The Drosophila melanogaster developmental gene g1 encodes a variant zinc-finger-motif protein

In Drosophila melanogaster, the mechanisms involved in the pattern formation of complex internal organs are still largely unknown. However, the identity of the molecular determinants that control the development of these specific tissues is emerging from the combined use of genetic and molecular approaches. We have cloned a gene that is expressed in the mesoderm, one of the fundamental embryonic germ layers which gives rise to internal structures, such as the musculature. Here, we describe the molecular characterization of this gene, designated as g1. The nucleotide (nt) sequence of its cDNA shows an open reading frame of 852 nt, which encodes a 32-kDa protein with two putative zinc fingers, and a serine/glutamine/proline-rich region. These features indicate a functional role for g1, which remains to be elucidated, in regulating gene expression during mesoderm formation.