ABSTRACT
The work of the early drosophilists and the subsequent continued build-up of materials, techniques and knowledge are the most significant aspects of why Drosophila continues to make major impacts on current research. Of particular prominence in many pieces of Drosophila genetics is the use of the developing eye. Of equal significance, the sequencing of the Drosophila melanogaster genome has allowed the searching of the fly genome for homologues of genes known to cause disease in humans. Similarly, the Drosophila wing has also been used as a genetic system in which to study neurodegeneration, having many of the same advantages as the eye. Of particular importance to genetic analysis in Drosophila is the use of transposons, in particular the P-element. While the P-element has been, and will continue to be, the ‘workhorse’ transposon in Drosophila, other transposons have been used to circumvent known problems with P-elements.
