STABLE EXPRESSION OF INSECT GABA RECEPTORS IN INSECT-CELL LINES - PROMOTERS FOR EFFICIENT EXPRESSION OF DROSOPHILA AND MOSQUITO RDL GABA RECEPTORS IN STABLY TRANSFORMED MOSQUITO CELL-LINES

We are interested in establishing stably transformed insect cell lines efficiently expressing the insect gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) rece ptor submit gene Resistance to dieldrin or Rdl. In order to facilitate this we utilized a system based on stable transformation of Aedes alb opictus mosquito cell lines using the dihydrofolate reductase (dhfr) g ene as a selectable marker, Here we report the production of stable mo squito cell lines carrying high copy numbers of Rdl genes from both Dr osophila and Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and the subsequent high efficien cy expression of functional GABA gated chloride ion channels, We also used this system to compare the activity of a range of immediate early baculovirus promoters in mosquito cell culture and demonstrate that I E1 promoter constructs work efficiently across insect species, Results are discussed in relation to the potential use of these constructs in the genetic transformation of non-Drosophilid insects.