u-shaped encodes a zinc finger protein that regulates the proneural genesachaete and scute during the formation of bristles in Drosophila

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Abstract
The pattern of the large sensory bristles on the notum ofDrosophila arises as a consequence of the expression of theachaete and scute genes. The gene u-shapedencodes a novel zinc finger that acts as a transregulator ofachaete and scute in the dorsal region of the notum. Viable hypomorphic u-shaped mutants display additional dorsocentral and scutellar bristles that result from overexpression ofachaete and scute. In contrast, overexpression ofu-shaped causes a loss of achaete–scute expression and consequently a loss of dorsal bristles. The effects on the dorsocentral bristles appear to be mediated through the enhancer sequences that regulate achaete and scute at this site. The effects ofu-shaped mutants are similar to those of a class of dominant alleles of the gene pannier with which they display allele-specific interactions, suggesting that the products of both genes cooperate in the regulation of achaete and scute.A study of the sites at which the dorsocentral bristles arise in mosaicu-shaped nota, suggests that the levels of the u-shapedprotein are crucial for the precise positioning of the precursors of these bristles.