Resistance evolution in Drosophila: the case of CYP6G1.

The massive use of DDT as an insecticide between 1940 and 1970 has resulted in the emergence of a resistant population of insects. One of the main metabolic mechanisms developed by resistant insects involves detoxification enzymes such as cytochrome P450s. These enzymes can metabolise the insecticide to render it less toxic and facilitate its elimination from the organism. The P450 Cyp6g1 was identified as the major factor responsible for DDT resistance in Drosophila melanogaster field populations. In this article, we review the data available for this gene since it was associated with resistance in 2002. The knowledge gained on Cyp6g1 allows a better understanding of the evolution of insecticide resistance mechanisms and highlights the major role of transposable elements in evolutionary processes.