Transcriptional activator that binds to the consensus sequence 5'-[AT]GATA[AG]-3' and variations thereof (PubMed:19591818, PubMed:21829390). During embryonic development, required for specification of cell fate of major hypodermal (epidermal) cells at the blastomere stage (PubMed:9224715, PubMed:16303852, PubMed:11259601). The requirement is true for all four lineages derived from ABarp, ABpra and C blastomeres (PubMed:9224715). Required for seam cell maintenance in late embryogenesis, for proper formation of dauer larvae and locomotion (PubMed:16303852). Regulates expression of bro-1, a regulator of seam cell proliferation, via a GATA-like binding motif (PubMed:21829390). Probably represses expression of eff-1 to prevent fusion of seam cells with the hypodermal syncytium (PubMed:21829390). Involved in regulating expression of elt-3, a probable downstream target in hypodermal development pathways, in dorsal and ventral hypodermal cells (PubMed:16303852, PubMed:11259601). During postembryonic development, has a role in sperm development (PubMed:19591818, PubMed:29702639). Specifically, binds the bipartite consensus sequence 5'-AGATCTx(8)GATAA-3' found in genes with sperm-specific expression (PubMed:19591818). Furthermore, regulates timing of developmental steps, possibly in parallel with daf-12, by controlling the expression of the let-7 family of miRNAs which in turn determines the transcription of heterochronic genes such as lin-41 (PubMed:25816370). Expressed in pachytene nuclei during the first stage of meiosis. Expressed in ventral cord and retrovesicular ganglion neurons. Expressed in vulval muscles of hermaphrodites and lateral seam and tail seam cells of males. Expressed in spermatozoa within the spermatheca of hermaphrodites. Expressed from the 28 cell stage of embryogenesis in hypodermal and muscle precursor cells (at protein level) (PubMed:9224715). Expressed from the 20-30 cell stage of embryogenesis onwards (PubMed:16303852). At the beginning of the comma stage, expression decreases in the dorsal and ventral hypodermis, but remains high in the seam cells until the pretzel stage of embryogenesis (PubMed:16303852). Expressed in neuronal cells of the retrovesicular ganglion during the threefold stage of embryogenesis (PubMed:16303852). Expressed highly in seam cells and retrovesicular ganglion and ventral cord neuronal cells from the L1 stage of larval development to adult (PubMed:16303852). Expressed in the sperm-producing germ line in spermatogenesis during the L4 stage of larval development (PubMed:19591818). Both zinc fingers are required for DNA binding in vitro. Mainly embryonic lethal (PubMed:9224715). Mutants have defective body morphogenesis (PubMed:9224715). Embryos have few or no hypodermal cells, but more neuronal and muscle cells due to defective cell divisions and cell fate specification of ABarp- and ABpla-derived and C blastomere hypodermal precursor cells of the blastomere (PubMed:9224715). Defective alae formation and bursting vulva phenotype at the L4 stage of larval development (PubMed:25816370). RNAi-mediated knockdown results in a reduced brood size, complete or half-sterility and male tail defects (PubMed:19591818). Sterility may be due to sperm infertility and sperm morphological and mobility defects (PubMed:19591818). RNAi-mediated knockdown results in flaccidity, locomotion defects, herniating gonad and gross cuticle abnormalities which may be attributed to seam cell loss, and abnormal tail morphology and reduced tail seam cells in males (PubMed:16303852). Ninety percent of embryos produced by animals fed RNAi for more than 10 hours arrest early in development (PubMed:16303852). Embryos laid 6-10 hours after RNAi administration develop to the L1 stage of larval development, but display a lumpy dumpy phenotype with reduced elt-3 expression in dorsal and ventral hypodermal cells and greatly reduced seam cells with disorganised alignment and abnormal fusion of present seam cells (PubMed:16303852). RNAi-mediated knockdown at the L1, L2 or L3 larval stages results in a general loss of structural integrity 2-4 hours following the L4 larval stage to adult molt transition (PubMed:16303852). RNAi-mediated knockdown in temperature sensitive mutants leads to abnormal dauer formation with the majority of larvae arresting and appearing dauer-like following 30-35 hours after RNAi feeding (PubMed:16303852). Surviving larvae are wider in diameter than wild-type, have reduced motility, no pharyngeal pumping, granular appearance of the hypodermal and gut cytoplasm and dauer-like gonad morphology (PubMed:16303852). 40 and 60 hours post RNAi feeding, animals demonstrate seam cell defects that manifest as cuticle abnormalities (PubMed:16303852). RNAi-mediated knockdown results in fewer seam cells and seam cell defects including cell division, proliferation and fusion abnormalities and cell fate switching (PubMed:21829390).