Evidences of differential methylation in the genome during development in the cactophilic Drosophila species.

DNA methylation with 5-methylcytosine (5mC) has been reported in the genome of several eukaryotes, with marked differences between vertebrates and invertebrates. DNA methylation is poorly understood as its role in evolution in insects. Drosophila gouveai (cluster Drosophila buzzatii) presents larvae that develop obligatorily in necrotic tissues of cacti in nature, with the distribution of populations in South America, and plasticity of phenotypes in insect-plant interaction.

Drosophila relics hobo and hobo-MITEs transposons as raw material for new regulatory networks.

Hypermutable strains of Drosophila simulans have been studied for 20 years. Several mutants were isolated and characterized, some of which had phenotypes associated with alteration in development; for example, showing ectopic legs with eyes being expressed in place of antennae. The causal agent of this hypermutability is a non-autonomous hobo-related sequence (hoboVA).