Finally, as ZKSCAN3 dysregulation contributes to numerous human cancers43,46–51 and that metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of the tumour microenvironment (reviewed in52), the knowledge that Drosophila M1BP and vertebrate ZKSCAN3 are functionally homologous proteins controlling autophagy and metabolic gene expression will allow use of the powerful Drosophila model system to study ZKSCAN3 function in metabolism, autophagy control and cancerogenesis. This evidence concerns the gene ZKSCAN3 and neoplasm.