Journal article
Harnessing model organisms to study insecticide resistance
T Perry, P Batterham
Current Opinion in Insect Science | ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV | Published : 2018
Abstract
The vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has made an enormous contribution to our understanding of insecticide targets, metabolism and transport. This contribution has been enabled by the unmatched capacity to manipulate genes in D. melanogaster and the fact that lessons learn in this system have been applicable to pests, because of the evolutionary conservation of key genes, particularly those encoding targets. With the advent of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology, genes can now be manipulated in pest species, but this review points to advantages that are likely to keep D. melanogaster at the forefront of insecticide research.
Grants
Funding Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the contribution of members of Drosophila research community who develop technologies and create reagents that have shaped the impressive arc of resistance research in this species. We are grateful to other members of our lab as their research and ideas have informed the writing of this review. Funding from the Australian Research Council has been vital in sustaining our own research on insecticide resistance in Drosophila.