Drosophila Melanogaster: Genome Evolution, Behavior & Economic Importance

Drosophila melanogaster is a species of fly in the family drosophilidae. It is generally known as the common fruit fly or vinegar fly. The use of Drosophila melanogaster in biological sciences has spanned over 100 years. Its history has a promising beginning, where D. melanogaster become one of the most popular models for studies involving modern biology. The fly is small and yellow-brown, with brick red eyes and transverse black rings across the abdomen. Although it has a relatively simple body structure, Drosophila has a number of characteristics which make it a suitable model for studying host interactions with important human pathogens. The contributors of this book discuss genes linked to species diagnostic phenotype in Drosophila; Drosophila melanogaster and how it relates to human malignancies; and Drosophila melanogaster as a host model for studying the pathogenesis and host-pathogen interaction of the Staphylococcus aureus infection.