larvae and adults. The flies were examined with 4 different experimental paradigms: (1) adult taste, (2) larval taste, (3) egg lying, and (4) adult smell. Capsaicin was exposed to the flies in its pure form mixed with cornmeal to compare with ground up red pepper mixed with cornmeal. From these experiments we showed that red pepper and pure capsaicin did not serve as a natural repellent, but it did act as an insecticide for larvae but not adults in control stains of flies. However, the adults and larvae in the over expresser strain is very sensitive to capsaicin. This study relates to the potential use of red pepper as means to control insects from growing in exposed foods prior to the use of refrigeration. This study may also help one to understand the range of sensitivities to capsaicin in humans and other animals by varied expression levels of the receptors to capsaicin. Funding was provided by Kentucky Young Researchers Program at the University of Kentucky(ASC).