Recent developments in comparative genomics allow us to analyze features that help us understand how genomes evolved, giving rise to various insect habits. In flies (Diptera), different feeding strategies are also associated with the evolution of parasitism and adaptation to living hosts. We are currently working with two genomes of flies generated: the blowfly Chrysomya megacephala and the New World screwworm (NWS) fly Cochliomyia hominivorax. While the blowfly has a necrophagous habit and acts as a vector of diseases, the NWS fly feeds on the living tissues of vertebrate hosts, being one of the most important livestock pests in the New World. Genomic resources generated are also helpful in assisting future developments in vector and pest control based on targeted genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9.

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