K. I. Verster

Evolution of chemosensory and detoxification gene families across herbivorous Drosophilidae

This study examines gene family evolution in herbivorous Drosophila to understand dietary adaptation, finding higher gene turnover in herbivores but limited losses on the ancestral herbivore branch.

Insights into the evolution of herbivory from a leaf-mining, drosophilid fly

This study confirms Scaptomyza flava is an obligate herbivore and presents it as a model system for studying herbivory evolution.

Horizontal transfer of microbial toxin genes to gall midge genomes

The paper reports horizontal transfer of microbial toxin genes to gall midge genomes, identifying multiple toxin genes with eukaryotic targets and environmental proximity as a driver of HGT.

Evolution and genetic basis of the plant-penetrating ovipositor, a key adaptation in the transition to herbivory within the Drosophilidae

The paper studies the evolution of the plant-penetrating ovipositor in Scaptomyza, finding that regulatory variation in developmental genes contributes to this adaptation.

Evolution of olfactory receptors tuned to mustard oils in herbivorous Drosophilidae

This study identifies olfactory receptor paralogs in Scaptomyza flava that detect mustard oils, showing how plant toxins were co-opted as olfactory attractants through gene duplication and functional specialization.

Evolution of herbivory remodels a Drosophila genome

This study examines how the evolution of herbivory in Drosophila species reshaped their genome, particularly in genes related to chemical sensing and detoxification.

Horizontal transfer of prokaryotic cytolethal distending toxin B genes to eukaryotes

The paper reports the horizontal transfer of the cdtB gene, encoding a DNase, from bacteriophages to eukaryotic insect genomes, where it retains DNase activity and may serve as a defensive mechanism against parasitoid wasps.