Whole genome expression analysis in the third-instar larval midgut of Drosophila melanogaster

Survival of insects on a substrate containing toxic substances such as plant secondary metabolites or insecticides is dependent on the metabolism or excretion of those xenobiotics. The primary sites of xenobiotic metabolism are the midgut, Malpighian tubules and fat body. In general, these organs are treated as single tissues by online databases, but several studies have shown that gene expression within subsections of the midgut is compartmentalized. In this article, RNA sequencing analysis was used to investigate whole-genome expression in subsections of the third-instar larval midgut. The results support functional diversification in subsections of the midgut. Analysis of the expression of gene families that are implicated in the metabolism of xenobiotics suggests that metabolism may not be uniform along the midgut. These data provide a starting point for investigating gene expression and xenobiotic metabolism in the larval midgut. Overall design: Examination of expression in eight samples corresponding to compartments of gene expression in the midgut

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Harrop TW, Pearce SL, Daborn PJ, Batterham P