Ectopic expression of Mitf^Scer\UAS.cHa under the control of Scer\GAL4^Lsp2.PH results in a significantly increased number of acidic vesicles and lysosomes in the fat body of both starved and fed third instar larvae compared to controls kept under the same feeding regimen. Mitf^Scer\UAS.cHa expression also leads to accumulation of lipid droplets in both fed and starved larvae: both display the same (high) amount of lipid droplets as fed wild-type controls.

Ectopic expression of Mitf^Scer\UAS.cHa under the control of Scer\GAL4^elav.PU results in accumulation of lysosome-like structures in the brains of starved adult flies and slight accumulation of autophagosomes in the brains of fed adult flies compared to starved and fed controls, respectively.

Ectopic expression of Mitf^Scer\UAS.cHa under the control of Scer\GAL4^Lsp2.PH results in significantly increased level of lysosome-autophagosome fusion in fed third instar larvae compared to fed wild-type and (unlike in wild-type) this fusion level does not increase further upon starvation.

Expression of Mitf^Scer\UAS.cHa under the control of Scer\GAL4^c311 results in early larval lethality. Expression of Mitf^Scer\UAS.cHa under the control of Scer\GAL4^ey.PH results in eye-antennal discs with smaller eye regions than normal, but normal or nearly normal antennal regions in third instar larvae. The developing photoreceptor field in the eye disc is reduced or occasionally absent.