THE DROSOPHILA NEURALIZED GENE ENCODES A C3HC4 ZINC-FINGER

The neurogenic genes of Drosophila are required for cell-cell communic ation that determines the choice between neuronal and epidermal cell f ate. Here we report the molecular characterization of the neurogenic g ene neuralized (neu) and show that it encodes a protein containing a C 3HC4 zinc finger DNA-binding motif. This motif has been previously cha racterized in a variety of regulatory proteins, including transcriptio n factors, locus-specific Drosophila chromosomal proteins, and oncopro teins. These results suggest a nuclear function for neu in the cell-ce ll signalling process responsible for inhibiting neuronal determinatio n.