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. We characterize organisms at developmental stages and analyze variations at multiple methylation-sensitive loci in pupae, and adult flies using methylation sensitive amplification polymorphism. We obtained 326 loci with CCGG targets in the genome of D. gouveai. Genomic regions with molecular lengths from 100 to 700 pb were most informative about methylation states. Multiple loci show differences in methylation-sensitive sites (MSL) concerning developmental stages, such as in pupae (MSL = 40), female reproductive tissue (MSL = 76), and male reproductive tissues (MSL = 58). Our results are the first evidence of genome-wide methylation in D. gouveai organisms.

First report of colored pan traps to capture Drosophilidae (Diptera)

ABSTRACT The use of robust sample methodologies to estimate the highest number of species with different ecological requirements and traits is essential to the knowledge construction of the biodiversity and to establish wildlife assessment and monitoring programs. Our aims were to study the performance of colored pan traps in the capture of Drosophilidae (Diptera), a method never used for sampling this taxon. During six months, colored pan traps (blue, yellow and white) were tested in three areas in Southern Brazil. We captured 375 individuals of 30 species belonging to four genera of Drosophilidae. The most abundant species were Drosophila lutzii (n=215) p=0.58, Scaptomyza sp. (n=55) p=0.15 and D. bromelioides (n=17) p=0.04, all of them, anthophilous species. All colored pan traps captured a high quantify species of Drosophilidae, mainly anthophilous species.