About the Authors

Ann Sluder

Current address: Scynexis, Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America

Affiliation Cambria Biosciences, Woburn, Massachusetts, United States of America

Sheetal Shah

Current address: Syngenta Biotechnology Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Jérôme Cassayre

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Stein, Switzerland

Ralph Clover

Affiliation Cambria Biosciences, Woburn, Massachusetts, United States of America

Peter Maienfisch

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Stein, Switzerland

Louis-Pierre Molleyres

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Stein, Switzerland

Elizabeth A. Hirst

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Anthony J. Flemming

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Min Shi

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Penny Cutler

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Carole Stanger

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Richard S. Roberts

Current address: Drug Discovery Division, Laboratorios Almirall S.A., Barcelona, Spain

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

David J. Hughes

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Thomas Flury

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Stein, Switzerland

Michael P. Robinson

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Elke Hillesheim

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Stein, Switzerland

Thomas Pitterna

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Stein, Switzerland

Fredrik Cederbaum

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection AG, Stein, Switzerland

Paul A. Worthington

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Andrew J. Crossthwaite

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

John D. Windass

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Richard A. Currie

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Fergus G. P. Earley

fergus.earley@syngenta.com

Affiliation Syngenta Crop Protection Research, Bracknell, Berkshire, United Kingdom

Competing Interests

The authors have the following competing interests: Dr. Sluder and Dr. Clover were employed by Cambria Biosciences at the time of the study and Dr. Shah, Dr. Cassayre, Dr. Maienfisch, Dr. Molleyres, Dr. Hirst, Dr. Flemming, Dr. Shi, Dr. Cutler, Dr. Stranger, Dr. Roberts, Dr. Hughes, Dr. Flury, Dr. Robinson, Dr. Hillesheim, Dr. Pitterna, Dr. Cederbaum, Dr. Worthington, Dr. Crossthwaite, Dr. Windass, Dr. Currie and Dr. Earley were employed by Syngenta Crop Protection at the time of the study. The insecticidal activity of the spiroindolines disclosed in this paper has been patented by Syngenta (WO2003106457, WO2005058897, WO 2005061512), however the focus of this study (the molecular mechanism of action) is independent of any commercial interest, and there are no other relevant Syngenta patents, products in development or marketed products to declare. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLoS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Author Contributions

Conceived and designed the experiments: JDW AS R. Clover FGPE SS MPR JC PM L-PM RSR DJH TP FC PAW. Performed the experiments: AS R. Clover CS SS MS AJF PC TF EAH. Analyzed the data: AS R. Clover SS FGPE MPR JDW JC PM L-PM RSR DAH TP FC PAW EH AJF AJC R. Currie CS. Wrote the paper: FGPE JC AS SS.